Netball president upbeat about SVG chances for World Cup qualification

NATASHA BAPTISTE, president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association (SVGNA) is upbeat about St Vincent and the Grenadines’ (SVG) chances for qualification for the Netball World Cup scheduled to be held in South Africa in 2023.

Speaking following the final whistle of the third game in the Invitational Netball Series between hosts the Bajan Gems and the SVG netball team on Sunday July 10, 2022 at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Barbados, Baptiste said: “… we have what it takes to qualify for the World Tournament in South Africa.Yes, we have to get past the Jamaica hurdle, and I believe we have the talent.

“What we saw displayed especially in the last game tonight (Sunday) is that we have players that can dig deep and can fight and can get the job done.The score line really and truly does not demonstrate what the players delivered for us tonight, and I am very proud of what was delivered. We will just use these games as an opportunity for us to recognize where our weaknesses are.

“We recognize even where Barbados strengths are, and they are one of the teams that we will meet in the qualifiers. So we now have to go back, strategize and know that we can qualify.”

Some players carried injuries over the course of the three-match series, mainly because of players just coming out of the Covid-19 restrictions, and not playing any sort of netball other than the Fast Five tournaments recently.

“We know that the fitness level of our players is not there as we would like it to be, and that is one area that we will work on. Because once you are fit both mentally and physically, I do not think that there is a team that can really throw us off once we get those elements, right.

“There are a few areas that we have recognized, and when I get back, I will sit with the coaching team so that we can really work on getting those areas strategically worked on so that we will be able to be a force again, in the Caribbean when it comes to netball.

The SVGNA has communicated with all of the employers, and they have granted their employees time off to be able to be at training. Mechanisms are also in place to get the players back home when training is finished. “So that challenge of having players on the street stranded, who cannot get home; we have already overcome that, thanks to the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Lottery,” Baptiste added.