Kingston, Jamaica

Adean and Latanya, who plays for Adelaide Thunderbirds, Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League champions, became friends and teammates in 2019 when they joined forces on the netball court. While they were familiar with each other before, their friendship truly blossomed when they shared the same netball journey. Adean shares, "Since 2019, Latanya and I have been teammates. We kept in touch while she was in Australia, and our friendship grew stronger. We made the team for the Commonwealth Games, Taini Jamison, and World Cup, and ever since, our friendship has been even closer."

When tragedy struck on the night of August 17, Thomas, who had recently suffered the loss of her grandmother, knew she had to be there for her dear friend, Latanya. Adean reflected on that fateful day, saying, "When I heard the news, I was utterly devastated. Gezelle (Allison) and I immediately went to see her. I just bounced out of bed, cleaned my teeth, and headed right to Rum Lane without even taking a shower. Even in my pajamas, I conducted an interview to seek help for her. It didn't matter to me because she needed the support, and Jamaica needed to hear and see that."

Their initial conversations were not centered on the fire but rather on comforting each other through laughter, tears, and shared memories. Adean remembers those moments fondly, "The majority of our chats were unrelated to the fire and instead focused on topics like netball and school. We comforted each other, laughing, crying, and hugging each other."

The tragic circumstances of losing their homes and loved ones have indeed drawn Adean and Latanya closer together. Adean acknowledged that when he grandmother passed away, Wilson played a crucial role in supporting her during the Netball World Cup.

She adds, "We were closer even before the death of my nana. She gave me the support I needed during the World Cup. She never stopped being encouraging and motivating to me. She helped me stay upbeat and concentrated on the job at hand."

As Wilson received a new home on a lease-to-buy basis from the Jamaican government and generous support from entities like the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, Thomas, who was present once again in support, expressed her happiness and gratitude, saying, "I mean it's something good, you know, I mean with what she's been through and for the other persons that were involved in the fire, just for persons to come on board; it means so much to her and the team, and I'm just happy for her."

Barbados opened the competition with a commanding 67-27 victory over the Cayman Islands.

It was a relatively close affair after the first quarter as the Barbadians, currently ranked 13^th in the world, led 13-4.

However, the Gems ramped up the intensity in second quarter stretching the lead to 21 to end the half ahead 34-13. They widened the lead 48-21 heading into the final quarter when they capped a fine display with 19 goals in the period to wind up 67-27 winners.

Goal shooter Faye Agard led the way for Barbados with 51 goals from 59 attempts while goal attack Brianna Holder had 16 goals from 21 attempts.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines were equally dominant in their 51-24 win over the USA.

St. Vincent got out to an early lead as the Americans struggled to put points on the board. The end of the first quarter saw the Vincentians up 15-3 and by halftime, the score was 30-9. The third quarter was no different as the USA found themselves getting their first basket at the four-minute mark, ending the quarter down 15-37 before ultimately suffering a 24-51 defeat.

Goal shooter Mary Ann Frederick led the way for S. Vincent & the Grenadines with 22 goals from 26 attempts while goal attack Kimesha Antoine also attempted 26 shots, converting 21 of them.

Coach of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Godfrey Harry, said his team got what they expected.

“It was predictable. We were expecting to win this game and we did. One of the things that we wanted to make sure of was that we experiment and use the depth of our team. All the players stepped up to the plate, which was great for us,” he said.

Despite the loss, USA assistant coach Keithan Grayson-Superville said she expects improvement after what was her team’s first international action in years.

“They didn’t do as much as I would’ve liked to see today but it’s our first game and we haven’t played internationally for over four years. We’re going to take it game by game and, as we go, we’re going to try to improve. We’re a work in progress.”

Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines are expected on Thursday just over 72 hours before vying for a chance to join Jamaica at the championship to be held in South Africa next year.

Fierce competition is expected as only two other teams from the USA, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Cayman Islands and Grenada can qualify.

"Excitement is looming and things are reaching fever pitch.  I know there is a buzz in the region because only two teams will go forward to play in Cape Town in July next year,” said Marva Bernard, President of Netball Americas.

“I am looking forward to another thrilling world class event taking place in Jamaica.

"Not since 2003 have we had a multi-country netball tournament in the Americas Region so I am hoping the patrons will come out.  I know there will be good netball. It will be keenly contested and I can't wait for the first whistle to blow on day one of the competition so let's rock and roll and bacchanal and catch the vibes and feel the vibes and have our Dancehall and Reggae because it's going to be a fun time in this country."

With the stakes so high, several of the teams have bolstered their respective coaching staffs as they seek to get a leg up on World Cup regulars Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados.

