Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Story by: Rachael Thompson-King
T&T youth netballers are off today in search of their first-ever Caribbean Netball Association’s Jean Pierre Under-16 title. The competition starts on Saturday and runs until April 16 in St Kitts. Coach Naomi Babb believes this year, T&T has the best chance of copping the junior crown. “We are going to win,” predicted Babb on Saturday, following one of the national team’s many practice matches played at the Jean Pierre Complex in Mucurapo. “I am thinking positively, I want no negativity,” continued Babb, who is in her fourth year as coach of the team. Her confidence is reinforced by T&T’s four returning players including last year’s young achiever award recipient shooter Kalifa Mc Collins, the captain, vice-captain shooter Jameela Mc Carty, centre-court player Cerise Breton and defender Monica Peters, while Kurtisha Hoyce was a reserve player on last year’s training squad.
Mc Collin, who received the award for excelling both in sport and academics, is one of the more versatile players on the T&T unit as she can be used in four different positions including goal-shooter, goal-attack, wing-attack and wing-defence. Last year, she was named on the All Star team, the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) for T&T and placed third in the individual shooting competition. With defending champion Jamaica, a nine-time junior champion, not attending the 12th edition of the Championships, Barbados will be T&T’s toughest opponent, not overlooking the other three countries—St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Dominica and St Lucia—that will be competing in the top division in two-tier system.
The four other participants in the competition including host St Kitts, Anguilla, Bermuda and Guyana will play in a developmental league.
Teams in each group will play two rounds. The last time the tournament was hosted in St Kitts, the Barbadians won the overall title. The junior “Calypso Girls” placed third in the two previous tournaments behind winner Jamaica and Barbados, respectively. T&T opens against St Lucia on Saturday morning at 7 am. The following day the local unit will be in action but returns on Monday to compete in two matches against Dominica in the morning session at 7 am and SVG, later on from 6.30 pm. Tuesday will be another busy day for the junior “Calypso Girls” as they play against Barbados at 7.50 am and St Lucia from 6.30 pm. Wednesday, T&T plays Dominica again, SVG on Thursday and finishes versus Barbados on Friday.
T&T Contingent
Team: Kalifa Mc Collin, captain, Jameela Mc Carty, Rodorna Mc Donald, Cerise Breton, Kerleen Merrick, Kurtisha Hoyce, Julianna Julian, Monica Peters, Shenice Gittens, Lennecia Mc Kellar, Aniecia Baptiste.
Officials: Naomi Babb (coach), Shurland Bonas (primary care personnel), Kariel De Bique (physiotherapist), Lynette Duncan (manager)
T&T Schedule
April 9: T&T vs St Lucia, 7 am
April 10: Rest
April 11: T&T vs Dominica, 7 am; Vs SVG, 6.30 pm
April 12: T&T vs Barbados, 7.50 am: Vs St Lucia, 6.30 pm
April 13: T&T vs Dominica, 6.30 pm
April 14: T&T vs SVG, 7 am
April 15: T&T vs Barbados, 7.15 pm
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