Give more to our Girls
– Daley-Morris
Dr Paula Daley-Morris, Netball Jamaica president, is calling for greater support for the Sunshine Girls (pictured) ahead of next year’s Netball World Cup. COLLIN REID/ PHOTOGRAPHER: COURTESY OF GUARDIAN LIFE, COURTS, VMBS, SPORTS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION AND ALLIANCE INVESTMENTS.
PRESIDENT OF Netball Jamaica (NJ), Dr Paula DaleyMorris says it’s important that the national programme receives greater support, if the Sunshine Girls are to build on their Commonwealth Games success at next year’s Netball World Cup.
The Sunshine Girls produced a strong performance to capture the bronze medal on Gold Coast in Australia despite what has been described by Daley-Morris as minimal support from corporate Jamaica, all despite their excellent showing on the international stage over the years.
“Even though we were able to do well this year, I can’t say it’s a guarantee that we are going to follow through and do well next year, because the investment in the sport is not there,” said Daley-Morris during an interview with The Gleaner.
“We remain hopeful that we will be able to go there and do well. Australia, New Zealand and England have seen what we are capable of, and so there are going to step up their game, and they have the funding to do that and we unfortunately don’t,” she said.
ACCESS TO FACILITIES
“We can’t even step up our training method because we can’t even access the (National) Indoor (Sports) Centre regularly to train, and we don’t have proper nutrition around the team and we are not paying our girls any kind of decent stipend. There are a number of issues,”Daley-Morris lamented.
The Sunshine Girls, who are ranked fourth in the world, were beaten 56-55 by eventual champions England in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games.
However, they recorded a 60-55 win over world number-two ranked New Zealand, to claim the bronze medal.
“We were on par this time around. It is always a ding-dong battle between the top three and what we saw happening this time is that the distance between the top three, has narrowed, and the competition in netball is getting more exciting, I would say,”said Daley-Morris.
“We always knew in Jamaica that we can win, but what we are challenged by is (sic) the resources around the programme,” DaleyMorris underlined.