Netball official unhappy with discipline in tournament

Vice-president of the S. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, Simone Richardson, expressed her displeasure at the level of discipline exhibited by the participating teams in the just concluded St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College Invitational Netball tournament.

Speaking at the tournament’s prize-giving ceremony on Friday afternoon at the SVGCC Villa campus grounds, Richardson told the attendees of her displeasure at “the disciplinary part of the tournament.”

Although the tournament served as a feeder into the national tournament, the level of discipline on display during the tournament was a sour note in the mouth of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association’s vice-president.

Richardson said she has been present at six of the annual tournaments, save for one due to the birth of her daughter, but “this year I must say is one of the lowest points in terms of discipline. Teams not getting here on time, we had issues with uniforms, players arguing with officials. I must say that is not becoming of our netball ladies, and I would not like to see it in another tournament”.

Minutes after Richardson had concluded her remarks, two players from opposing teams, namely the Central Leeward Secondary School and the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School, almost came to blows while the players from top three teams were waiting to collect their prizes.

Speaking in her official capacity as vice-president of the local netball association, Richardson stated: “I am very pleased with the quality of netball that I saw on display over the last two weeks. I am really, really looking forward to 2022 when we are going to get back to netball”.

She underscored that the participation by the teams is an indication that “we do still have some netball talent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.

Training is expected to commence in early January 2022 for the Under-23 squad, and according to the SVGNA vice-president, she saw “some prospects from this tournament”.

Having sponsored the tournament for seven consecutive years since the revamping of sports at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, ECGC has indicated according to SVGCC Sports Coordinator Roxell John, “Ms (Jerese) Howard (of ECGC) has indicated that they will be with us next year once again, moving into our eighth consecutive year. As it stands with sports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this is a tremendous feat.”