It’s crunch time now for the T&T senior netballers as they put the finishing touches on their preparation for the upcoming Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) Championships. The tournament is being hosted by the T&T Netball Association (TTNA) at the Jean Pierre Complex in Mucurapo from July 14-21. The TTNA yesterday trimmed the squad to 12 with three standbys after months of preparation. The “Calypso Girls”, who enter the championships as the defending champion, will match skills against eight other countries including top-ranked “Sunshine Girls” from Jamaica, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Guyana, St Lucia, USA and Grenada. Head coach Jennifer Frank retained most of the players in some way or form from the last edition of the AFNA tournament which was held in St Lucia, including shooters Janelle Barker, Anastascia Wilson and Joelisa Cooper, centre-court players Candice Guerrero, Onella Jack, and defender Anika La Roche.
Samantha Wallace and Daystar Swift were also on that team but this time around were reduced to the reserves. Simone Bowen is the other standby player. Frank, who is being assisted by Althea McCollin, will also have the experience of former captain Rhonda John-Davis and Tricia Liverpool in the centre-court while last year’s “Sportswoman of the Year” nominee Crystal Ann George, Alicia Liverpool along with La Roche and Kemfa Phillip will responsible for T&T’s defense. Phillip is making her debut at the senior level while Jellene Richardon, who captained the national junior team to second place in the 2008 Caribbean Netball Association’s (CNA) Jean Pierre Under-16 Tournament, is among the shooters. Both Wilson and George have had professional stints in England, last year. T&T netballers will play Guyana in the opening match of the championships on July 14 from 5.30 pm.
Reduced Team
Shooters: Janelle Barker, Anastascia Wilson, Jellene Richarsdson, Joelisa Cooper
Centre court: Tricia Liverpool, Rhonda John-Davis, Onella Jack, Candice Guerrero
Defences: Crystal Ann George, Alicia Liverpool, Anika La Roche, Kemfa Phillip
Standbys: Samantha Wallace, Simone Bowen, Daystar Swift
fixtures
July 14
Parade of Teams & Opening Ceremony, 4 pm
5:30pm
Court 1: T&T vs Guyana, 5.30 pm;
Court 2: Grenada vs USA, 5.45 pm
Court 3: Barbados vs Bermuda, 6 pm
Court 1 St Lucia vs Jamaica, 6.45 pm
Bye: Canada
July 15
Court 1: Guyana vs St Lucia, 4 pm
Court 2: USA vs Barbados, 4.15 pm
Court 3: T&T vs Canada, 4.30 pm
Court 1: Jamaica vs Grenada, 5.15 pm
Bye: Bermuda
July 16
Court 1: Jamaica vs Guyana, 5 pm
Court 2: Grenada vs Barbados, 5.30 pm
Court 3: St Lucia vs USA, 5.45 pm
Court 1: T&T vs Bermuda, 6.15 pm
Bye: Canada
July 17
Court 1: USA vs Bermuda, 5 pm
Court 2: Barbados vs Guyana, 5.30 pm
Court 3: Grenada vs T&T, 5.45 pm
Court 1: Canada vs Jamaica, 6.15 pm
Bye: St Lucia
July 18
Court 1: St Lucia vs Bermuda, 9.30 am
Court 1: Bermuda vs Canada, 5 pm
Court 2: USA vs Guyana, 5.30 pm
Court 3: Grenada vs Barbados, 5.45 pm
Court 1: T&T vs St Lucia, 6.15 pm
Bye: Jamaica
July 19
Court 1: Canada vs Grenada, 9.30 am
Court 1: Barbados vs Jamaica, 5 pm
Court 2: USA vs T&T, 5.30 pm
Court 3: Bermuda vs Grenada, 5.45 pm
Court 1: St Lucia vs Canada, 6.15 pm
Bye: Bermuda
July 20
Court 1: Guyana vs Grenada, 9.30 am
Court 1: USA vs Jamaica, 5 pm
Court 2: Barbados vs T&T, 5.30 pm
Court 3: St Lucia vs Grenada, 5.45 pm
Court 1: Guyana vs Canada, 6.15 pm
Bye: Bermuda
July 21
Court 1: Bermuda vs Jamaica, 9.30 am
Court 1: Barbados vs St Lucia, 5 pm
Court 2: Canada vs USA, 5.30 pm
Court 3: Guyana vs Bermuda, 5.45 pm
Court 1: T&T vs Jamaica, 6.15 pm
Bye: Grenada
Closing Ceremony and Presentation, 7.45 pm
-Rachael Thompson-King
Source: www.guardian.co.tt