New Netball President to be installed

Next Monday, February 15, is the date for the Biennial General Meeting of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association (SVGNA), which will see the installation of a new President.{{more}}

After serving a maximum three terms, a total of six years, outgoing President Doris Mc Intosh has to make way for a new person, according to the constitution of the SVGNA.

But a two-thirds majority at the meeting may alter that if they wish, and request that Mc Intosh stay on.

Mc Intosh, who took over the reins of the national Netball body in 2004 from long standing President Gloria Ballantyne, presided over what was her last public function as head of the organization last Sunday afternoon at the opening of the Minors Construction Calliaqua Area Development Organisation (CADO) Netball Competition.

However, Mc Intosh can contest another post, and will still have hands in the Association’s business as the Immediate Past President.

She used the opportunity at the Calliaqua Hard Court to thank all those persons who assisted her over the past six years.

Mc Intosh, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT, indicated that she is undoubtedly giving way to someone else: “I want to wish my successor all the best and I will do whatever I can to help the sport of Netball,” Mc Intosh intimated.

Mc Intosh said that during her tenure, one of her achievements was getting some semblance of club structure to many of the Netball units, which resulted in more full-fledged clubs participating in the 2009 National Club Tournament.

“Another achievement for me was getting our (national) team to participate in the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2006,” the outgoing SVGNA President stated.

On the downside, Mc Intosh listed the continuous fall off in the standard of Netball; the ill discipline that is creeping into the game, and a drop in the standard of umpiring.

“At one time we used to have as many as ten Advanced Qualified Umpires. Today there are just a few,” McIntosh moaned.

She also lamented the fact that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has only a few tested trainers.

However, McIntosh wants to see a turnaround in these areas, and hopes they become focal points for the incoming Executive.

When elections were last held in 2008, outgoing Second Vice –President of the Executive, Godfrey “Fuzzy” Harry, and Sonja Lewis staged an unsuccessful challenge to unseat Mc Intosh.

Next Monday’s meeting is set for the Thomas Saunders Secondary School, beginning at 4:30 pm. (RT)