St. Lucia brought in former national coach Minneth Reynolds while Antigua & Barbuda has hired English coach Lisa Smith and assistant coach Lauren Smith to help improve their prospects of success.

Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands has English coach Lyneth Monteith.

The first match on the fixtures will get underway at 6:00 pm on October 16 at the NISC. The seven-day qualifier will end on October 22 and according to Dwayne Gutzmer, chair of the local organizing committee, "It promises to be a world class event with lots of prizes, lots of giveaways, lots of fan engagement.”

Following up on their 64-32 victory on Tuesday night, the Sunshine Girls produced their most dominant display of the series. They led 17-7 at the end of the first quarter and turned up the intensity in the second to lead 40-10 at half-time.

Jhaniele Fowler had her most productive game scoring 41 goals from 46 attempts and got support from Shanice Beckford who netted 13 of her 17 attempts on goal. By the time Fowler was taken out of the game, Jamaica was out of sight and it was left to Gezelle Allison 10 from 14 and Rebekah Robinson with nine from 13 to close the show.

Kalifa McCollin led the scoring for the Trinidadians with 14 from 17 shots while Afeisha Noel had seven from nine but they could do little to break Jamaica’s stifling defence that limited them to three goals in the second quarter and only five in the third as the lead stretched to 42 goals.

Jamaica won the opening game of the series 71-22 and then defeated the Trinidadians 64-32 to take an unassailable lead before closing off with Wednesday night’s dominant win.

Jamaica will now prepare for their three-Test series against England’s Roses in the Vitality Roses Reunited Series set for November.

On August 17, tragedy struck as Wilson's home fell victim to arson in the heart of downtown Kingston. The family home, shared with her mother and sisters, was firebombed by thugs in the Central Kingston community. Since then, an overwhelming wave of support and solidarity has poured in for the 22-year-old athlete.

In a heartwarming gesture, the Jamaican government, in collaboration with the National Housing Trust and West Indies Home Contractors (WIHCON), has provided Wilson and her family with a new home located in St Catherine. The house, offered under a special lease-to-buy agreement, was formally presented to Wilson at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Sports, and Entertainment on Trafalgar Road in Kingston.

Corporate giant GraceKennedy Ltd also stepped up, donating essential food items and J$250,000 in cash to assist the Wilson family during these challenging times.

Minister Olivia Grange, who represents the government and was overseas at the World Championships in Budapest when she learned of the tragedy, spoke emotionally about the support Wilson received. She shared, "It was like 3 or 4 in the morning in Budapest when I got the message, and I called and when I spoke to Latanya and asked where she was, she said she was sitting in Pastor Brown’s car, and I was really touched by that because in a moment like that, you need somebody there to make you feel like you are being taken care of."

Minister Grange emphasized the government's commitment to support not only Wilson but also other affected families by the attack the razed the dwelling. She stated, "Because Latanya is one of our star players and there is some urgency to having her settled because she is going off to greater heights very soon, we are doing this exercise this morning."

Janet Hartley-Millwood, Branch Manager of the NHT St Catherine office, expressed her delight in welcoming Latanya into the NHT family, saying, "We just want to welcome you to the NHT family and into home ownership at the National Housing Trust. We can assure you that we will guide you. We will do what we can to help you through this period of transition."

In response to the overwhelming support, Latanya Wilson shared her gratitude, telling Sportsmax.TV, "No, I didn’t expect this. Everything has come as a surprise. It’s a lot to process but it's very good that everybody is coming on board and supporting wherever they can."

Regarding the opportunity to own a home at her age, she added, "At my age of 22, it is quite an exciting journey for me to turn (the lease) over into a mortgage so I am grateful and happy at this moment."

When asked if this new home gives her peace of mind as she prepares to return to Australia to play in the Suncorp Super Netball League, Wilson replied, "To some extent, it does. It will definitely put my mind at ease in some ways given the fact that your family is somewhere safe."

The JOA's rewarding initiative encompasses a comprehensive approach, aiming to not only honor the team's success but also contribute to their future financial stability. Each player from the bronze medal-winning team will receive JMD$1 million from a joint reward from Supreme Ventures Limited and Mayberry Investments.

The JMD$13 million in rewards will go towards funding investment accounts at Mayberry Investments for each medallist. The funds will be under management at Mayberry Investments for a period of three years or until the athlete's retirement from netball, whichever comes earlier.

The announcement, made at the JOA headquarters on Cunningham Avenue in Kingston on Monday, August 28, marks a momentous occasion as the JOA has never before rewarded a team and their coach for their exceptional performances. Following the Tokyo Olympics, the JOA had rewarded the track and field athletes a total of JMD$45 million.

