CHRISTIANA, Manchester — The netball programme at Holmwood Technical High School gained high praise at an appreciation ceremony held recently on the school grounds.

The school was hailed not only for its triumphs including winning eight all-island netball titles and nine rural championships over the last ten years but also as an important “feeder” for the national programme.

Organisers, including the Optimist Club of Christiana, the Dynamic Optimist Club of Spalding, in collaboration with the school said the appreciation function was meant to credit not only the “awesome” performances and hard work of netballers but also the “team behind the team.”

President of the Jamaica Netball Association Marva Bernard applauded Holmwood for incorporating sport as an important element in education.

“Holmwood Technical has been an exemplary high school in its embracing of the concept of holistic education and development of its students,” she said. “Your sports programme is not seen merely as a little extracurricular activity but it is an integral part of the educational programme,” she added.

Bernard urged the netballers to believe that they can do well in school and play sports at the highest level.

She emphasised that sports is a business and Jamaica should treat it as such.

“I hope that we will recognise very soon that on that immigration paper you can write umpire, you can write coach, you can write administrator, you can write professional netball player. You do not have to write accountant or lawyer …,” said Bernard.

Holmwood past students Nicole “Girlie” Dixon and Vangelee Williams who are now members of the Jamaica National Netball team, the Sunshine Girls, were among those honoured.

Williams was recently voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) when the Sunshine Girls played a three-match series against England .

Franklyn Williams, past chairman of the Holmwood Technical High School board said that achievements in areas such as netball, cricket and track and field have long been part of the school’s “proud” record.

Holmwood’s principal Paul Bailey was similarly upbeat.

“…It gives me great pleasure to be here to highlight quality performances. As a country I don’t think we take enough time out to highlight the positives. I want to congratulate these young ladies, they work hard. They learn some lessons that will stay with them for life. As I would frequently say, schooling is not just about teaching a student to read and write; it involves much, much more,” Bailey said.

— Alicia Sutherland