AS Jamaica’s senior netballers prepare for a three-Test series away to world number one Australia, head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry-Wright is optimistic, especially with the return of senior players like Nicole Dixon-Rochester, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, and Latanya Wilson.

The team is looking to build on their recent performances and is focused on addressing weaknesses exposed in previous outings.

The series, scheduled for February 5-11, will be a tough challenge for Jamaica, but Henry-Wright believes it’s an important opportunity for them to measure themselves against elite opposition. The Sunshine Girls are aiming to improve on their silver medal finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and are using this series as preparation for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“Nicole Dixon-Rochester is back in the squad. Definitely we also have back in the squad Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Latanya Wilson, they just left to go back to Australia and so they will be joining the team in Australia. So definitely we have a few more coming on as well,” Henry-Wright told the
Jamaica Observer.

Henry-Wright highlighted the team’s strengths, noting that while they’re missing key shooters, this presents an opportunity for other players to gain experience.

“We are still without any of our shooters that we are accustomed to, and this is good experience for our other shooters who will compete at this level, and we are looking forward to it. I think they [the shooters] did well in the England series in terms of the statistics that they shot.

“But I think we didn’t bring down enough balls for them [attackers] to shoot. But they did well in terms of the stats and in terms of their shots, but they didn’t have enough opportunity to shoot,” the head coach explained.

Henry-Wright placed special interest in areas for improvement, including turnover rate, through-court play, and centre pass conversions. To address these issues the team will arrive early in Australia for practice games and study opponents’ tapes to identify weaknesses to exploit.

“So one of our achievements we want out of this series is to improve on our performance that we did in England. In terms of our turnover rate, in terms of our through court play, getting the ball into the circle, getting enough shots, taking care of our centre passes. I mean, we need to convert from our centre passes to even have a chance. Those are the things that we really want to improve on come the Australian series,” Henry-Wright said.

Henry-Wright emphasised the importance of preparation.

“One of things we have to do is that we are going down early and get some practice games with teams that are there. We have been looking at their tapes and to see how best we can look at any short falls that we can really capitalise on in terms of pairing,” she said.

“We definitely played against our male’s team who gives us the best competition that we can get, but they are not like them [Australia], they don’t play like them. But as best as we can we have to use them as much as we can right now to get in a more competitive mood because we have not started playing as yet.

“Definitely this week we have brought in the males to see how much we can get, some match practice into game-like situation and to see them do our plays we have been practising,” Henry-Wright noted.

HENRY-WRIGHT… we are still without any of our shooters that we are accustomed to and this is good experience for our other shooters (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Jamaica’s Latanya Wilson (left) and Te Paea Selby-Rickit of New Zealand vie for possession of the ball in the netball semi-final match during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, on August 6, 2022. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Jamaica’s Kadie-Ann Dehaney (right) defends against Trinidad and Tobago’s Samantha Wallace during the Netball World Cup match inside M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, on July 13, 2019. (Photo: Collin Reid)

Nicole Dixon-Rochester (left) of Jamaica fights for the ball with Phumza Maweni of South Africa during the Fast5 Netball World Series match at Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia, on October 29, 2016. (Photo: Collin Reid)