Prime Minister Golding Proud of Achievements of National Senior Netball Team in World Series

“We were tired of being the bronze queens,” President of the Jamaica Netball Association, Mrs. Marva Bernard, told Prime Minister Bruce Golding during a call on him by national senior netball players on their return to the island on October 12.
The team came home with the silver medal from the first World Netball Series that was held in Manchester, England, from October 9-11.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding and President of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA), Marva Bernard, share a joke at Jamaica House, during a visit Monday evening (October 12) by the national netball team, the Sunshine Girls, who finished second at the recent inaugural World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in Manchester (JIS News).

The Prime Minister recalled that the last two years have been good for the country and the netballers had added to the joy.
“I am very proud of what you have done…what the Sunshine Girls have demonstrated is that it is not only in athletics that we can do well. Netball is one of our areas of strength and I want to indicate to you, that we fully support all the efforts to ensure that you will continue to represent Jamaica and perform as well as you have.”

The Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, jokingly falls to his knees in deference to the height of Sunshine Girls’ shooter, the 1.96 metre Romelda Aiken, when she arrived at Jamaica House, with the rest of the team to meet him, on their return from England, Monday (October 12). The team finished second to New Zealand in the inaugural World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in Manchester. Looking on from left are: Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, the Hon. Daryl Vaz; Parliament Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Senator Warren Newby; and Chairman of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), David Mais (JIS News).

The series dubbed, ‘Fast Net’, because of the speed at which the game is played, saw Jamaica bringing home their first second place at the highest level, bettering their ranking by one notch, by defeating Australia and earning respect from New Zealand.
Team leader, Mrs. Bernard, was full of praise for St Hugh’s Past Student, goalkeeper, Miss Sasha-Gaye Lynch, who represents the fruit of the local youth programme.

Coach of Jamaica’s national netball team, the Sunshine Girls, Connie Francis, being greeted by Prime Minister Bruce Golding on her arrival at Jamaica House Monday (October 12)with the team for a courtesy call, after returning home from the inaugural World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in Manchester, England (JIS News).

“We thank you Sasha, because I well remember….there were two (England) balls that went down to their shooters that Sasha said ‘no!’, she took it and sent it back and I want to say how proud we are. You are a product of our development programme. This is the best birthday present we can give to this country as an Association, an improvement in our performance every time we go out,” Mrs. Bernard said.