Girls need to improve says skipper

Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

JAMAICA'S SUNSHINE Girls captain, Elaine Davis, said the team will have to be physically and mentally tough if it is going to stand a chance of winning this year's World Championships, which will be held in Auckland, New Zealand in November. "We are still working on our mental and physical aspects of the game and once we get this together in New Zealand, then we will be right there when it matters most," Davis said in an interview with The Gleaner.

"If we are consistent and build on the spurts and some of the brilliance that we had in the series against England, then we should be able to give a good account of ourselves at the World Championships," she said. She also noted that one of the problems in the team was that it had lost a lot of experienced players and the players that were coming in now had limited experience.

Recovery from defeat

The Sunshine Girls suffered a 3-0 series defeat to world number four-ranked England at the National Indoor Sports Centre last week. The Jamaicans suffered one of their worst margins of defeat, 52-32, in the opening game against England. They were then beaten 46-45 in the second game and 49-45 in the final match.

Davis, who has so far undergone five knee surgeries, indicated she will retire from the sport after the championships.

"This will also be my last championships, so I have prepared myself to go there and to give 100 per cent for my country," said the 6' 3" Davis, who plays for Jamalco in the Berger Paints Super League. "I have been playing netball all my life, I have been playing at the club level and I have also played in a number of Caribbean tournaments and at the World Championships so I think now is the right time to walk away," she said.

"I know that I have contributed a lot to the development of netball over the years in Jamaica," said Davis, who began her career at Glenmuir High School. The goal shooter made her international debut at the 1995 World Championships in Birmingham, England.

She has played more than 90 international games for Jamaica, including three World Championships.

"We have potential here, but we need to go out there and find the players and put a system in place where we can utilise their talents," she said.

"We also need the support from corporate Jamaica to help to bring these players together. However, we are very grateful for the support that we have been getting from the corporate companies."

Davis's comments came after the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) named the 12-member squad for the World Championships on Friday.

The full squad is: Shooters - Elaine Davis, Simone Forbes, Romelda Aiken and Christina Solmon. Center court - Nadine Bryan, Sheron Wiles, Nichala Gibson and Sasher-Gaye Henry. Defenders - Nicole Aiken Byfield, Kasey Evering and Paula Thompson.