Head coach Annett Daley is embracing the opportunity to reinvigorate Jamaica’s Under-21 netball team as they prepare to face their South African counterparts in the three-match Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series.
The event, which was slated to take place in Fiji, in June, was initially moved to December 2021. The tournament has, however, now been cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
The decision was made in consultation with Fiji's Government and the Local Organising Committee. Considerations like travel restrictions, athlete well-being, pandemic-related uncertainty and planning difficulties, increased costs, and Fiji's low COVID-19 rate all contributed to the decision, organisers said.
Daley was appointed to the post in February and had just begun preparing the team for the tournament.
“We are going to meet with the ladies officially, but training continues. We are looking at continuing to develop the ladies because for the senior program we do a base that we can pull players from,” Daley told TVJ Sports.
She also pointed to the fact that there could still be some international competition that the team can take part in later this year.
“There could be a championship for Jamaica in October where Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa are coming. If that is so at least we will be ready to engage in competition.”
Jamaica’s Under-21 Sunshine Girls endured a tough start to their three-match series against South Africa, as they went down 31-61 in Saturday’s opener at the National Indoor Sports Centre.
Jamaica’s Under-21 netball team suffered a second consecutive defeat to their South African counterparts, as they went down 32-49 in the second game of their three-match series at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Wednesday.