NOW that the smoke has cleared in the Americas Federation of Netball Association (AFNA) netball pundits are asking the question — was the TT public expecting too much from the Calypso Girls in the just concluded 2012 championship?
A number of ex-players who wished not to be mentioned have quoted from the old John Wooden saying that states - ” a failure to prepare is preparing to fail”
They are saying that this was exactly what happened to the Calypso Girls.
“They did not have the kind of preparation that would have enabled them to compete as they should have at this level.”
For a tournament of this nature, one would have expected that the team would have had a couple matches with some of the teams ranked higher in the world, to get some more exposure to the level of the sport. According to another player “Preparing at home, playing among themselves and teams which were below their level could have in no way prepared the team for the likes of Barbados, much more the world # four ranked Jamaicans as we saw.”
Despite the fact that there is talent in the team, it was like setting them up to fail from the inception.
While they would have watched tapes of the top teams play including the Sunshine Girls, this could in no way prepare them for what the six foot five-inch Goal Shoot Jhaneile Fowler could unleash.
As players these girls would have thought they had a chance of taking the Jamaicans.
Any player in sport would back him or herself against top ranked players, as anyone can have an off- day and maybe it might be against you. But was it a case that these girls were just set up for the slaughter by the Jamaicans.
They played their hearts out against the Jamaicans especially in the second-quarter when they cut the lead to two 20-18 with the crowd behind them. However they could not keep this up as they were not accustomed to playing against opposition of this calibre. The question now is who should be blamed for this performance which will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the minds of these players. Was it a case that the hosting of the event was more important than getting the team ready for the tournament.
By KEVIN SUNICH
www.newsday.co.tt