Birmingham, England – Connie Francis, head coach of Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls netball team which lost out in the final at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday, is longing for the time to come when her charges are able to compete on a level playing field.
Despite the significant odds and shortcomings, Francis’ ladies dug deep into their inner beings to muster the courage and determination to compete at a super high level over the two weeks of competition in Birmingham.
Though they were just denied at the final hurdle, Francis’ team created history by making a gold medal match in netball at the competition for the first time, and along the way, they defeated the world numbers one and two, a feat being achieved for the first time in the same competition.
“The Diamonds (Australia) are the Diamonds, they are a very solid team and we can see the work behind what they have put out in the final. All the hard work put them where they are, so hopefully, we can get some funding in order to help us to do better,” Francis told CNW Network, shortly after Jamaica lost the final 51-55 to settle for a first-ever silver medal. They had claimed bronze at the last edition in Australia.
“I am proud also of what Jamaica has done bringing in a specialist defensive coach (Australian Robert Wright) to help out and I’m also proud of our trainers, the support of Sagicor, and I heard Wray and Nephew came on board also.”
When examining the support tools at the disposal of the big three netball countries, Australia, New Zealand and England, Francis yearns for the day when local netballers can also be aided by those tools which can significantly raise their level of play.
“It is very important because if you work you expect to get paid and when you get paid you put out the work. I’ve seen in the past in our preparation leading up to this year where the elite players in Australia helped to fund our nutrition by going into their pockets and sending money to our programme to help our girls, so that is the predicament that we are in,” she continued.
“So if we can get help on board to even sponsor a player, adopt a player, like into the World Cup (next year) that would help tremendously, because outside of coming to training and having a meal there, sometimes it is really challenging for some of the ladies,” Francis added.
And the former National star player was not just referring to financial support, which is critical, medical support, but also support in the form of equipment, which aids the technical staff in scouting and strategizing for opponents.
The World Cup is slated for next summer and if the Sunshine Girls are to consolidate on their excellent showing in Birmingham, they will need to continue on the upward trajectory, starting with a crucial tour of New Zealand later this year.
But already there are issues to be sorted ahead of that tour if the Girls are to be at full strength.
“If we are going into New Zealand we want to go with a strong team because they (New Zealand) don’t expect us to go with a soft team.”
Francis also has concerns about the players in school and how this tour would impact them travelling, “but hopefully we can get all those players into a strong team to really give New Zealand some good practice leading into the World Cup,” Francis said.
