Netball Jamaica makes appeal for physical trainer

Sasher-Gaye Henry-Wright, head coach of the Jamaica national netball team, says the team is desperately seeking sponsorship to secure the services of a strength-and-conditioning coach as preparations intensify for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2.

Henry-Wright said the lack of a fitness trainer due to financial constraints is a major concern, as the physical condition of the players will be critical to the team’s chances of success at the championships.

“It is a disappointment that we don't have a strength-and-conditioning coach due to financial constraints, but we are hoping that somebody will chip in and provide that support for our girls. It is an area that we need a lot of work on," said Henry-Wright.

"We definitely need a fitness-and-conditioning coach right now, and I am not sure if the association is able to come up with that person yet because of lack of funds and they are not able to fund due to financial constraints."

"It is a crisis for us here now at the start of our training sessions, and so we are hoping that we will get somebody to assist us in helping to cover the cost for this person for the period up to the Commonwealth Games and then we will fix ourselves after that to see what will happen,” she said.

The Sunshine Girls are currently in training mode, with several players also participating in Netball Jamaica’s Divisional Leagues and the upcoming Elite League as part of their build-up to the games.

“The girls are now in preparation mode because apart from being in training, they are also playing in Netball Jamaica's Divisional Leagues, and they will be playing in the Elite League soon, which is part of the preparations," Henry-Wright added. 

"We have a limited number of girls in training now, but the focus is good, and limitations really help sometimes in terms of targeting individual players' needs.”

The Jamaicans are aiming to build on their historic silver-medal finish at the previous Commonwealth Games in Birmingham four years ago.

Henry-Wright pointed out that the Sunshine Girls will be aiming for another podium finish at this year's championships and possibly improve on their previous performance.

“These girls have been doing well over the years because we won a silver medal at the last Commonwealth Games, and so we are definitely looking forward to good standings at this year's championships," she stated.

"We definitely want to be on the medal podium, but it is going to be hard, and it is going to take a lot of hard work to achieve that goal. It is really a big impediment to the preparations for us not to have a strength-and-conditioning coach right now.”

Henry-Wright also highlighted the depth of talent within the squad, which combines experienced campaigners with emerging players.

“We have a very talented squad of players. We have a number of senior players like Shanice Beckford, Khadijah Williams, and Nicole Rochester, along with some of the new ones —  Abigail Sutherland, Kimone Shaw, Paula-Ann Burton, Gizelle Allison, and Crystal Plummer —- and so we are looking forward to great things from these girls," Henry-Wright said. 

"You know that we also have overseas-based players to come in as well for us.”