ECCB Demonstrates Commitment to Development of Netball in ECCU

BASSETERRE St. Kitts, June 30th 2011 - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) continues to demonstrate its commitment to the development of young minds through sports by sponsoring the OECS/ECCB Under-23 Netball Tournament since 1991. This year’s tournament will be held in St Kitts and Nevis from 1 – 7 July. Six teams will attempt to take the championship trophy from the Spice Girls of Grenada.  These are: Anguilla, The Commonwealth of Dominica, Nevis, St Kitts, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. All the matches will be played at the Pam Tyson Netball Complex, Warner Park. The opening ceremony will be held on Saturday 2 July from 4:30 p.m. The ECCB’s continued sponsorship of the OECS/ECCB Under-23 Netball Tournament over the past 20 years demonstrates its belief in the importance of sports to the social and physical development of the young women in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) and the potential of the competition to promote the Bank’s vision of regional integration. In 1999, the ECCB incorporated a personal development session into the competition with the aim of enhancing the interpersonal and professional skills of the netballers.  The theme for this year’s session is “Guarding Your Financial Goals and Scoring Big Wins in Your Life”.  Ms Sybil Welsh, Adviser, Corporate Relations Department, ECCB will engage the young netballers in a discussion on financial planning using netball metaphors and analogies. The OECS/ECCB Under 23 Netball Tournament is rotated annually among the eight ECCB member countries.  Each year, the ECCB collaborates with the OECS Sports Desk in Saint Lucia to stage the tournament in association with the designated host netball association.

Condolences

Guyana Management on the bench watching the Guyana vs Bermuda
game

Before I complete my under 16 blog post of the this year's Jean Pierre U16 Caribbean Netball Association Tournament, I would like to offer condolence to the Guyana under 16 team whose manager, Shondelle Samaroo died tragically in a traffic accident this morning.  According to reports she was also the secretary of the Guyana Netball Association.  Please remember the Guyaneese netball fraternity in your prayers.


Condolences are also extended to the immediate past president of the Barbados Netball Association Octavia Gibson and her family on the passing of her sister Barbara Reid.  Reid who lived overseas will be brought to Barbados to be buried on April 30.  The service will take place at Holy Innocents Anglican Church at 9:00 am.

Barbados Boost Goal Difference Against Dominica

Barbados Goal Attack Sheniqua Thomas on the Defence

 Cognizant that they have to boost their goal difference in the U16 Jean Pierre CNA Championship if they are to snatch this year's competition from St. Lucia, Barbados came out in the evening with guns blazing limiting Dominica to just 9 goals to their 46.

An unchanged starting line up from the morning side of Shonica Wharton (GS), Sheniqua Thomas (GA), Tia Jones (WA), Tyneisha Rowe (C), Sade Browne (WD), Sade Sargeant (GD) and Shanice Wharton (GK).

The only blunder the team made was assisted by the coach who changed the WA Tia Jones in the second quarter.  Jones has been the play maker on the attack all tournament and with her out the Barbados attack struggle to find a rhythm.  That was their weakest quarter the interval scores being 12-2, 20-5 and 35-7.

Sweet Revenge for Barbados U16 Netballers Against St. Lucia

Barbados Shooter on the Ball

 Barbados are back in the runnings to becoming this year's CNA Jean Pierre U16 Netball Champions.  As I chanted a little "I say B for Barbados" to myself in the stands, I could feel the positive energy radiating from the Barbados team for this game.  They wanted a this victory and played their hearts out from the first whistle catching the St. Lucians flat footed and taking an early 5 goal lead which the St. Lucians pull back to a decent 9 -7 to Barbados by the end of the first quarter.

Barbados led all intervals 9-7, 18-15, 26-19 to finish with a well fought 33-31.  The starting line up for Barbados was (GS) Shonica Wharton, (GA) Sheniqua Thomas, (WA) Tia Jones, (C) Tyneisha Rowe,  (WD) Sade Browne, (GD) Sade Sargeant, and (GK) Shanice Wharton.

St. Lucia fought valiantly in the final quarter but the Barbados third quarter lead was too much and at the end it was the Bajans jumping for victory.

The two top teams this year will be striving to get big scores in their final games as they seek to improve their goal averages.  In the shooting area goal shooter Wharton scored 33 0f 29 while Thomas netted 5 of 9.

St. Lucia U16 talking to coaching staff

Other morning games.  Guyana 23 Anguilla 19
Trinidad and Tobago 32 - Dominica 19
Bermuda 19 - St. Kitts 12

Barbados U16 

Barbados vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The second game between Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean Netball Association Jean Pierre Under 16 netball championship started slopply and both teams fumbled, threw away the ball and were generally disorganised for the first quarter of the game.  It took almost 3 minutes or more for the first team to score which turned out to be Barbados.  The first quarter score ending a mere 6-2 in favour of Barbados.

Ok folkes, I don't have the team line up tonight but I will plug in the names tomorrow so bear with me. 

It was the Barbados defences that kept them in the game as the attack got use to playing with the new goal shooter. 

Especially the goal keeper who had an outstanding game making interceptions from start to finish. 

The Barbados defences were so effective that St. Vincent were only allowed 3 goals in the 2nd quarter, the other interval scores were 18-5, and 27-9.  Barbados eventually completed a convincing comprehensive 35-15 defeat over the Vincies.