National netball teams get ready for big games

National representative netball teams are into full swing of preparations for upcoming regional tournaments.

The Under-23 team is into its final week of preparations for its August 26 to September 1, outing in St. Kitts.

The team, which leaves here next Thursday, will go in search of the reclamation of the ECCB OECS title. {{more}}

The Vincentians have three persons in their line up which lost the title to St. Lucia last year in Grenada.

Saskia Diamond, Leanna Lewis and Sonia Olliver were all part of the team to Grenada last year.

Returning to the team after a year’s absence is Kailene Thompson.

Expectations are high in the local camp, as many of the young netballers are fresh from the recently concluded national club tournament.

The regional agenda continues in December,when the U-16 team heads to St. Kitts for the Caribbean championship.

The management team took advantage of the long August vacations to involve the training squad in some intense routine.

Preparations worked out well for the Under-16 lasses as they got match ready, engaging their Barbados Under-16 counterparts in two matches this week.

This formed a welcomed feature for the team, as the current Inter-Ministerial netball competition impeded on some of the training sessions.

But the major focus will be on the national senior team’s participation in the Commonwealth Games next March in Australia.

Readiness for this important venture will begin with the constituency competition ,which was forcibly deferred to commence September 11, from its original scheduled opening date of August 14 .

This competition in its inaugural year will feature the top players from each of the 15 constituencies engaging in netball rivalry.

The on court intensity, gets a reprieve from later today, when an Over-40 Avengers team from Trinidad and Tobago faces local team of their age group .The southern neighbours will play two matches today and tomorrow.

Avengers are guest of Vets,the sole local netball team featuring persons of golden age.