This unprecedented decision is a testament to the remarkable journey and victories of the Jamaican netball team. Over the years, they have showcased their prowess, securing victories like the CAC gold, which ultimately culminated in their monumental success at the Netball World Cup.

Ryan Foster, General Secretary of the JOA, expressed the significance of this moment and the association's pride in the team's accomplishments:

"Today, the Jamaica Olympic Association celebrates and acknowledges your achievements on the court but we also want to reward them. We have watched with pride over the years of the success and progress made by our Sunshine Girls and are elated that we have been a part of that journey along with our partners SVL and Mayberry."

Foster recounted the dedication of the team and the vital role that the JOA, along with its partners, played in supporting the sport's resurgence after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic:

"I remember when President (Tricia) Robinson came to us seeking ways to restart the sport after COVID and the most important goal was to get the Elite League and the National League going, and the JOA along with SVL and Marathon have invested over JMD$9 million in the restart of the Netball leagues."

Highlighting the team's historic accomplishments, Mr. Foster emphasized that the bronze medal at the World Cup was the perfect culmination of their remarkable journey:

"Following upon the Commonwealth Games, Caribbean Games, and CAC, all historic performances, it was only fitting that the icing on the cake was the World Cup. The JOA and our partners salutes you and your contribution to Jamaican pride, sports prowess, and generally being great ambassadors of not only yourselves but also of the JOA and our partners."

Acknowledging the pivotal role of Coach Connie Francis, Mr. Foster announced a reward of JMD$2 million for her extraordinary leadership.

"For the signal work done by Coach Connie Francis, the JOA will reward the coach extraordinaire with an amount of $2 million," Foster said.

Recognizing the strength of their netball family, the JOA extended a helping hand to Latanya, contributing $1M towards her recovery. Wilson recently lost her home and all her personal belongings including her trophies and medals when arsonists set her home on fire.

"It is in times of distress and crisis that we see the heart of our family, and Latanya, you are family. With that said, the JOA will contribute JMD$1 million towards your road to recovery."

As the JOA, SVL, and Mayberry unite to celebrate the achievements of the Sunshine Girls, Foster assured that the journey is far from over, with the promise of continuous collaboration and support.

"Life is what you make it. Journeys are made to be explored and memories last a lifetime. Your memorable accomplishments have warmed our hearts, and similarly, when you were to restart the sport, we will continue the journey hand in hand, a marriage that won’t be broken."

Foster extended gratitude to SVL and Mayberry for their partnership and dedication to the athletes' success, foreshadowing further exciting announcements as the journey towards the Olympic year continues.

Jamaica demolished their Caribbean rivals 71-22 on Saturday night with Jhaniele Fowler leading the way with 43 goals. Defensively, Jamaica was stifling limiting their opponents to only six second-half goals in a comprehensive victory.

However, Francis was not pleased with certain elements of the Jamaican execution.

“I was a bit disappointed with the shooting. I thought we were more than capable of doing a better job,” said Francis, who said the only player who she would excuse was Shanice Beckford who has not played in 18 months.

“I thought Jhaniele was too casual. Her style has changed a bit since she began playing in the Super League. She is not catching or elevating as she usually does.”

Francis also believes the team needs to tighten up defensively.
“Trinidad was able to get the ball through from the Jamaica attacking area into midcourt and into their shooting area without much pressure,” she explained.

She said she plans to tackle those areas of concern before the next game on Tuesday.

“We have a training session today (Sunday) and another on Tuesday morning, these ladies are professionals playing in leagues abroad, we should be capable of making those adjustments,” she said.

Both teams entered the game with three wins from three games and begun the top-of-the-table clash in a competitive manner, battling throughout the first quarter which T&T eventually won 17-12. The leaders then held Grenada to just eight points in the second quarter, entering the half with a 32-20 lead. The Trinis then enjoyed a spectacular third quarter, contrary to the one they had against St. Vincent & the Grenadines on Monday. They forced the Grenadians into several turnovers and capitalized on those mistakes to enter the fourth quarter up 49-29 before eventually sealing a 66-42 win, their fourth in as many games.

Goal shooter Afeisha Noel and goal attack Joelisa Cooper dominated the Grenada defence with 45 goals from 49 attempts and 12 goals from 16 attempts, respectively.

“I think it was all about the players,” said Duncan.

“They had their goals and stayed focused. They worked together and maintained discipline to achieve the score we wanted.”

Even with a massive lead in the fourth quarter, Duncan’s team maintained a high level of intensity on both ends, something she says they’ve emphasized with big goals in mind.

“We have been training to maintain intensity. I think it’s the level of the game that is played in the higher tournaments so we want to push towards that.”

Grenadian captain Shakira Collymore blamed said injuries were a factor in their performance.

