Third place just not good enough for Calypso Girls

SO the Trinidad and Tobago “Calypso Girls” netballers finished third at the recently concluded 21st Caribbean Netball Association Championships held here two weeks ago. It was heart-wrenching to hear some officials gloating over the fact we finished third at the championships, albeit on goal-difference. But the performances by the “Calypso Girls” netballers, though gutsy at times, leave a lot to be desired. It appeared that new and first-ever male coach Learie “Fruits” Sandy was unsure of his team, or perhaps was following a pattern of past coaches. This was evident from the first match against lowly St Kitts, when no sooner the first quarter ended, rapid changes were made and not because of injury. How can a team perform at its best when not given considerable playing time to find themselves and get into some sort of rhythm. Needless to say, the chopping and changing continued throughout the six matches the “Calypso Girls” netballers played.

Our team at these championships struck me as being under-prepared on the one hand, and unfit, riddled with injuries. The “Calypso Girls” netballers appeared clueless against Jamaica, who are being used as a benchmark, being the third best netball-playing country in the world. Our girls, instead of slowing the pace and using crisper passes, tried  to match the “Sunshine Girls” speed, resulting in some wild, high passes which were easily picked off by their taller, more athletic opponents, or flew out of bounds with marked regularity. Could you imagine scoring five goals in the first 15 minutes, eight, nine and nine? Against Barbados the “Calypso Girls” netballers were again found wanting in centre-court play, and despite what we felt was a big rally to only lose by four goals, were were generally outplayed. The “Tridents” were always in control even when we seemingly made that grandstand fight-back, outscoring them 11-8 in the final quarter.

But now all that is in the past, let us gaze into the proverbial crystal ball and into the future. There is a World Youth Championships in July next year.  When are we going to begin training a team for this series? Are we going to wait until two months before the tournament begins to scramble together a team? Some officials tried to convince me many current “Calypso Girls” netballers at the CNA Championships would be at those World Youth Championships at the Broward Convention Centre, Florida, from July 21 to 31 But truth be told, only two of our girls in the current team would be eligible —  Crystal George and Racquel Russell. According to the International Federation of Netball Associations, to be eligible for the tournament, “players must be under the age of  21 at midnight on December 31/January 1 prior to the event”.

So here are the ages of the “Calypso Girls” netballers at the just concluded championships: Janelle Barker 26; Simone Morgan 28; Simone Sandy 32; Natalie Pierre 24; Anastascia Wilson 30; Crystal George 20; Sonia Jack 26; Tricia Liverpool 22; Haajar Noreiga 21; Janelle Mayers 27; Diane Pierre 22, and Racquel Russell 20. We must appoint a coach now and get a squad together and start preparations if we are to give a creditable account worthy of “Calypso Girls” netballers. Third is not good enough. After all it has been 11 years since we shared the Caribbean title, and we have been slipping down the world ladder at each championship, from co-champs 1979 to current No 10, with “now come” USA one place above us. Another point worth considering by the officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association. When are you folks going to get up and get...do something like cake sales, $1 per mile run-around-the-savannah, bazaars, fetes, to raise well-needed funds to help stop the last minute begging?