Several of the teams down to participate in the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifier which begins on Sunday at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, have already arrived ready to do battle for spots in the Netball World Cup.
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.”