AFNA confident more certified coaches will aid development
otherwise.
Currently, Jamaica’s senior team is ranked fourth in world netball, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago (10th) and Barbados (13th).
AFNA is banking on the roll-out of its Level Two Coaching Award, which is being executed virtually, to help bridge the gap between its members and the traditionally stronger netball nations.
“This level caters to participants 18 years and older. The Level Two netball coach will be able to plan, deliver and evaluate a series of linked and progressive netball coaching sessions, working independently although they may work as part of a larger coaching team,” Adams said.
“The qualification is recognised as the industry standard Level Two qualification for netball coaches by the International Netball Federation. The information delivered was gathered through valid research and consultation with a range of stakeholders, including INF’S Coaching Advisory Panel. This is to streamline what we do in this region so that we will not be far behind the top nations.
“Aligning with this variety of expertise will ensure that our region will soon be speaking the same language in coaching and will take our coaches’ skills to the next level,” she added.
Adams, a Trinidadian, said regional players also have to pull their weight.
“Our players must adjust to the physicality of the game and the umpiring at elite levels which must start with our member countries. Our fitness and endurance to play consistently for the hour-long game, the accuracy of shooters and the focus to stay the course mentally will increase our teams’ ability to improve their rankings,” she explained.
As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to impact sport globally, Adams told the
that AFNA is exploring the practicality of hosting a quad series for regional Under-21 teams which were set to participate at the World Netball Youth tournament. The global event, which was slated to be held in Fiji, was cancelled due to safety concerns linked to the pandemic.
“No decision has been made on the host country due to the increase of COVID-19 cases [throughout] the region. We still have some time to make that decision, which will be discussed at our next meeting,” she said.
Observer