Crystal Plummer, who plays centre and wing defence for Manchester Spurs, attributed her team’s successful title defence in the 2024 Red Stripe Flavoured Netball Jamaica Elite League to teamwork and unity.

Manchester Spurs defeated St Catherine Racers 45-38 in the grand finale at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) on Sunday to lift the title for a second-consecutive year.

“The strategy for my team was just to work together and to back each other on and off the court to get the job done,” Plummer told the Jamaica Observer.

Plummer, who was a part of the senior Sunshine Girls squad that won bronze at last year’s Netball World Cup, said she was proud to have contributed to the Spurs’ back-to-back success, alongside her teammates, coach, and manager.

“The team’s memorable moment would have to be that we went back to the finals and retained our title for the second time in a row.

“Honestly, it’s a great feeling to know that I was on the team last year and we won, and to know I could give my contribution to the team again…we are the winners of the 2024 Red Stripe Elite League,” she beamed.

Even as the team celebrates victory, Plummer acknowledged that not all players might return next season. However, she remained optimistic, knowing that their focus and commitment to teamwork would carry them through.

“Well, it’s not a must that all players will return on Manchester Spurs, but I think just to continue working together and just focusing on one game at a time and one training session at a time, we will be fine. We treat each other like family on the team, and that’s very important.”

The journey to the championship title wasn’t without challenges. Plummer admitted that the pressure to defend the title was intense, and said they faced a tough loss along the way but the team rallied, regrouped, and refocused on the ultimate goal.

“I really think that knowing the teams wanted to beat us was the challenge. But we stood our ground [despite suffering] one loss… we quickly gathered ourselves and got back on focusing on the big picture, which was to get to the final and retain our title,” she explained.

Plummer’s personal growth and dedication to her craft earned her the award for best centre court player for the second time in a row. She credited her teammates and coaches for encouraging her to push beyond her limits.

“I thought I gave of my best, I challenged myself a lot, and I was hard on myself when I felt like I wasn’t giving my team enough, but then they saw something else in me and encouraged me right through the tournament, and I think that’s why I received the award for the best kid court player for the second time in a row,” said Plummer.