Netball official bemoans absence of ‘atmosphere’ at schools’ finals

Former president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association Doris Mc Intosh is concerned about the lack of a competitive and festive atmosphere at last Friday’s secondary schools’ final.{{more}}

Asked to stand in last Friday for chair of the netball sub-committee Natasha Stapleton, Mc Intosh made the concern known as she spoke at the Kingstown Netball Centre.

Mc Intosh observed that it was a school event, and absent were large contingents of representatives of the student bodies from the schools in the finals.

Contesting last Friday’s finals were Central Leeward Secondary and the Bethel High in the Junior Division and the Central Leeward Secondary and the Bishop’s College Kingstown in the senior decider.

Mc Intosh jogged back her memories when the finals were the usual Girls’ High School versus Bishop’s College Kingstown affair.

“It used to be very robust play… Lots of cheering used to go on,” Mc Intosh said, whilst noting this was not present on the day.

The former netball head welcomed the return of the Bishop’s College Kingstown in the final, and reminded the current players that they represent an institution which produced several outstanding national players, in the likes of Clothel Young and Dellarice Duncan, among others.

Mc Intosh implored the players to take a responsibility for their own development in netball.

She urged them to take a leaf out of Young’s book, as she, on a daily basis, would practise her shots before heading off to school, which aided in her potency as a goal shooter in the 1980’s.

Mc Intosh told the young netballers to use the sport for more than recreation, as it can be a stepping stone to basketball scholarships, as well as professional netball, as opportunities for such are opening up in places such as New Zealand and Australia.(RT)