TT netball boss upbeat over future prospects

When asked about her thoughts on the team’s performance in Botswana, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association (TTNA) Dr Patricia Butcher said in an interview yesterday, “We asked the team to do their best and they went out and put on a good show in the first round of the competition.” After a 55-28 loss against Fiji and a 75-27 defeat to England, the TT girls managed to defeat Wales in the first round with a 36-32 victory and fellow islanders Grenada 76-35. However, a 40-31 loss against Cook Islands, in the second round, saw them miss out on the 13th position.

TT finished their campaign with a pair of victories - 51-40 over Northern Ireland and 53-44 over Wales.

Dr Butcher expressed feelings of promise for the team moving forward, adding that, although she was hoping that the girls would have won their second round game, “This was the girls’ first outing on the international stage and they gave it their best shot.” The tournament ended with New Zealand defeating Australia 60-57 to lift the coveted Cup. When asked about her expectations for the team moving forward she stated, “We have some good talent in that Under- 21 group, certainly the team will be kept in practice so that the girls will enhance their skills and so that we will have a strong senior team moving forward.”