“We have a lot of injuries so we weren’t able to enjoy the entire match but I think we put up a good fight. We were able to stay with them for the first two quarters but couldn’t stick it out. We have more matches to play.”

In Tuesday’s other results, Jamaica got their highest point total of the tournament with an 81-27 win over the Cayman Islands, Barbados beat the USA 47-26 and St. Vincent & the Grenadines beat St. Lucia 49-36.

Entering the game, the Calypso Girls had already booked their spot in next year’s World Cup on the back of a perfect record after six games while the Gems were also unbeaten after five games and would’ve sealed their trip to Cape Town next year with a win.

The end of the first quarter saw Trinidad & Tobago build a 12-7 lead before Barbados outscored them 14-10 in the second to trail 21-22 at half-time. T&T then outscored them by four in the third quarter to lead 35-30 before eventually winning 50-40.

T&T was led by goal shooter Afeisha Noel’s 33 goals from 35 attempts while goal attack Joelisa Cooper had 17 goals from 21 attempts. Bajan goal shooters Faye Agard and Shonica Wharton had 14 goals from 16 attempts and 15 goals from 20 attempts, respectively.

“I am ecstatic about that performance. I think we went out there and executed exactly what the coach wanted and I can’t ask for anything else from the girls,” said Trinidad & Tobago captain Shaquanda Greene-Noel.

Barbados captain Shonette Azore-Bruce praised her team’s fighting spirit despite the result not going their way.

“It’s not the outcome that we wanted but I must say that I am proud of my girls for fighting to the end. We did not score the goals we should have but I’m still proud of my girls for fighting. At least we had that fight in us.”

The Gems will have another chance to confirm their spot at the World Cup when they take on Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday’s seventh and final day.

Other Thursday results saw Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls get by St. Lucia 85-30, St. Vincent beat Antigua & Barbuda 66-30 and the USA getting a 44-35 win over the Cayman Islands.

On Friday, Antigua and Barbuda will play St. Lucia, the USA will battle Grenada, Jamaica will play Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines will play the Cayman Islands.

However, according to Netball Jamaica, they are discussing with England Netball, the possibility of having the series in November 2021.

The series was to have got underway on January 22 and was to have been shown live on SkySports in the United Kingdom.

“We are hugely disappointed that the series cannot happen in January, but with the extended restrictions to international travel between the UK and Jamaica, it isn't possible for the fixture to go ahead as planned," the statement from England Netball said.

“We would like to thank the Jamaican national team and the Vitality Roses for their collective efforts to plan and prepare for the series to date, and their support in making this decision.”

Netball Jamaica President Tricia Robinson explained that it was a collective decision based on the extension of travel restrictions from Jamaica to the UK until the end of January 2021 brought about by the ongoing spikes in the UK and the emergence of the variant strain of the virus that makes it easier to spread.

“We are naturally disappointed as this is a second postponement,” Robinson said. “The players are going on a little break now and will resume training in February.”

Robinson said that talks are ongoing between the two federations with a view to having the series later this year, with November being proposed as an appropriate time to resume. This is in light of the fact that players from both teams have been signed by teams in the Suncorp Super Netball League that gets underway in Australia in March.

Wray & Nephew will support the Jamaica Senior Netball Team and Netball Jamaica, the governing body for netball in the country, to the tune of $14 million in cash. This partnership will be an initial three-relationship, with an option for renewal thereafter.

According to a statement released by the company on Sunday, the same day the team played in their first-ever netball final at the Commonwealth Games, over the years, there have been calls for public and private sector support to match the successes of the “Sunshine Girls,” who have had consistent world-class displays on the global stage.

“Their moments of heroism include medal-winning displays at past Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games. The 2022 staging of the latter is currently ongoing, with Jamaica’s historic triumph over Australia in the Games already one for the books,” the statement said.

An elated Tricia Robinson, President of Netball Jamaica, expressed her gratitude to Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum for coming on board.

Pavel Smith, Marketing Manager, J. Wray & Nephew Limited, says his team is honoured to partner with The Girls and their Federation.

“The Sunshine Girls have consistently showcased to the world, what true Jamaican character and spirit looks like by Jaminating their competitors against all odds,” Smith said.

“As an integral part of the fabric of Jamaican culture, Wray Rum believes that it is important for us to sponsor the trailblazing senior Sunshine Girls senior programme. The $14 million cash support over the course of three years, will go towards their gears, local transportation, international travel, and other recurring expenses, that they have been vocal to the public about.”

For the brand, each of the $14 million in cash support represents the 14 parishes of Jamaica, which mirrors Wray Rum’s currently available Parish Collection, to mark Jamaica’s 60th Independence.