Mon | Feb 23, 2026

‘I almost gave up hope on this’

Beckford’s West Coast Fever signing a dream come true

Published:Tuesday | December 26, 2023 | 12:08 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
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Jamaica’s Shanice Beckford (right) watches as teammate Jhaniele Fowler scores during a Commonwealth Games netball match against Australia last year. Fowler and Beckford will again team up in 2024 for the West Coast Fever in Australia’s Suncorp Super Ne
Courtesy of birmingham2022.com
Jamaica’s Shanice Beckford (right) watches as teammate Jhaniele Fowler scores during a Commonwealth Games netball match against Australia last year. Fowler and Beckford will again team up in 2024 for the West Coast Fever in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League.
A promotional photo from Shanice Beckford speaks to her signing for Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League’s West Coast Fever.
@supernetball
A promotional photo from Shanice Beckford speaks to her signing for Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League’s West Coast Fever.
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SUNSHINE GIRL netballer Shanice Beckford is more than a little pleased at being the latest Jamaican to sign to play professional netball in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League (SNL), joining five other countrywomen.

The 28-year-old recently signed with the Perth-based West Coast Fever for the 2024 season, where she will join up with two other Sunshine Girls, Jhaniele Fowler and Kadian Dehaney, who moved from the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Beckford, who has been representing Jamaica’s seniors since she was 18 years old, is very excited about this latest development.

“It is a surreal moment and I am trying to process what just happened. The thought of playing in the SNL has been a burning desire for me for years and I almost gave up hope on this,” said Beckford.

But Beckford isn’t just feeling the elation of achieving a long-sought-after dream. She also feels the trepidation of staring down the unknown.

MIXED FEELINGS

“I am feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety. On the one hand, I am excited for what’s to come, but on the other hand, I’m nervous about the unknown. But I am having an open mind and getting mentally ready for what lies ahead.”

This is not the first time Beckford will be playing away from home. In 2015, she played for Northumbria in the Vitality Super League, the elite netball competition in England along with Nicole Dixon

“In 2015 I had to pack up and move overseas and now it’s become a familiar thing for me. I’ve grown older and developed more. I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what it means to leave one’s home and embark on a new adventure in a foreign land. Each time I travel, I learn something new about the world and about myself and I am excited to see where my next journey will take me,” said Beckford.

Beckford thinks playing in the SNL will help her improve.

“I believe there is room for improvement and playing overseas provides access to better facilities that can help to improve my game. This is a big deal for Jamaica’s netball because that’s one more player gaining the opportunity to learn and evolve.”

Beckford was part of two bronze and one silver-medal-winning teams for Jamaica at the Commonwealth Games and also helped the Sunshine Girls to bronze at the recently concluded Netball World Cup.