Vincy Jewels fitness level a major edge at 2024 ECCB Netball tournament – Coach

Coach of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Senior National Netball team, Natasha Baptiste, has underscored the fitness of her ‘Vincy Jewels’ team as a stand out factor in their outstanding performance at the just-concluded ECCB International Netball Series played in Saint Lucia.

Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT this “was the differentiating factor between us and the other team in this competition”, at which the Vincentians dominated the competition and regained the trophy they had lost to Grenada in the 2023 tournament.

“We started this journey about 11 months ago … the focus was to work on the fitness of our young ladies because we know they had the skills … We know they have the ability to play the game and play the game strategically. What we needed to work on is getting them fit so that they would be able to sustain a full one hour of play netball on the court,” Baptiste noted.

She said while it was hard work as some of the players headed into the rigorous training after work, these sessions led by Chester Morgan, who headed their coaching committee, paid off.

Baptiste said as well that in the past the Vincentian teams suffered weak third quarters, but during the 2024 ECCB International Netball Series, “our third quarters have turned out to be our strongest and that is a testament of the fitness level of the young ladies going into this competition.”

Their 101-16 victory against Montserrat, the only team to have scored 100 goals; and playing unbeaten, were among the highlights of the SVG team in the September 21-30 tournament.

In their seven matches played, Vincy Jewels only lost in two quarters- the first against Saint Lucia 8 – 9 on Wednesday, September 25, 2024; as well as the first quarter against the Cayman Islands 12 – 15 on Saturday September 29, 2024, but Baptiste said they were not undeterred.

“We left home with that goal in mind that we are taking the championship undefeated,” which they did.

The next big engagement for the Vincy Jewels is the World Cup Qualifiers in the British Virgin Islands in 2026. Before that, though, there will be the 2025 and 2026 ECCB International Netball Series.

Baptiste said preparation for the World Cup Qualifiers “begins now”.