As Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls prepare to depart the island tomorrow for the Fast5 Netball World Series in New Zealand, Head Coach Nardia Hanson radiates optimism as the team is set to take on the world’s best at the tournament.

The Fast5 Netball World Series is to take place from November 9-10 at Christchurch’s Wolfbrook Arena. The top six teams in the world will compete in the tournament — New Zealand, Australia, England, Jamaica, South Africa, and Uganda.

Each team plays each other once during the first two days in a round-robin format. The four highest-scoring teams from this stage progress to the finals, played on the final day of competition, in which the first-ranked team plays the fourth-ranked team, while second plays third. The winners of these two matches contest the grand final and the remaining teams compete in the third- and fifth-place play-offs.

“Training has been going well,” Hanson told the Jamaica Observer. “I mean, the girls are showing progress, and so we are taking it day by day, learning the new rules, making sure the girls are being consistent in their shots. Training has been going pretty well.”

With a mix of seasoned players and debutantes, Hanson emphasised the positivity within the squad.

“The mindset in the camp at the moment is good. The fact that they want to do well, they are excited about the competition, and so I think the mindset is at the right place where the girls just want to grow,” Hanson said.

Seven players will make their Fast5 debut, but Hanson believes the experienced trio will provide valuable guidance.

“They’re not just going down there as first-timers, we have just like seven players who this will be their first time, but the three experienced players are helping them with the process,” she said.

Hanson cautions the newcomers about the tournament’s intensity.

“The senior players are reminding them that the Fast5 tournament is really hard. I mean, they are only playing six minutes per quarter, but it is like playing for two hours. It is very competitive, they want to do well and they have the interest and so they are going to do fine,” Hanson noted.

To calm nerves, Hanson reminds the team that netball remains the same.

“Just keep reminding the inexperienced players that it is netball. It is nothing new; it’s not a new sport they’re learning. It’s just that you’re going to play without a wing, so you’re going to be running more, be able to make long passes, be confident in your decision-making,” she said.

Hanson said that the Netball Jamaica Elite League experience has prepared the team for Fast5’s unique aspects.

“The good thing about it is when we played our Elite League, for the shooters, we do have the two-point shot, and so that part is good for them because they have been practising that. For the defenders, it is always one-on-one. So it’s nothing hard to transition or translate it into Fast5,” she explained.

The Sunshine Girls face a daunting task. Their first game of the tournament is against hosts New Zealand, but Hanson remains optimistic.

“We will be playing New Zealand first. We know Maya Wilson is in that squad, and she is a seasoned shooter; she is very aggressive. They have their centre; I don’t remember her name, she is very quick. I watched their league, the ANZ and they have quick players and their shooters are really shooting well,” Hanson said.

To counter New Zealand’s strengths, Hanson focuses on building confidence.

“It’s just to build our girls’ confidence. I know it’s going to be New Zealand, the name alone itself. They may have some little butterflies, but I just let them know that they are humans as well, just like us.”

Hanson concludes with a rallying cry.

“Just like how they have the ability, we have it too. They are the home side, and the home crowd is going to be behind them, and so I just want to keep our girls composed, let them know that we are here; it is netball; the rotation can be done; you know, just to be confident,” she ended.

Squad: Shadine Bartley, Paula-Ann Burton, Zaudi Green, Roxanna McLean, Amanda Pinkney, Kimone Shaw, Kestina Sturridge, Cornilia Walters, Simone Gordon, Tiffany Langley, and reserve Latian Stewart.

Staff: Maureen Brown, Nardia Hanson, Dalton Hinds, Offniel Lamont, and Karlene Waugh.