FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Former Sunshine Girl captain and coach Connie Francis was set to take up a senior coaching position at Mico University College, starting yesterday.

She was to join another former national player and experienced coach, Janet Guy, to co-direct Mico’s netball programme into another dimension to build on recent successes.

Francis, 52, who also coached internationally with St Lucia and St Kitts and is getting her feet wet at the collegiate level, will replace long-serving Annette Daley.

When reached on Sunday, Francis said she was happy for the opportunity to taste netball coaching at another level.

“I am very excited about this new opportunity because when I go the collegiate games and see how the crowd is, and all the excitement, I realise that this thing is big,” she noted.

Francis, who led Jamaica as coach to a bronze medal at the 2007 World Netball Championship in New Zealand, said she relishes the opportunity to work with Guy once again and to work with the quality Mico players.

“She (Guy) is a professional and takes her job seriously and I don’t expect any difference from her this time around,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“It will be easier when you have national players in the team, and I expect the players to be professional as usual, and it is for us now to maintain the winning streak at Mico,” Francis ended.

Francis also has the distinction of guiding the Sunshine Girls to silver in the FastNet tournament in London, England, in 2010.

Mico’s director of sports, Raymond ‘KC’ Graham, confirmed Francis’s appointment in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday.

“Connie will bring a lot of experience to Mico as she was a national player and is presently the national FastFive coach. Somebody like her would be good for the programme,” he said.

Graham saluted Daley for sterling service as the technical head of the netball team.

“Daley has done very well, but sometimes changes are good. It’s a continuity of the programme, and Connie will continue where Daley has left; and we hope to continue our impressive record, not only at the intercol, but club level,” said the Graham, a respected track and field coach.

Mico won all intercollegiate netball titles last season, seen as an indication of the growth of the programme.

Francis will team up once again with Guy to shape Mico netball team that consists of a growing list of big names including national players Jhanielle Fowler-Reid, Nicole Dixon and Abigail Linton.

Graham, who has spearheaded the institution’s sports portfolio since 2010, says netball plays an integral role even outside of the sport.

“Netball is very important to attract other students in other areas, because when people see Mico doing well, netball draws other people,” he outlined.

The collegiate netball system is the main source of talent for the national programme.

— Sean Williams