Trio interviewed for WNC coaching role

Sunshine Girls coaching hopefuls Connie Francis, Oberon Pitterson and Annette Daley were all interviewed yesterday for the post of head coach and assistant coach by a panel of selectors from the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA).

The interviews were conducted by chairperson and first vice-president of the JNA, Dorothy Hobson, along with the JNA's technical director, Jill McIntosh, former national coach, Maureen Hall, Dr Aggrey Irons and Don Anderson.

All three coaches were given separate opportunities to coach and impress the selectors during the Sunshine Girls' 3-0 series victories over Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago in March and their exciting 2-1 series victory over England last week.

The coaches are hoping to lead Jamaica's team to this year's World Netball Championships (WNC), which will be held in Singapore from July 3-10.

selectors deliberating

McIntosh, a WNC-winning coach with Australia, told The Gleaner in an interview yesterday that the selectors are currently deliberating and a decision will be made very soon.

"They are not going to name now, but the interviews went well and the panel is now deliberating ,and a decision will made soon through the JNA," said McIntosh.

Francis has been the coach of Jamaica's senior team for the past five years, with Daley as her deputy. Together they both guided the Sunshine Girls to the silver medal at the inaugural World FastNet Championships which was held in England in 2009.

Francis, a former top-notch national goal attack and shooter and Daley, a lecturer at Mico University College, were the coaches of Jamaica's team which finished fourth at the last WNC, held in Auckland, New Zealand. Francis also played in five WNC's between 1986 and 2003.

Pitterson, a former versatile defender for the national senior team, who has played at the WNC on serveral occasions, last coached the Sunshine Girls at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in Australia, where the Jamaicans finished out of the medals. She also currently represents Tivoli Gardens in the Berger Paints Super League netball competition.

- Robert Bailey