Netball Jamaica First Vice-President Simone Forbes has hailed the staging of its Fast5 Netball Championships as a resounding success, after two days of mixed-gender competition last weekend.

“It was very successful, I believe, because we got the support of various clubs and players,” Forbes says. “As you know, it was a mixed Fast5 festival with eight players per team, six females and two males. Ten teams participated and based on the feedback from everyone, it was really exciting and successful.”

Fierce Five were the winners this year.

The tournament, held as a part of the Elite League, was the first of its kind hosted by the association. Forbes says it was strategically scheduled ahead of the final weekend of the Elite League to inject fresh energy into the event calendar.

“It was the first time for us, and it’s something that we really wanted to do for a while,” she says. “With this year’s Elite League, we wanted to make it a little different, so we did this Fast5 weekend as a part of the two months of competition. People are now looking forward to more excitement on Sunday for the final.”

Forbes also praised the team structure, which limited the inclusion of national stars while encouraging new talent to shine.

“One of the things is that each team was allowed only two male players and two Sunshine Girls,” she says. “That meant each team had at least four regular players, and in some cases, teams didn’t have any Sunshine Girls. So it was an opportunity for others to display their skills and talent. Based on the feedback, it definitely was a success.”

Forbes says the two-day event was well-supported by sponsors and fans and she also commended the association for its execution.

“The team behind it really did a phenomenal job of just executing the championship,” she says. “It was two days of fun and excitement, and our sponsors were a part of it, of course, the spectators as well.”

While there are no immediate plans for another Fast5 tournament this year, Forbes remains optimistic about the format’s future.

“It is a tournament that I always liked,” she says. “I think it is exciting, and if we had more support, it could have been even better. I think it suits the Jamaican style too. We are accustomed to playing rally competitions with shortened games. I am happy that we staged a successful rally, and I hope it is something we will continue doing going forward.”