Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, joined the netball family, becoming a patron to the sport. The announcement was made at a grand affair hosted by the T&T Netball Association (TTNA) at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain last Wednesday evening.
The association also used the opportunity to celebrate the recent achievements of a number of its members including official Lilia Cameron, national player Samantha Wallace and former national coach and player Bridget Adams.
Cameron attained her international umpire (IUA) badge at the recently concluded World University Games in Miami, Florida. She is now among the elite umpires in the world.
Wallace got recognition for her exceptional performance as a member of the Hertfordshire Mavericks which earned her the Sky Sports Vitality Netball Super League "Player of the Season". Adams was also celebrated for being inducted into the First Citizens Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. She was among 11 of the nationals sporting elite selected for last year's honour roll. Witnessing the proceedings were Jamaican High Commissioner David Prendergast and his wife Angella, the High Commissioner for Australia John Pilbeam, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Joan Mendez, former Minister and former president of TTNA Joan Yuille-Williams and Dr Keith Clifford. Mark Mungal served as master of ceremonies which also had a full cast of entertainment, like dancer Dominique Lessey, vocalists Nicholas Gosine and Tyrell Toby, and pannist Genesis Clifford, delighted the crowd that also included former and current national players and administrators at all levels of national teams.
TTNA has a busy schedule lined up for the rest of the year and all the way into next season. First up is the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) qualifiers in St Maarten from August 18-28. The winner advances to the World Youth Netball Championships in Botswana, next year. The T&T Under-21 team is being coached by former national captain Rhonda John-Davis and her assistant is Kemba Duncan, a former senior player as well, with Vanessa Forde serving as manager.
Next month, the TTNA which is headed by Dr Patricia Butcher and include executive members Martha Archer (first vice president), Anika La Roche-Brice (second vice president), public relations officer Lynette Duncan, Shireen Patrick (treasurer) and Allyson Asby (secretary), will host a tea party and fashion show as one of its many fundraising ventures. It is carded to take place September 3. Also in the making are a barbeque and family day in October, the TTNA Queen Show in November and an end of year dinner in December. All dates will be announced in the near future.
On the calendar for next year are the Net Affair in Tobago in January, a Calypso Fiesta Midnight Netball Carnival in February and the second annual Netball vs Cancer (NvC) Tournament and Health Expo in March.
In April, T&T will host the Jean Pierre Netball Tournament in which the national U-16 team will compete under the guidance of coach Janelle Barker, another former national skipper and managed by Duncan. The other teams in training are the senior national team, coached by Wesley "Pepe" Gomes and he is being assisted by Grace Parkinson-Griffith. Carol Demming-Gittens is the manager; the U-19 team, which is coached by Lystra Solomon-Simmons and assistant coach Sojourner Hyles-Lewis; and the U-14 unit, coached by Carlette Nurse with manager Sharon Castanada.
In May, there will be a Healthy Lifestyle Fun Run/Walk while in June and July will respectively be the TTNA Golf Outing and the Aerobathon fundraisers.
Currently local netballers compete in seven leagues under the guidance of the TTNA including the longest existing Lystra Lewis Port-of-Spain Netball League, All Sectors, San Fernando, Mayaro, Republic Bank, Tobago, Mayaro and the Secondary Schools Netball League.