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• Heart and skill: Role model Shanice Beckford targets successful Vitality Horizon series against England

  Having spent years perfecting her game and inspiring others through her journey, Shanice Beckford views a return to the international stage for the Vitality Horizon Netball Series as another opportunity to parade her skills in front of aspiring players both at home and in England.

  In fact, few players are as excited to hit the court as Beckford, especially after a lengthy break from international action, as the upcoming four-match series against England Roses will be the first time the Sunshine Girls have assembled since their bronze medal win at last year’s Netball World Cup.

  Beckford’s enthusiasm reflects the strong bond within the team, which is a key factor as they prepare to face their fierce rivals.

  England will host the first two games scheduled for November 16 and 17 at the AO Arena in Manchester, with Jamaica set to host the last two encounters on November 25 and 26 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

  “I’m happy to be back with the team for another cycle,” Beckford told SportsMax.Tv, radiating positivity.

  

  “Kicking off our first international series with two matches at home is a great feeling. It’s always good vibes when the team gets together so I am excited to be back with the girls and ready to give of my best as usual,” she added.

  Beckford’s passion, resilience, and aspirations for the future stem from the fact that she went from humble beginnings in the inner city to being a familiar face in Jamaican netball, as she was determined to break stereotypes and pursue a path beyond her immediate circumstances.

  “Growing up in the inner city, I just didn’t want to be treated as stereotype, so netball became my escape, offering me not just the sport but a way to build connections and dream beyond my surroundings,” Beckford, who currently represents West Coast Fever in the Australian Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League, shared.

  Though her career spanning over 10 years is marked by remarkable moments such as winning three Commonwealth Games medals, three Fast5 medals, and a Netball World Cup medal, for Beckford, her greatest achievement isn’t a particular medal or title but the journey itself—the connections, skills, and personal growth she has experienced along the way.

  Still, her path hasn’t always been easy as injuries, disappointing matches, and times of self-doubt have all tested Beckford’s resilience. However, she welcomed successes and setbacks as part of the transformative process, with humility being her guiding principle.

  

  “Even the tough moments have taught me the importance of perseverance and sportsmanship and I cherish this journey and all that it has brought into my life. It feels like I was destined to walk this path, so I will always remain humble, no matter what, and trust the process regardless,” Beckford stated.

  The versatile 29-year-old goal-attack, who has earned the love and support of fans worldwide, is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with England, as her agility, sharp shooting, and strategic play have seen her win numerous star player of the game awards against them.

  As such, the longstanding rivalry between the two nations not only brings a familiar intensity but also makes Beckford and her number four-ranked Sunshine Girls teammates even more motivated for the challenge as they seek to topple the now number two-ranked England and make a move up the rankings.

  “Facing off against England, our long-standing rivals, always brings an electrifying atmosphere and intense competition. Each match against them isn’t just about the battles on the court but is also an opportunity to see our growth as a team,” Beckford declared.

  “It’s going to be a good matchup against the Roses. They’re coming off a series win against New Zealand and had decent competition with the Australia Diamonds. All four matches will be tough, but we are ready to secure a favourable outcome at the end,” she noted.

  

  Finally, with this series marking the start of another four-year cycle in her career, Beckford remains focused on her personal and professional growth, with her ultimate ambition being simple yet powerful—continue inspiring others.

  “I have been pushing myself to be at peak performance; I’ve put in a lot of work, thanks to my trainers, and I feel ready to compete. The aim is always to be at my best at all times, ensure I am sharpening my skillset, and get ready for another season in SSN,” she explained, emphasizing her dedication to continuous improvement.

  “I will continue working hard to not only see where this journey takes me, but more importantly, to continue serving as an inspiration to young athletes who see me as a role model,” Beckford ended

• Curtin sacked by Philadelphia Union, Arena new San Jose head coach

  The Philadelphia Union have parted ways with head coach Jim Curtin, the club announced on Thursday. 

  Curtin was the second-longest serving coach in the MLS, only behind Sporting Kansas City's Peter Vermes, but his 10-year stint at Subaru Park has finally come to an end. 

  During the 45-year-old's tenure, the Union won the 2020 Supporters' Shield and made the 2022 MLS Cup final. 

  But Philadelphia struggled this season, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference standings and therefore missing the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017.

  Curtin oversaw 394 matches in all competitions, winning 170 (D90 L134), ending with a win percentage of 41.9%. 

  "We want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Jim for his passion and dedication to this club over the last 10 seasons," sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a statement.

  "He greatly contributed to the success the club has achieved in recent years and for that, we are extremely grateful.

  "We thank Jim for the significant impact he made both on the field and in the community. Following the 2024 season, we recognise the need for change.

  "We'll continue to evaluate our sporting strategy and make the necessary changes this offseason to best set the team up for success."

  In the Western Conference, the San Jose Earthquakes named Bruce Arena as their new head coach and sporting director after a poor 2024 season. 

  They conceded an MLS-record 78 goals and finished bottom of the overall league standings, parting ways with Luchi Gonzalez before being led by interim coach Ian Russell.

  Arena takes charge of his fifth club in the MLS and his first since resigning from his position with the New England Revolution in 2023. 

  The 73-year-old is the most accomplished coach in MLS history, leading the league in regular-season wins (262) and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs victories (35).

  Additionally, Arena led the United States at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and won three CONCACAF Gold Cup titles.

  "I am extremely excited for the opportunity to come to San Jose," said Arena.

  "I coached my first ever professional game at Spartan Stadium in 1996 – the first game in MLS history – and my first international game with the U.S. in 1998 was in San Jose.

  "The Earthquakes and Northern California have a proud soccer tradition.

  "There’s a lot of potential with the club, and I am looking forward to working with everyone here to unlock that potential and get back to winning ways."

• England handed World Cup final reunion with Spain in Women's Nations League

  England will face a re-run of the Women's 2023 World Cup final after being drawn in the same group as Spain in the 2025 Women's Nations League. 

  Sarina Wiegman's side will face the world and Nations League champions for the first time since the August 2023 World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 in Australia. 

  The Lionesses are joined in Group A3 by Belgium, who stunned England in the previous edition of the tournament with a 3-2 win in Leuven last October, and Portugal.

  During the October international break, England were beaten 4-3 by Germany, but responded with a 2-1 triumph over South Africa. 

  They face Emma Hayes' United States at Wembley in an international friendly at the end of this month before taking on Switzerland in December before the tournament starts. 

  “It’s an exciting draw. We have Spain – a top, world-class team – which I think is exciting because it’s another opportunity to play at that level," Wiegman said. 

  “It’s really good that we play Belgium because in the last Nations League we lost when we played them away, and we really underperformed.

  "We can prove to ourselves now that we can do much better than that in the two games. I’m happy with that one, they’re tough.

  “Portugal are a very talented team. We played them before we went to the World Cup, and we drew with them.

  "We had a lot of the ball, but we couldn’t score, and they were very dangerous on the counter-attack. They have a lot of technical players.

  “There are different opponents, and I’m really looking forward to it because we’ll be challenged in different areas of the game. And of course we’ll give them challenges too.”