Crystal Plummer in action against England's Roses earlier this year.
Crystal Plummer may be the youngest player in Jamaica's squad at the Vitality Netball World Cup, but she is no slouch when it comes to rubbing shoulders with the proverbial big girls.
At 20 years old, Plummer possesses incredible physical prowess and the intensity that she paraded in her few senior Sunshine Girls games to date, is testament to the demands she puts on herself to always perform at her best.
It is that stubborn determination, coupled with an unwavering desire to succeed, that place her among a number of dangerous young prospects in South Africa, and she is definitely out to prove that much.
"This means everything to me, not only am I doing what I love and representing my country, but I'm about to do so on the biggest stage possible which is the best part," Plummer told SportsMax.tv.
"Being a part of the World Cup team with world class players like our captain Jhaniele Fowler, as well as Shamera Sterling, who is my role model, is just beyond amazing and a dream come through. So, I am very motivated and just looking forward to doing my utmost best to execute according to the team's game plans," she added.
The wing defence, who has been one of the standouts for Head coach Connie Francis since making her debut at the Americas qualifiers on home soil last year, was also a part of the team that toured England for a series against the Roses earlier this year and among the historic Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games winning team.
Those outings in which she grasped significant lessons has aided in improving her craft.
However, it has not always been smooth sailing for Plummer, who revealed that she struggles mentally after a tough game or training session, especially if she is convinced that she underperformed.
"My senior team journey has been full of fun and also disappointments, but I take the positives from those situations and just always aim to do better than I did before. Another positive is the fact that I have a tremendous support group in my family, friends, teammates and even fans, especially when I have my mental breakdowns when I think I did not perform as I wanted to," Plummer explained.
"But, again, it has taught me a lot in terms of where I am at currently in my career, I am very passionate and dedicated to netball and so I always aim to give my best for the team and country. Right now, I am more motivated to work hard to improve my skills and to become a better player," she shared.
Though diminutive and shy by nature, whenever Plummer touches the court, her true range and personality comes to light. With her creative movement, agility and ability, the GC Foster College student is eager to again rise to the occasion.
"Mentally I have set goals for myself, if there are any individual awards to be won, I want to make sure I am on that list of contenders and to do that I have to remain focused, believe in myself and try to be as consistent as possible each time I get on court. From a physical perspective, I am training hard and pushing myself to ensure I'm ready to go the distance if asked to," the former Holmwood Technical high stalwart said.
With the Jamaica having won only three bronze medals in 1991, 2003 and 2007, expectations are high that they will not only break that drought but more importantly, improve the quality of medal at this year’s edition in Cape Town.
They are scheduled to open their campaign against Sri Lanka on Friday, before opposing Wales on Saturday and South Africa, on Sunday.
By all indications, the number four-ranked Sunshine Girls should win all three encounters and Plummer agrees.
"Well at the moment, I am not nervous and that probably will change by game time, but from a team perspective, the team is ready and committed to the cause, we know what is at stake and we will be leaving it all on court to make the country proud.
"The ladies are experienced players, and they share pointers that they use to improve on their game to sharpen their skills and that had impacted not only my game positively, but the other young players as well. So, I am very excited and looking forward to doing great things with this team," Plummer noted.
Looking beyond the tournament, the soft-spoken and cheerful player is optimistic about landing a professional contract in one of the top overseas leagues.
"I am looking forward to or hoping to get a contact in Australia, New Zealand or England that’s the main goal for me right now. So every experience from here on will be invaluable and like I said, I just want to keep learning and improving," Plummer ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Fowler-Nembhard leads West Coast Fever to 94-58 demolition of Queensland Firebirds to maintain unbeaten streak
The West Coast Fever, led by Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard's outstanding performance with 62 goals, secured a resounding 94-58 victory over the Queensland Firebirds to maintain their unbeaten record in the Suncorp Super Netball League on Friday.
The Fever established their dominance from the outset, racing to a commanding 26-16 lead by the end of the first quarter. Despite the absence of Kelsey Browne, the team demonstrated versatility with new combinations on court. Captain Jess Anstiss took on the centre position, and Sunday Aryang made her season debut in Wing Defence.
The second quarter saw the Fever extend their lead to 49-28 at halftime, with standout performances from Fran Williams in defense, securing crucial deflections and rebounds. Fowler-Nembhard and Shanice Beckford continued to shine in the shooting circle, further bolstering the Fever's advantage. All together, the Fever shot with 95 per cent accuracy from the field.
Fever's defensive prowess was on full display in the third quarter, with newcomers Olivia Williamson and Ruth Aryang making significant impacts. Williamson, making her start, scored nine goals, including three super shots, while Ruth Aryang showcased her defensive skills with key rebounds and intercepts.
