Defending champions, Emanie Netball Club plans to pull out all the stops to keep their title at the Guyana Netball Association National Under-23 Tournament which started yesterday afternoon at the National Gymnasium.
Coach Lavern Thomas-Fraser told Stabroek Sport that she was confident that the team would be able to defend its title at the tournament. “Yes, we will definitely be looking for a win this year. The preparation has been good, and we are as prepared as can be, as always,” she said. Thomas-Fraser noted that the key to the team’s performance is their mental toughness which she believes will give them the edge over other teams.
“I know we will win, one, because of the kind of preparation that we have had and, two, the recognition that we give in realizing that it is not just about being prepared physically but mentally as well. Being mentally prepared plays a very important role and we have that,” she said. Last year, Emanie played undefeated to claim victory as the inaugural winners of the tournament.
Five clubs are scheduled to participate in the annual tournament which is used to transition junior players to senior categories. These include last year’s runners-up the All Stars from Georgetown, along with Doves from Berbice and Fearless Flyers from Essequibo.
All Stars club president Tracy O’Neil said her club intends to redeem themselves this year. “Our girls have been really working hard, and at the end of the day whether they get first or second, I know that the girls did their best because netball is what they’re about, that’s what they do. But we are not going out there for a second place, we are going out there for a first,” she noted. O’Neil also said that the team is not going to be intimidated by their opponent’s line-up as over time the players have changed. “We may have known the strength of the team in the past, but we can’t know the strength of the team now because they may have changed, what we know is the strength of our team,” she stressed.
President for the Doves Netball Club Saskeia Cort also expressed confidence in her team’s preparedness for this weekend’s showdown while Lawrence Kellman, coach of the Fearless Flyers said his team is as prepared as they can be, noting that it comprises mostly under-16 players. He said all the players on his team are notably young for the category but the tournament is a good opportunity for them to gain experience and develop their skills. “Training has been good for us, but we are basically a make up of 16 and under players, and that may put us at a disadvantage. Moreover, most of our players are pretty new, only two of our players are repeat players, and even they are under the age of sixteen,” he explained, adding that he was positive that they would give a good account of themselves. “I know that they will give of their best,” Kellman added.
