SVG moves one up in World Netball rankings

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has moved one step up in the latest World Netball rankings released earlier this month. And, president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association(SVGNA), Natasha Baptiste, said she is pleased SVG is now at # 17, one place up from their #18 place prior to the Senior Team’s success at the OECS Netball Tournament in September this year.

The latest ranking, released on Thursday, October 17, 2024, also showed Grenada, the 2024 losing finalist in the OECS Tournament, placed at # 20.

Reflecting, Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT she would not say there were any disappointments in 2023 when SVG fell to #18.

“Our ranking fell to 18 not solely because we did not win the ECCB tournament, but also because countries that have more opportunities to play more ranking games than us, get the opportunity to move their rankings up. We have gone up back to 17 and we are happy, but without the opportunities to play more ranked games, that position can easily change.”

Going into the 2024 ECCB International Netball Series played in Saint Lucia from September 21-30, St. Vincent and the Grenadines was ranked #18, Grenada #19, Antigua and Barbuda #32, Saint Lucia #37, Cayman Islands #38, St. Kitts and Nevis #39, and Dominica #41.

World Netball, in an October 17, 2024 press release stated: “The (2024) ECCB International Series results caused significant movements in the WN World Rankings too, with the highest change in the table being at 20th, with Grenada having dropped one place to here. Next up, St Lucia had a very successful series moving up five places to 33rd, with their rating increasing from 17 to 24 due to them winning three out of five of their games. Other changes following this series included Antigua and Barbuda dropping from 33rd to 36th, Cayman Islands moving up one place to 38th, and Dominica dropping two places to 44th.”

World Netball also explained, “The number of points earned by a team for any match depends on two factors. The result (won, drawn, lost), and the opponent against whom the result was achieved. The higher an opponent’s rating the more points are earned for beating them. If a team wins a match, they will earn 50 points more than their opponent’s rating. But if they lose, they will earn 50 points less than their opponent’s rating.”

With the SVG Senior Netball Team, Vincy Jewels, showing a definitive improvement in their game, the SVGNA president is looking ahead to the Americas Netball World Qualifiers scheduled to be held in the British Virgin Islands in 2026.

“We have to build on what we have started and try to have reinforcements come in to help us further prepare, as well as obtain needed funding from corporate St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other individuals who can contribute to this journey,” Baptiste outlined.

“During the preparation process we need to be able to play more games with countries outside our region. The challenge that we have is that without the proper facilities we always have to travel out of the country to get opportunities to play. I pray for the day when we can invite countries outside our region to come to our beautiful island to play a series. The players are eager, the nation is eager to see their Jewels on home soil, but without the right facilities we can just be hopeful.”