By Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter HER INVOLVEMENT in netball started years ago. Today, Molly Rhone sits on a seat reserved for the top netball administrator - President of the International Federation Netball Association (IFNA).
At the age of 13 Rhone represented the senior team of Knox College in netball while being heavily involved in track and field. For six consecutive years she was athletic champion girl at her Alma Mater - doing the sprints along with high jump and long jump.
However, with the stance taken by Leila Robinson that athletes must specialise in a sport and the longer playing life netball presented Rhone decided netball was the thing for her.
TRIPLE CROWN
At present, she proudly wears a triple crown as president, heading the local, the Caribbean and International bodies. For her responsibility is nothing new. She captained the Jamaica all-schools netball team, Jamaica Under-21 and Under-23 teams, was vice-captain of the national team, and also represented her country at two World Netball Championships.
Apart from playing, Rhone operated as coach, umpire and administrator. For her work in netball, she was awarded the Order of Distinction (Officer Class), the nation's fourth highest honour, in October 2002.
Although her Curriculum Vitae is so impressive she told The Gleaner no other moment compared to her most recent achievement.
"This is definitely the crowning moment," she said.
"It is a very good feeling, one of achievement, a great honour... not just for me but for Jamaica that I could ascend to the highest position in netball," Rhone added.
On July 17, she held off the challenge of Australian Pam Smith to be elected the new president of IFNA. Prior to that Rhone served as vice-president of the same body.
Smith was given the job as Rhone's lieutenant. Jamaica's Marva Bernard was returned as financial director.
The new president said she hopes to make a difference "being that I have a good team working with".
Having held their first board meeting on Saturday, Rhone revealed that her administration has certain aims for their two year tenure. These include a change in the organisation's structure, change in the marketing strategies, a development in the sport internationally and an increase in the number of countries playing netball.
IMPROVE QUALITY
"I would like to improve the quality of play between the countries. There is a wide gap now between the top four countries and so we are hoping we can do something about that," Rhone said.
One way Rhone proposes to deal with this is by getting expert umpires and coaches to help with the development of the sport around the world.
She has her work cut out for her. Her test assignment, World under-21 tournament, is two years away. Palm Beach in Miami will be the venue and a true challenge since netball is new to the United States of America.
