Jamaica national netball team
The Jamaica national netball team, commonly known as the Sunshine Girls, represent Jamaica in international netball competitions. Netball is not only the number one women's sport in Jamaica but also the number one team sport in the island, based on World Rankings and recent history and the majority of the schools in Jamaica participate.[1] Netball receives full media coverage on television, radio and in newspapers but does not get as much coverage as less successful team sports such as football and cricket.[2] Jamaica were coached by former representative Oberon Pitterson, and captained by midcourt veteran Nadine Bryan up to the end of 2013. However, a Technical Director (Jill McIntosh) and new coach (Minneth Reynolds), were appointed in early 2014. As of 1 July 2020, Jamaica are fourth in the INF World Rankings.[3] The senior Jamaican netball team is widely known as the Sunshine Girls, the Jamaican Fast 5 netball team is known as Jamaica Fast5 or the FAST5 Girls.[4][5][6][7][8]
![]() | |||
Nickname(s) | Sunshine Girls | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Netball Jamaica | ||
Confederation | AFNA (Americas) | ||
Head coach | Marvette Anderson Sasher-Gaye Henry | ||
Captain | Jhaniele Fowler-Reid | ||
Vice-captain | Paula Thompson | ||
Most caps | Nadine Bryan (159) | ||
World ranking | 3 ![]() | ||
| |||
Netball World Cup | |||
Appearances | 15 (Debuted in 1963) | ||
2019 placing | 5th | ||
Best result | 3rd (1991, 2003, 2007, 2023) | ||
Commonwealth Games | |||
Appearances | 7 (Debuted in 1998) | ||
2018 placing | 2nd | ||
Best result | 2nd (Netball at the 2022 Commonwealth Games) |
History
Netball in Jamaican schools started in 1909. In 1959, the Jamaica Netball Association was formed and affiliated with the West Indies Netball Board. Jamaica was invited to compete at the 1959 West Indies Tournament held in August in Montserrat.[9]
Since their debut international game in 1959, the Sunshine Girls have participated in every INF Netball World Cup, never finishing below sixth. Jamaica placed third in three World Championships – in 1991, 2003 and 2007.[1] They have played in all six Commonwealth Games netball events to date, winning a bronze medal in 2002 in Manchester, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland and 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia.
Pitterson was appointed the new head coach for the Sunshine Girls at the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore.[10] Longstanding captain Simone Forbes did not attend the World Championships after testing positive the banned substance Clomiphene and was replaced by Nadine Bryan.[11][12] Forbes subsequently retired, ending her illustrious career.[13][14][15][16][17] After failing to medal in 2011, some of the experienced players on the squad decided to take a break from the national team, while Althea Byfield chose to retire, as they had grown disgruntled with embattled coach Pitterson.[15][18][19][20][21] Malysha Kelly & Romelda Aiken took over co-captaining duties at the 2013 Fast5 tournament and Kelly continued to captain the team in the first half of 2014.[22][23][24][25] Nicole Aiken-Pinnock took over as captain ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and also captained them at the 2015 Netball World Cup.[26][27] The team has since won bronze medals in both the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, with the latter medal having been won against two-time gold medallists New Zealand.
Players
2022 squad
The current squad was selected for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.[28] [29]
Jamaica national netball team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Player profiles: Team website | Last updated: 5 August 2022 |
Notable past players
- Connie Francis
- Elaine Davis
- Simone Forbes
- Carla Borrego
- Oberon Pitterson
Most-capped Jamaican netballers
Name | Test Caps | Test Team Years |
Nadine Bryan | 159[30][31][32] | 1996–2014 |
Oberon Pitterson | 120+ | 1988–2006 |
Connie Francis | 120+ | 1985–1999, 2003 |
Georgia Gordon | 110 | 1994–2005, 2010 |
Simone Forbes | 102 | 2000–2011 |
Elaine Davis | 91[33] | 1995–2007[33] |
Nichala Gibson | 79 | 2000–2009 |
Kasey Evering | 78 | 2002–2011, 2012, 2014 |
Nicole Aiken-Pinnock | 78 | 2005–2011, 2014–present |
Sasher-Gaye Henry | 75 | 1996–1997, 2006–2011, 2014–2015[34][35][36] |
Romelda Aiken | 74 | 2005–present |
Competitive history
Netball World Cup | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Championship | Location | Placing |
1963 | 1st World Championships | Eastbourne, England | 5th |
1967 | 2nd World Championships | Perth, Australia | 6th |
1971 | 3rd World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica | 4th |
1975 | 4th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand | 5th |
1979 | 5th World Championships | Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago | 5th |
1983 | 6th World Championships | Singapore | 5th |
1987 | 7th World Championships | Glasgow, Scotland | 5th |
1991 | 8th World Championships | Sydney | ![]() |
1995 | 9th World Championships | Birmingham, England | 5th |
