Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

Jamaica's champion Under-16 netball team pose at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday with Junior Sports Minister, Warren Newby (right) and Jamaica Netball Association, president, Marva Bernard, on arrival from Antigua where they won the Caribbean Netball Association competition. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Joan Cargill, coach of Jamaica's Under-16 netball team, says hard and dedication were key factors that led to the country wrapping up its seventh Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) title in Antigua last Friday.

Cargill told The Gleaner in an interview following the team's arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday that despite the lack of experience, she was always confident they were going to retain the title.

"It wasn't difficult because the girls went with a purpose to defend our title and they went out and delivered what we had asked of them and I am very delighted for that," said Cargill.

Planned strategies

"The key to our success was that we trained hard and we had our strategies planned because for each game during the competition we had a different plan for each team and the girls went out and they executed these plans," Cargill said.

The young Sunshine Girls ended the championship unbeaten with seven victories and according to Cargill, the future of the sport is very bright as once we continue to nurture these young prospects we are always going to be the team of the region.

"The girls were marvellous throughout the championships.

"There was one point where we felt that we were below where we should have been and we went back to the drawing board and worked on it, which enabled us get the desired results which we needed to win the competition," Cargill explained.

The team's 6ft 9in goal shooter, Marvadeen Anderson, who was voted the best goal shooter, was delighted with her success.

"I am feeling very great because the experience was very good," said the 14-year-old Anderson who is also a student at Edwin Allen High.

"The matches were very exciting because when our opponents saw me they were very nervous and this gave me a lot of confidence," Anderson said.

Jamaica Netball Association president, Marva Bernard (left), hugs 6ft, 9in. goal shooter, 14-year-old Marvadeen Anderson, as she met the players at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday when they arrived from Antigua. The team successfully defended the Caribbean Netball Association Under-16 title, with Anderson emerging the Top Goal Shooter. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer