Tricia Robinson, president of Netball Jamaica (NJ), says the upcoming Horizon Netball series against arch-rivals England is a pivotal opportunity for development of both emerging and senior players.

The series is to kick off with two matches in Manchester, England, on November 16 and 17 at the AO Arena. Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls will then welcome England for the final two matches on November 25 and 26 at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) in St Andrew.

Robinson said that the matches will allow players to showcase their skills in front of international scouts, which could lead to opportunities to play in leagues overseas. She also envisioned the series as a springboard for emerging talents to demonstrate their prowess.

“For seniors, it’s an opportunity for scouts around the world to see them. They get the opportunity to be seen; they can play in the Super League [England] and the Suncorp Super Netball League (Australia), and also for the programme, it allows our local girls to be exposed,” Robinson said.

“So there should be one and two new persons coming into the squad joining the senior girls, so it should be an exciting time for them. This is a momentous occasion for our netballers. We’re not just competing; we’re building for the future,” the president further said.

As Robinson pondered the upcoming Horizon Series, she said that this innovative format, a first for the sport, is going to put Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls and England’s national team to the ultimate test. She said the idea was born from a shared desire to shake up traditional netball competition.

“Well, usually England and Jamaica have played for years and the teams got together and wanted to, you know, have a different spin on it. It’s never been done before where we’ve played each other in each other’s country in a week, 12 days, so to speak. And so we think it is a fantastic idea,” Robinson said.

Robinson acknowledged there are risks. “We will see how it goes on the bodies of the girls, and we’ll make the necessary arrangements if it is needed,” she said, though expressing confidence that the rewards outweigh the potential challenges.

Robinson said that she expects the players to perform well in their first international series since competing at last summer’s Netball World Cup. She acknowledge that it takes time for players to adapt to the international stage, and they’re eager to see how they fare.

“I expect them to do well and as usual, they give 110 per cent when they go on court for their first international series. So with everything that takes time, let’s see how they perform,” she said.

“Well, you know, we have the new head coach, Sasher-Gaye Henry. It will be her first international outing. She’s supported by Rob Wright and our analyst Kyle Hendrix. So we’re looking forward to exciting results,” Robinson added.

Robinson said the team is also preparing for international three-match Test series against South Africa at NISC from January 18-25 next year.