Digicel Jamaica has once again come to the rescue of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) by underwriting approximately J$1 million of the cost of sending the Under-16 team to the Caribbean Championships in Trinidad & Tobago from November 23 to December 2, according to sources close to the Observer.

The amount will cover airfare as well as some gear and accommodation. However, the JNA will still be J$500,000 short of the sum needed to send the young Sunshine Girls to the tournament.

Digicel's sponsorship comes against the backdrop of several local sporting bodies facing financial crises in their bids to host international events.

The Jamaica Amateur Body Building and Fitness Association suffered serious financial constraints in hosting the recent CAC event, while the Jamaica Rugby Union suffered embarrassment after members of the union informed the media that the local team had been kicked out of their hotel because of failure to pay bills during their hosting of the Caribbean 15s Champs which ended on Monday.

JNA president and International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) finance director Marva Bernard told Observer that contrary to public opinion, despite the sport's high profile, "netball is not okay".

Bernard said most recently when the JNA approached companies for sponsorship they had been told that they could not do anything because of "cricket next year", referring to the ICC World Cup which will be staged in the Caribbean, with Jamaica set to host several games and the opening ceremony.

"If I tell you how many proposals we have sent out," Bernard said. "Earlier in the year we got a lot of little donations, but it's a challenge to compete."

Bernard said the JNA still owes Indepedence Park Limited J$2 million for the use of the National Indoor Sports Centre to host series involving New Zealand, Australia, England, and Barbados late last year and in January 2006. The JNA is currently paying off that debt at a rate of J$40,000 per month.

She told Observer that the JNA had invited world No 5-ranked Fiji, hosts of the 2007 World Championship from July 10-21, to participate in a tri-nations series also involving Trinidad & Tobago, but they had to be "uninvited" because of lack of funding. Trinidad & Tobago have agreed to pay their own airfare to particpate in the tournament.

Jamaica have also been invited to play away to Australia next year, but that seems unlikely at this point because of lack of funds.

The JNA boss said she was persevering for a number of reasons. "It's so unfortunate. One has to operate as best as they can in this economic climate. We believe that the girls, instead of getting pregnant, have sports as an outlet. We have to keep going," she said.

She said eight of the 16 senior team members are attending universities, where at one point there were none, a sign that sports was having a positive impact in their lives.

The JNA proposes to launch an adopt-a-player programme to help fund the US$5,000 per player needed to send a team to the World Championship in Fiji next year.

They will therefore be hosting a series of jumble sales at the Leila Robinson Courts, the next scheduled for October 28. A jumble sale can raise anywhere between $25,000 and $50,000, according to Bernard.

The JNA will be hosting retired Australia coach Gill McIntosh for six weeks beginning October 16. McIntosh will be conducting workshops and clinics with local coaches to help them upgrade their skills.

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