As the game progressed into the final quarter, the Fever maintained their intensity, closing out the match with a decisive victory. The combination of Williamson and Beckford in the shooting circle proved formidable, with Williamson contributing 15 goals and Beckford adding 8 goals to the Fever's impressive final score of 94 points.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Firebirds were led by Donnell Wallam's strong performance, scoring 37 goals in the match.
Alice Teague-Neeld played a crucial role throughout the match, tallying an impressive 45 feeds and 33 goal assists, while also showcasing strong defensive capabilities in the fourth quarter.
With this victory, the West Coast Fever remain undefeated in the Suncorp Super Netball League, securing their fifth win of the season. The team will now shift their focus to their upcoming home game against the Thunderbirds at RAC Arena on Saturday, May 18.
Caribbean players occupy top positions on Suncorp Stats Leaderboards
Following another series of top-notch performances over the weekend, it comes as no surprise that Caribbean players continue to line the statistics leaderboards in the early exchanges of the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball League campaign.
Jamaica's Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and Shanice Beckford, assisted West Coast Fever to a thumping 75-59 win over New South Wales Swifts, the team of Trinidad and Tobago stalwart Samantha Wallace-Joseph, while other Jamaicans, Romelda Aiken-George, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, and Latanya Wilson, were instrumental in Adelaide Thunderbirds’ 69-49 win over Jodi-Ann Ward’s GIANTS.
Fowler-Nembhard, an imposing figure in the shooting circle, scored 61 goals from 62 attempts in the Fever’s latest win, and remains top of the tables in several categories – namely, Nissan Net Points (490.5), goals (243) and attempts (248). Aiken-George (148 goals and 171 attempts) and Wallace-Joseph (138 goals and 148 attempts) are fourth and fifth in the goals and attempts categories respectively.
Beckford has been finding her footing at the two-point Super Shot line in her debut season, but it is the 86 centre passes received that has her atop that category, jointly with Fever’s teammate Alice Teague-Neeld and Liz Watson of the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Samantha Wallace-Joseph (second right) prepares to receive the ball, while under pressure from Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
Aiken-George retains top spot for offensive rebounds with 22 to her name, with Fowler-Nembhard (13) fifth in that category, while Sterling-Humphrey (8) has slipped third in the defensive rebound category, behind Remi Kamo (10) and Sarah Klau (8).
However, Sterling-Humphrey is not to be beaten elsewhere though, as she maintains a strangle hold atop the deflections and intercepts tallies with 27 and 15 to her name. Her teammate Wilson sits fourth and second on the deflections and intercepts lists with 22 and 14.
Meanwhile, Sunday Aryang and Ash Ervin have taken second and third for deflections with 26 and 25 respectively.
Teague-Neeld remains on top of the goal assists leaderboard with 107 to her name, followed closely by Liz Watson (96).
Sophie Dwyer and Kiera Austin have not shied away from the Suncorp Super Shot, sitting equal first with 32 attempts apiece, and both within the top five for successful attempts. Helen Housby sits top of the table for successful shots with 22 to her name from 29 attempts.
Fowler-Nembhard scores 59 as West Coast Fever secure dominant win over New South Wales Swifts to remain unbeaten in in Suncorp Super Netball League
The West Coast Fever delivered a commanding performance against the New South Wales Swifts in the Suncorp Super Netball League on Sunday, maintaining their unbeaten streak with a resounding 75-59 victory. The win marks the Fever's fourth consecutive triumph in the league.
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard led the charge for the Fever, showcasing her shooting prowess with an impressive tally of 59 goals from 60 attempts. In contrast, Samantha Wallace-Joseph of the Swifts managed 34 goals from 35 attempts.
The match was evenly poised at halftime, with the Fever holding a narrow 35-33 lead. However, they seized control in the second half, outscoring the Swifts 40-26 to secure a decisive victory.
Both teams displayed high-intensity play from the outset, with the ball swiftly transitioning between players and into the hands of their sharpshooters, Fowler-Nembhard and Wallace-Joseph. The Fever capitalized on their offensive strategies, utilizing precise passing to set up scoring opportunities for Fowler-Nembhard against a formidable Swifts defence.
Although the Swifts showed promise in the second quarter, tightening their defensive pressure and causing turnovers, the Fever regained momentum after halftime. Fowler-Nembhard continued to dominate in the shooting circle, supported by a cohesive midfield effort led by Kelsey Browne.
Defensively, Sunday Aryang played a pivotal role for the Fever, effectively neutralizing key Swifts players and disrupting their attacking flow. The Fever's relentless defensive pressure and cohesive teamwork ultimately propelled them to a convincing victory.
With this win, the West Coast Fever maintain their unbeaten run in the Suncorp Super Netball League, showcasing their championship potential early in the season. The team's performance underscores their depth and skill across all facets of the game, setting a strong foundation for future success in the competition.
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