The lead organiser of the Florida Junior Netball Classics is anticipating an exciting and mouth-watering championship, featuring some of the best high school teams from around the region.

The event, scheduled to tip off at the Miramar Regional Park Amphitheatre today and run until Sunday, is to host 33 teams from Jamaica. They are to compete in high school and primary school categories.

Allister Roper, chief organiser of the championships, said he is expecting some great netball competitions over the next two days, highlighting the participation of teams from England, Australia, and Asia.

“The expectations are that this is the start of a magnificent journey right now,” he said. “Our real goal is to try and unite the Caribbean with netball… to get the teams from England and Australia to come over here and participate against Caribbean teams, and so that is our aim and goal: to push the sport in that direction.”

“We have teams from Canada, England, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados, so I think that we will be in for a great two days of netball competitions.”

National Under-19 champions Holmwood and national Under-16 winners The Queen’s School will lead the Jamaican teams in the championships. Other high school teams set to compete include Gaynstead, Denbigh, Immaculate, Merl Grove, Camperdown, Glenmuir, Titchfield, Bridgeport, and Greater Portmore.

The competition also features prep and primary school sections, with schools like St Patrick Primary, Mona Prep, Half-Way-Tree Primary, and Jessie Ripoll.

Roper noted that the championships will be available to a global audience, showcasing the quality of netball on display.

“This will be one of the best tournaments ever, live-streamed to over 100 countries, making it highly visible globally. We’re striving to promote it to the world,” Roper said.