Coach confident of Vincy Jewels retaining OECS title

The coach of the Vincy Jewels is confident that St Vincent and the Grenadines will successfully defend their ECCB/OECS Invitational Netball Series title, following the selection of the 12 players to compete at the third edition scheduled to be played at the YMCA Complex in St John’s Antigua and Barbuda from September 30 – October 07, 2023.

Coach Vasha Adams was the captain of the victorious Vincy Jewels team which won the 2022 ECCB/OECS Invitational Netball Series title in Roseau, Dominica; and is confident of a successful defence of the title.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT recently, Adams said “going into the ECCB/OECS Tournament now rebranded ECCB International Netball Series as a coach, I do not see a challenge there. Everybody would be coming for St Vincent and the Grenadines – all the OECS countries will be coming for St Vincent and the Grenadines, along with Barbados, Montserrat and Cayman Islands; so yes it will be tough because we have already made a name for ourselves and it’s something that we have to maintain.

“To be honest, you can only get better when you compete against the best so we cannot slacken up as a team. We will be going full hundred, for we are going to compete and not to participate. We are not going out there just because we can go; we are going out there on a mission; we are going there to accomplish something for we have objectives that we have set out and we are coming back with the trophy for a second year … this is our major objective.”

This is not Adams’s first outing as coach of the national netball team. She was the Vincy Jewels coach in 2019 when St Vincent and the Grenadines hosted the tournament, and finished runners-up to Grenada who beat them in the crucial match. She was due to coach the team to the 2022 ECCB/OECS Invitational Netball Series, but due to the unavailability of many players, she proudly donned the blue, gold, and green of St Vincent and the Grenadines as a player, and was appointed captain leading the Jewels to last year’s championship in Dominica.

Adams explained that “It was because of lack of persons turning up for practice because of the volcano eruptions and it was also during the Covid-19 pandemic. The lack of persons turning up caused me to go as player and captain and not as coach.”

The Vincy Jewels squad to defend the title reads: Kaywanna Charles – captain, Kimesha Antoine –: vice-captain, Joseann Antoine, Kaila Millar, Shellisa Davis, Zanique Vincent, Shania Pompey, Maryann Frederick, Kristiana Christopher, Jo Marie Quashie, Jeneise Lowe, and Annicia Dallaway (debutant).

The management team is – Vasha Adams – coach, Javid Marksman – physio and Paulina Thomas – manager.

The team departs St Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday, September 29 and returns on October 9. Also travelling with the team will be media liaison Robertson Henry.

The Vincy Jewels begin the defence of their title on Saturday September 30 against the Cayman Islands, then play St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday October 1, Antigua and Barbuda on Monday October 2, Dominica on Tuesday October 3, Grenada on Wednesday October 4, Montserrat on Thursday October 5, St Lucia on Friday October 6, and Barbados on Saturday October 7, in the final match of the 2023 OECS/ECCB Invitational Netball Series. St Lucia will host the 2024 OECS/ECCB Invitational Netball Series.