Gone are the days when one just had to look at the schools’ netball tournament to be able to pinpoint the future national players.{{more}}

And, this is so because not enough work is being done in the schools by the physical education teachers.

Expressing that view was first vice president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association Natasha Sandy-Stapleton, as she evaluated the 2013 Secondary School’s tournament, which ended last Friday at the Kingstown Netball Centre.

“ … There is a lot of work that has to be done still in the schools. The standard is debatable, but I think what needs to be done is that the PE teachers need to work a lot more along with the Netball Association, and attend the training sessions and coaching sessions, so that they can come out and be able to really develop the sport, because it is not developing,” Sandy-Stapleton said.

Not mincing her words, the SVGNA VP claimed, “Apart from the Leeward zone, which has more of the dominant players; apart from that, there isn’t a real great improvement in the standard of netball at that level.”

Sandy-Stapleton believes that because of vibrant area tournaments on the Leeward side of the island, players are coming to the fore there, more than in the other areas.

When the finals were held last Friday, it was the Bethel High School and the Central Leeward Secondary who contested both the junior and senior finals.

Bethel High emerged champs in both finals.

But Sandy-Stapleton advanced that it was the exposure in the national club tournament, which was responsible for Bethel’s double take of the titles.

“The results are proving to pay off, because they keep them together as a unit, not just during secondary schools’ tournament, but also in the national club tournament …They keep them together as a core, so they’re able to understand each other and know how to play with each other and it paid off here in the finals.”

Sandy-Stapleton wants other schools to emulate Bethel High.

“I hope financially the others schools will be able to, maybe seek sponsorship like Bethel and be able to bring their school together as a unit in the national tournament,” she advised.

Sandy-Stapleton revealed that moves are afoot to have the Inter-Secondary School team re-entered in the national tournament.

“If the schools are really committed to developing their team as a core like Bethel does, I don’t think that the association would have a problem allowing the players to play with their school and they are still eligible for selection for the Windward Island squad,” Sandy-Stapleton stated.(RT)