Moving on

Head coach Alwyn Babb, manager Marcia Oxley (centre), and Barbados Netball Association president Juanita Cordle at the Press. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)

By Kenmore Bynoe | Sat, June 18, 2011 - 12:05 AM

All of the political acrimony and financial uncertainty that have plagued Barbados’ netball over the years appear to be of the past, as the Barbados Netball Association (BNA) held a Press conference yesterday to announce an impressive line-up for next month’s World Netball Championships in Singapore.

With a stated bid to improve on Barbados’ highest world ranking of seventh, an upbeat group comprising president Juanita Cordle, head coach Alwyn Babb, manager Marcia Oxley, and secretary Nisha Cummins indicated that the experienced Kizzy Marville would captain the blended team of youth and experience.

Barbados are ninth in the recently released rankings, and the first goal is to qualify from Group D which comprises world No. 3 England, Malawi (No. 7), and Malaysia (No. 23).

Coach Babb was effusive in declaring that the fitness level and personal approach of the training had contributed significantly to the consistency of the players attending practice. This meant that determining the final 12 was a difficult task.

The team remains largely unchanged from the one that represented the island at the Commonwealth Games last October.

Nadia Blackman and Makeba Clarke did not make the final cut, neither did Chekirah Shepherd who was on the squad to Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month.

Sabrina Browne will be joining her sister Samantha, and Shonette Azore-Bruce makes a welcome return to the defence. Damisha Croney and Lisa Puckerin, who missed the Trinidad tour, are also back.

Height will not be a handicap, with Marville, vice-captain Latonya Blackman, Faye Sealy, Lydia Bishop and Laurel Browne packing size and stature.

“It was a tough selection, particularly where there was more rivalry for the defence and mid-court areas,” Babb declared.

However, the coach added that there was still some work to be done in the shooting and lamented that there was not enough competition for the shooting positions.

Babb and the BNA’s executive appear to have resolved any public differences, with the former Barbados athletics coach stressing that any problems between management and the BNA were kept away from the players whose focus was on training and playing netball to make the country proud.

Cordle concurred with that statement.

The president also stated that the $133 000 cost of the tour had been met by fundraising efforts as well as contributions from the National Sports Council and the Barbados Olympic Association.

Barbados’ move up the ranks has been noticed and appreciated by other countries, with No. 1 New Zealand requesting a practice match, obviously in a bid to sharpen up for a possible Caribbean clash with No. 4 Jamaica.

The Bajans may also get a practice game against Botswana.

Barbados are one spot below Trinidad and Tobago (No. 8), with the next highest placed Caribbean team being St Lucia (14th); St Vincent are next (20th).

Both Cordle and Cummins will leave for Singapore on July 1 to attend the World Netball Congress and a number of workshops.

Julie Phillips, the Under-16 coach, will also be in Singapore to take part in a sponsored coaching seminar.

The team will leave here on June 27 to reach Singapore on the 29th.

Last night, the Barbados team fine-tuned with a game against the Under-21 squad at the Netball Stadium.

Game 2 is scheduled for tonight at 7 at the same venue, with Babb looking to finalise his starting positions for Singapore.