DESPITE the presence of eight Jamaican players in Australia’s top netball leagues this year, Netball Jamaica’s First Vice-President Simone Forbes says that success in upcoming international tournaments for the Sunshine Girls is far from guaranteed.

Seven players are set to showcase their skills in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball while another talent will play in a different league within the country. Among them are goal attack Shanice Beckford, who recently joined the West Coast Fever team that features fellow Jamaicans Jhaniele Fowler and Kadie-Ann Dehaney.

Suncorp Super Netball will have the prowess of Romelda Aiken, Shamera Sterling, Jodi-Ann Ward, and Latanya Wilson. Shimona Nelson, who participated in Suncorp last season, will play in another Australian league this season.

“In three years’ time those same players that played at the World Cup last year will be three years older,” Forbes said. “Our girls are in Australia and they are doing phenomenally — and I expect them to continue doing phenomenally — but I don’t think that is going to be sufficient for Jamaica to lift any cup.”

Forbes expressed the need for a complete team and says that it will require 12 players in the current era when world netball has evolved to 15. While having eight players abroad is beneficial, Forbes says the addition of Shanice Beckford is a positive development, especially given her collaboration with Fowler.

“Having eight there can only be great for Jamaica, and one more with Shanice Beckford who I am looking forward to seeing on court — particularly with the fact that she is going to be playing with Jhaniele,” she said.

Forbes underscored the importance of cohesion within Netball Jamaica and is calling for more team-building sessions from the Administration.

“I think we have very good people in Netball Jamaica in terms of players, coaches and administrators but I think we need to be a very good team — and not just very good individuals,” she said.

“I think we need to bring it together as a team. I think people behind the scenes are just as important as the people in front of the camera and on the court so we, Netball Jamaica, need to have more team-building sessions where we interact more as a team — and not only when we have netball when we bring people together. So I think we have to do a better job at that.” Forbes says she anticipates an exciting period for Netball Jamaica in international competitions. With more exposure at home and overseas the players are expected to be on par in terms of quality and execution when they come together in 2024.

“I think whoever the coach will be will have to ensure that our netballers in Jamaica are up to par and are getting exposure here, so that when the team comes together in 2024 for all the things that are to come they will all be on one level in terms of quality and execution,” she said. “It is going to be exciting for the next four years for Netball Jamaica in terms of international netball.”

Netball Jamaica is set to appoint a new head coach of the Sunshine Girls later this month, after Connie Francis walked away from the national senior team following a bronze-medal performance at the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, last year.