Connie Francis, head coach of the senior Sunshine Girls, says based on the talent within the 30-member World Cup training squad, she is confident Jamaica have the depth to field a medal-winning team for the global showpiece.

From the 30 players, 15 will be selected to represent Jamaica at the 16th staging of the Netball World Cup, the premier competition in international netball. The tournament is set to take place from Friday, July 28 to Sunday, August 6 at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. This will mark the first time the tournament will be held in the African continent.

“We have 23 players here, as seven are overseas, and training has been going really well. It is very intense, and the girls struggled in the initial stage, especially the new ones, but everybody has settled down now and settled into the routine of the expectations,” Francis told the Jamaica Observer.

“Since I have been around, we have more players in the squad, and we have seen more talent and new talents coming through. And the good thing about these new talents is that even if they don’t make the World Cup squad, we have El Salvador going, where we will be putting them in shape to represent Jamaica at the El Salvador tournament,” Francis added.

Francis said selection for the final World Cup squad will be mostly based on the performances of players in the Elite Netball League.

“We [coaching staff] are looking at their [the players] performances playing in the local league. How well do they manage it? How well do they adjust to the type of game that is being played? Can they lift their game? Can they play excellently throughout?

“So these are some of the things that we are encouraging them to do because certainly selectors will be looking for good players, and hopefully they will be able to put it together, and I trust and believe that most of them will be able to concentrate for a longer period of time. The ultimate test for making our team is whether you can play well all the time,” Francis added.

Regardless of who makes the final cut, Francis said that this squad represents Jamaica’s best hope of winning a medal since 2007. Jamaica have won three bronze medals at the World Cup: in 1991 in Sydney, Australia; in 2003 in Kingston, Jamaica; and in 2007 in Auckland, New Zealand.

“I think we have a good chance. The first thing is that I believe that we can medal, and by winning, we stand a chance, and that is what we want to do give ourselves a chance because we have quality players.

“We have the dedication, and so it is about playing well every game, and that’s why at the training session we train hard every day. So when that time comes around, it won’t be easy as we have South Africa in our zone and they are at home, so we have to pass them.

“They are the ones that knocked us out to be in the top four the last time, and so we are very mindful of all of our opponents, and we know that we have to strategies the right way in order for us to get past the early rounds and put ourselves in a position to win a gold medal,” Francis said.

Training squad: Maylsha Kelly; Abbeygail Linton; Kimone Shaw; Paula Ann Burton; Chenika Jones; Tavonee Bailey; Nicole Dixon- Rochester; Khadijah Williams; Crystal Plummer; Abigale Sutherland; Quannia Walker; Theresa Beckford; Chamoi Manahan; Shanice Beckford; Rebekah Robinson; Simone Gordon; Odeacha Johnson; Shadine Bartley; Tracey Ann Francis; Mischa Creary; Jhaniele Fowler; Romelda Aiken-George; Shiona Nelson; Jodi Ann Ward; Kadie Ann Dehaney; Latanya Wilson; Shamera Sterling; Adean Thomas; and Roxonne McLean