Junior netball coaches cautious but confident ahead of semis

The coaches of the urban junior netball teams are all cautious ahead of Friday's ISSA schoolgirls' semi-finals at the Leila Robinson Courts. Defending champions St Hugh's High will meet The Queen's School while Wolmer's Girls will face Jose Marti High.

Coach Nardia Hanson of St Hugh's is banking on the defending champions to get past Queen's.

"It is going to be a hard game for us. The Queen's ladies are playing with a lot of confidence and I know they will be coming extremely strong for us. My girls, however, are ready for the challenge and once they execute in all areas we will be neck and neck with them," said Hanson.

After their dominance at both the senior and junior levels in the past, Queen's are reaching this stage of the competition for the first time in a long time and coach Marvette Anderson is ready for the challenge.

"St Hugh's are the defending champions so I expect them to play well. I know it will not be an easy task but the Queen's ladies are ready to give of their best," said the very experienced former national coach.

Jose Marti's juniors have reached the semi-finals for the first time and coach Philip Pinnock wants to create even more history when they tackle the unbeaten Wolmer's.

"It is not by chance that we are at this stage of the competition as we competed very hard to get here. However, it is the most disciplined team that will come out on top and I hope Jose Marti will be that team," said Pinnock, whose senior team is also in the semi-finals.

Like Queen's, Wolmer's Girls have reached this stage of the competition for the first time in several years and coach Tracy Ann Griffiths is hoping that her team will go all the way despite the long drought.

"It has been a long time and we feel good and are hoping to go all the way. The members of this team reached the under-14 final last year and I am banking on them for success. The team who wants it most will win and my girls are hungry and will be going all out for victory," she said.