Sunshine Girls Head Coach Sasha-Gaye Henry says Netball Jamaica (NJ) needs to elevate the standards of the local league and secure more international matches during the designated window.

Henry says having Jamaican players compete in professional leagues overseas is beneficial for their development.

“The professionals are always good and that’s where we want to go as Jamaicans,” Henry told the Jamaica Observer. “The fact that we have so many persons in Australia is a blessing to us. Yes, we have one player [Rhea Dixon] in England. We have another player that we are looking at.”

Henry, a former Sunshine Girl, says exposure to high-level competition is essential for local players, but she also spoke of the limitations faced by the team, including the limited number of practice games and international series.

“The fact that we have limited amount of practice games, it limits the players being seen on the international scene,” she said. “The limitation is that we don’t have the resources and the players are not able to play as much international series.”

Henry says she is excited that NJ has now made some contracts and they have a four-year cycle with England and Jamaica.

“And also we will have a series between November and January each year going forward,” she said. “So it’s good that we can have this type of competition. So our players can get exposed and that more persons can see them and more teams will be able to call in some of these players to play internationally and professionally.”

Henry also expressed concerns about the state of the local league, saying there is a need for a pathway system to identify and nurture young talent.

“Our club league, unfortunately, is not at the level that it’s supposed to be and it’s something that we have to look at,” she said. “NJ will have to look at some of the things, I think for a long time we have not had any pathway development.

“So there was no under-21, under-14, and under-16 programmes. So that gives a limitation in terms of where players come through the system because a lot of these players that are playing for Jamaica, they have been a part of the pathway system.”

Henry also highlighted the challenges faced by the team, including the need for more resources and support.

“When we were away, it was better for us because they could all just be in sync and it’s netball, netball, now that they are back home they have to think about school, they have to think about work, the coach has to work, and the players have to go to school,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Henry remains optimistic about the future of netball in Jamaica.

“And I think despite all of what we do and all of these limitations we have, I think we still do well as a team,” she said. “What if we had all of these resources and the capital that these teams have? Where would we be? You know, we have to think about that. It would be awesome. I mean, we would be world beaters, you know?”

Henry stressed the need for Jamaica to improve its ranking.

“Countries are afraid of us, but we look at the African nations that can compete more than us, you know?,” she said.

“On a daily basis, I mean, we don’t have it. So, they are on the rise, and we have to watch a Caribbean team going down, and it’s something that Jamaica has to really consider and strategically plan how to improve on that.”

Ultimately, Henry’s goal is for Jamaica to become the number one team in the world.

“We need to be number one, that’s all,” she said.

“Ultimately, we want to improve. We’re glad for the opportunity that NJ has placed now on the board that we can compete in our international window. So, you know, the only way we’ll improve is competing against these top teams.

“And we’re at number four, our intention is always to improve. So the more we play against these teams, it would be better for us as a country to improve and to be number one day.”