2013 CNA Under-16 Netball Tournament uncertain

The staging of the 2013 Jean Pierre Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) Under-16 Netball Tournament was, up to last Thursday evening, still hanging in the balance.{{more}}

This, after no host nation had been identified.

Disclosing the state of affairs regarding the hosting of the 14th edition of the tournament, was President of the CNA, Kathy Harper Hall, at the Presentation and Prize Giving Ceremony, last Thursday evening at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex.

Harper-Hall had earlier indicated this to SEARCHLIGHT in an interview on Saturday, April 14.

Harper-Hall told SEARCHLIGHT that the Cayman Islands was the original host nation, but they are no longer in a position to host.

“We have not decided which country will host the 2013 tournament, because it [was] supposed to be hosted by the Cayman Islands; Cayman Islands [can] no longer to host it, and Dominica and Nevis were put on stand-by, and neither of them can host it,” Harper- Hall revealed.

“We cannot spring it on somebody; they (the participants in the 2012 edition) have to go home and find out from their governments if they will support it,” Harper-Hall added.

Since the inception of the Under-16 tournament in 1998, there have been two years, 2003 and 2007, when there was no tournament.

The CNA President said a plan is in place, in the eventuality that the 2013 tournament is shelved.

“At the moment, we are contemplating making 2013 a training year, where we concentrate strictly on coaching, umpiring, administration, a coaching year, where we are going to do a lot of development work,” Harper-Hall said.

She said she would continue with her executive to put measures in place to counter the possibility of a lull in activities in 2013.

“2014 is our jubilee year; we are going to celebrate sixty years of competitive Netball in the Caribbean and the Caribbean Netball Association would be forty years old and we’re hoping to make 2014 a big year.”

The CNA has not held a senior tournament since 2006. (RT)