Jamaica Off the Block for 2009

The Jamaica National Netball Team is reportedly off to Newscastle to "boot camp" to acclimatised for a three match series against England next month.

President of the JNA Marva Bernard is reported in the Gleaner as saying that some of the girls have never experienced the type of cold that an English winter presents and that the camp in Newcastle would help with the preparation.

She said "It is also going to be a lot of concentration, mind preparation and not much netball is going to be played. It is all going to be about physical and mental-fitness preparation in very cold conditions and this will also be a time for the girls to bond together."

Hallelujah! I give Jamaica 100% for this. You are the flagship of Caribbean Netball take yourself seriously. Although Netball is an amateur sport the big countries operate very professionally and we must too as well in the Caribbean if we are going to be competitive.

The first match will be played on the January 23, the second on the 25 and the third is set for two days later. No venue has yet been announced for the matches.

Jamaica is ranked after England even though they defeated them in the last World Championships. I am routing for Jamaica to take back their ranking. Good luck Sunshine Girls.

I leave you with this quote from Bernard which I think that I will place permanently on this blog:

“In order to beat the best we have to play the best continuously, because you can't beat the best by playing teams that are weaker than you, then you will run the risk of lowering your standards,"