Vincy Jewels seeking CAC Netball glory

A 12 member Senior Netball team is contending for St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) at the inaugural staging of the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador.

The team, referred to as Vincy Jewels, left SVG last Friday, June 30th, for El Salvador via Trinidad and Tobago and Panama.

The squad has been in preparation for the past few months to ensure that “the high level of representation that we have begun in 2022 continues”, states a release from the Association.

The team is captained by Kaywana Charles, with Kemisha Antoine as vice-captain. The other members are: Ruthann Williams, Mary-Ann Frederick, Shellisa Davis, Joseann Antoine, Jo Maria Quashie, Zanique Vincent, Kyila Miller, Shania Pompey, along with debutants Geziel Miller and Kristiana Christopher.

Vasha Adams is the coach with the manager in Pearlina Thomas, and the physiotherapist in Javed Marksman.

The players had their first training session on Sunday morning. Vincy Jewels will compete in a total of five matches over the period with the aim of being in the top three. Their first match was yesterday, July 3, against the Cayman Islands, and the second is against the Dominican Republic tonight.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 5, Vincy Jewels will play Trinidad and Tobago, and take on Jamaica on Thursday. Their final game will be against Barbados.

A four-way fight among the top four in the Americas Region will then follow for the three podium places up for grabs – bronze, silver, and gold. The top four Americas Region countries are Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Coach Adams told SEARCHLIGHT on Sunday following a technical meeting of coaches that “The players are adjusting nicely and are very excited, are quite satisfied with the food, and are settling in very well.”

President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, Natasha Baptiste, said she “is very pleased with the commitment and dedication of the players and is confident that they will indeed continue to make SVG proud.”

The next outing for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association will be when the Vincy Jewels Youth competes in Netball in the youth aspect of the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago from August 2-10.