SVGNA racing for ranking points

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association (SVGNA) will send a 14-member team, made up of 10 players and four officials, to a tri-nation netball series in Grenada, this weekend.

The sole purpose is to kick-start St Vincent and the Grenadines’ (SVG) re-entry to the International Netball Federation’s ranking list.

While in Grenada, the Vincentians will play matches against the host and St Lucia at the Tanteen Netball Complex, facing their opponents twice.

At present, St Lucia is ranked 18th on the International Netball Federation’s list, with Grenada – 23rd, on the latest positions of the 39 countries with a ranking.

Unfortunately, the SVG senior team has not played a full international match since 2010, hence is without a ranking place or rating on the International Netball Federation (INF) table.

The 10 players selected to make the trip to Grenada include veteran goal shooter Skiddy Francis-Crick, who is the team’s vice-captain, with Shelisa Davis named as captain.

They, along with seasoned players – Maxine James, Keisha Kirby, Shannique De Shong, Ruth Ann Williams, Bownie Allicott, Mary Ann Frederick, as well as emerging players – Jose-Ann Antoine and Suzette Jordon, are the selected lot.

President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association Doris Mc Intosh travels as the manager, with Thelma Foster – coach; Moeth Gaymes – assistant coach and Joan Foster–Baynes – primary health care.

Mc Intosh explained to SEARCHLIGHT the necessity of the Grenada outing.

“We missed out on previous tournaments and this is an opportunity for us and we have to try and make up…. If we play four matches in Grenada, we can get others during the year and trying to make the required eight matches soon to get a ranking,” Mc Intosh stated.

Mc Intosh noted that come July/August, SVG will be part of the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) tournament, which will be held in Barbados.

“This again we must attend, as for too long we have been without a ranking and have not been to an AFNA tournament,” Mc Intosh reinforced.

SVG’s predicament has been compounded by the protracted non-hosting of the Caribbean Netball Tournament and its missing two successive AFNA tournaments in 2012 and 2014.

It was cited then that financial constraints were the reasons for this country’s non-participation in the AFNA qualifying tournaments.

Mc Intosh stated that had SVG also contested the Under-21 World Netball Qualifying Tournament in St Maarten last year, they would have been in a better standing.

She alluded to the participation by Argentina in the St Maarten event, which allowed that country to have a ranking of 39th.(RT)