Photo: From left – Nicole Dixon, Minister with responsibility for Sport the Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, Minneth Reynolds (coach), Vangelee Williams, President of Netball Jamaica, Marva Bernard,Molly Rhone of the International Netball Federation.
Netball Jamaica launched its 2015 World Netball Championship this morning at the Jamaica Olympic Association in Kingston. It is dubbed Gold Rush Down Under focusing on the fact the it will be held in Australia.
According to the chairman of the organizing committee Lt. Col. Jaimie Ogilvie, the period between now and the next World Netball Championship will be an intense period of preparation and exposure for the Sunshine Girls in order to help the bring back the gold medal. This includes two test series starting with England in January next year. Additionally he said that “it’s gonna take sixty-three million to get there – prepare, get there and bring back the gold. Bang for buck that’s a very small investment.” He went on further to appeal to corporate Jamaica and the public to contribute to the Gold Rush Down Under cause.
He said that the Gold Rush Down Under committee comprises “President Marva Bernard, 1st vice president Paula Daley-Morris, 2nd vice president Nola Phillpotts-Brown, Gina Harrison the website architect, Karen Anderson general manager for Netball Jamaica, myself Lt. Col Jaimie Ogilvie and Captain Fineikie Rowe of the JDF.”
Sunshine Girl Vangelee Williams was looking forward for her first World Championship. She said that the team was working hard to get the gold medal next year but that they were confident of doing well next year.
Irwin Clare, OD who connected to the launch by Skype indicated that Jamaica diaspora will send their donation of six hundre US dollars to Netball Jamaica at the earliest possible time. He also indicated that he will be appealing to all Jamaicans abroad especially the females to make their donation to the cause.
Christopher Samuda the general secretary of the JOA and Molly Rhone of the International Netball Federation lauded Netball Jamaica for the move to mobilize funding for the championship and wished the team well on their way for the gold.
Marva Bernard appealed for support for Netball Jamaica’s programmes including Gold Rush Down Under while bemoaning the lack of up-take by corporate Jamaica for the sport which is Jamaica’s most successful team sport.
Minister with responsibility for Sport the Hon. Natalie Neita Headley also appealed to corporate Jamaica to support the work being done by Netball Jamaica while indicating that the government will be there to play their part in the current financial circumstances. She praised the netballer for their achievement to date.
Gina Harrison who manages the organization’s website re-launched the site. The address MyNBetballJamaica.com. It has the ability to donate Netball Jamaica. It features pertinent information about the organization and the players.
The four netballers in attendance were returned player Simone Forbes, Malysha Kelly, first timers to the World Championships Vangelee Williams, and Nicole Dixon.
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