JNA implements leadership policy

Captain, vice-captain must apply for positions, but Forbes, Bryan say they're no longer interested

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

It now appears that Jamaica's Sunshine Girls will have a new captain and vice-captain, after Simone Forbes and her deputy, Nadine Bryan, said they would not be applying for the job.

This follows the implementation of a new policy by the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) through its technical director, Jill McIntosh, which states that any player wishing to be captain or vice-captain of the national senior netball team must apply in writing to the association for both posts.

Forbes, the long-standing captain of the Sunshine Girls, told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday that she would not be applying.

"I am not applying for it because I am not interested in it anymore," said the 29-year-old Forbes, who plays goal attack.

"Based on how the situation was handled, I didn't like that," Forbes stated.

'I don't feel to'

Bryan, who has led the team on a number of occasions in the absence of Forbes and is one of the most experienced players in the Jamaican set-up, also said will not be offering herself for the any of the leadership positions.

"No, because I don't feel to and I don't want to," said Bryan, as she chose not to disclose her reasons.

McIntosh, an Australian who was appointed technical director in January, said this new selection process for the team leadership is a step in the right direction because it gives the JNA the opportunity to select the right persons for the job based on the qualities that they bring to the table.

"Any player who wants to be considered for the captaincy, they need to just apply to the JNA stating why they should be the captain and what qualities they bring to the table," said McIntosh.

"This is something that I have done before because I value the positions of captain and vice-captain very highly," she said.

McIntosh, who is a World Netball Championships-winning coach with the Australia team, added that the captaincy is a very demanding job.

"I think that there is more and more that has been asked of these players, because there are a lot of media commitments for them, and so you have to have people that can handle those commitments, as well as maintaining their performances on court," McIntosh stated.

The Jamaicans, who are ranked fourth in the world, are scheduled to play a two-Test series against Caribbean neighbours Trinidad and Tobago from March 25-27, prior to a three-Test series against England in April.

"We will appoint a stand-in captain for the series against Trinidad and by the time we get to the England series, then a captain should be appointed by that time," McIntosh noted.