1999 | 10th World Championships | Christchurch, New Zealand | 4th |
2003 | 11th World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica | ![]() |
2007 | 12th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand | ![]() |
2011 | 13th World Championships | Singapore | 4th |
2015 | 14th World Cup | Sydney, Australia | 4th |
2019 | 15th World Cup | Liverpool, England | 5th |
Netball at the Commonwealth Games | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Games | Event | Location | Placing | |
1998 | XVI Games | 1st Netball | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 4th | |
2002 | XVII Games | 2nd Netball | Manchester, England | ![]() | |
2006 | XVIII Games | 3rd Netball | Melbourne, Australia | 4th | |
2010 | XIX Games | 4th Netball | Delhi, India | 4th | |
2014 | XX Games | 5th Netball | Glasgow, Scotland | ![]() | |
2018 | XXI Games | 6th Netball | Gold Coast, Australia | ![]() | |
2022 | XXII Games | 7th Netball | Birmingham, Australia | ![]() |
Fast5 World Netball Series (formerly Fastnet) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Tournament | Location | Placing |
2009 | 1st World Series | Manchester, England | ![]() |
2010 | 2nd World Series | Liverpool, England | ![]() |
2011 | 3rd World Series | Liverpool, England | 4th |
2012 | 4th World Series | Auckland, New Zealand | 4th |
2013 | 5th World Series | Auckland, New Zealand | ![]() |
2014 | 6th World Series | Auckland, New Zealand | 4th |
2016 | 7th World Series | Melbourne, Australia | 5th |
2017 | 8th World Series | Melbourne, Australia | ![]() |
Kit suppliers
Jamaica's kits are currently supplied by Gilbert.
See also
- CWG 2002 Results
- CWG 2006 SSG Roster
- Jamaican netball players
External links
References
- "Rules of the Sun". True.
- "Netball and field hockey". Jamaicans.com. 22 March 2004. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- "Current World Rankings". International Netball Federation.
- "Netball Jamaica – Upcoming Events FAST5 Netball World Series". mynetballjamaica.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014.
- 2014 Jamaica Fast5 – Coach Preview. 5 November 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- "Sunshine Girls aim to replicate medal finish". jamaica-gleaner.com. 30 October 2014.
- "Netball Jamaica – Heartbreaking win and loss at Fast5". mynetballjamaica.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014.
- "Netball Jamaica – From dismal start to a blazing finish". mynetballjamaica.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014.
- Jamaica Netball Association. "The Origins of Netball". Archived from the original on 18 March 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- Bailey, Robert (12 May 2011). "Pitterson, Daley the WNC coaches for Sunshine Girls". The Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- Bogle, Dania (30 May 2011). "Forbes says she'll never stop loving the game". The Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- "Bryan named captain of Sunshine Girls". Jamaica Observer.
- "Forbes Retires From The Sunshine Girls". rjrnewsonline.com.
- "The many sides of Simone Forbes". jamaica-gleaner.com. 14 April 2013.
- "Byfield only casualty of WNC disaster". Jamaica Observer.
- "Simone Forbes picks up 3-month ban". Jamaica Observer.
- "Topic: Former netball captain Simone Forbes banned – Netball Scoop". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- "Exodus of Senior Netballers Hurting The Sport – RJR News – Jamaican News Online". rjrnewsonline.com.
- "Sports Jamaica:: End of the Road?... Senior Netballers Reportedly Considering Retirement :: Netball". sportsjamaica.com.
- "Sunshine Girls targeting gold at Commonweath Games". jamaica-gleaner.com. 3 July 2014.
- "Topic: JAMAICA COMM GAMES TEAM 2014 – Netball Scoop". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014.
- Jamaica Star Online. "Aiken, Fowler head strong FAST5 squad – Jamaica Star – October 1, 2013". jamaica-star.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- "Aiken, Kelly Lead Sunshine Girls into Fast5 World Series – RJR News – Jamaican News Online". rjrnewsonline.com.
- "Netball Weekly Round Up 10th January 2014". netball.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- "Sunshine Girls off to Fast5 Champs". jamaica-gleaner.com. 3 November 2013.
- "Jamaica's Netball World Cup Team 2015". Jamaica Observer.
- "Jamaica's Netball World Cup Team 2015 – Netball". Jamaica Observer.
- "NS PREVIEW: 2022 Commonwealth Games – Group A". Netball Scoop. 19 July 2022.
- "2022 Commonwealth Games Preview: Jamaica". Central. 25 July 2022.
- "Sunshine Girls brace for high-riding England". Jamaica Observer.
- "Sunshine century! Bryan delighted with 100th international cap". jamaica-gleaner.com. 18 June 2012.
- "Topic: Centurions still playing – Netball Scoop". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
- "Elaine Davis To Take A Break From Netball – RJR News – Jamaican News Online". rjrnewsonline.com.
- "Henry thanks sponsor JN, plans retirement". jamaica-gleaner.com. 30 July 2015.
- "Henry thanks JN, plans retirement". Community Forum.
- "Henry thanks JN, plans retirement news". Newsunited.com.