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Henry: Nelson-Jok’s selection maintains Sunshine Girls’ balance
December 30, 2024
Sunshine Girls head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry believes the inclusion of tall shooter Shimona Nelson-Jok will maintain balance in the squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.
"We are happy with the squad chosen by the selectors," Henry stated. "Shimona is back in the team and is expected to maintain the circle dominance that we are accustomed to and we are just looking for her to gel with Shanice (Beckford) who had an outstanding Horizon Series.
"The mix of experience and emerging talent is also crucial to our development as we focus on preparation for the global tournaments in 2026 and 2027."
Netball Jamaica (NJ) on Saturday named a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa.
Jok appears likely to take the spot of long-serving shooter Romelda Aiken-George, who was key in Jamaica's recent win over England, earning the top shooter award.
Jok, however, makes her return to the national set-up, having been left out of the squad for the Horizon Series.
The Sunshine Girls will take on South Africa across three games slated to be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre on January 18, 22, and 25. The teams will compete for the Margaret Beckford Cup.
The games will be the Sunshine Girls' second assignment in three months after their recent 2-1 win over England in the inaugural Vitality Netball Horizon Series held last month.
Goal keeper Shamera Sterling-Humphrey has earned the captaincy for her second consecutive series in the absence of Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, who is expecting her second child.
"We are so happy to be playing at home," Sterling-Humphrey said. "The vibes in the arena (National Indoor Sports Centre) for the Horizon Series was a real boost for us. We are looking forward to seeing our fans fill the stands again, pot covers and all!"
Brie Grierson is also expected to make her Sunshine Girls debut as the England-born attacking player received the call-up, having qualified to wear the Jamaican colours through her father.
CORPORATE SUPPORT
Meanwhile, NJ president Tricia Robinson is encouraging corporate Jamaica to partner with the association and the Sunshine Girls to help tackle their issues.
Robinson said with hosting a top-five-ranked team in the world, it is important to ensure that the games are held at an elite level.
"With limited resources, Netball Jamaica has had to adopt creative solutions, and we take this opportunity to invite corporate Jamaica to come on board to support the most successful team sport in the country," Robinson stated.
"Like any major event, the preparations for hosting South Africa have come with challenges. Securing adequate funding to cover all aspects of the series, including team logistics, venue readiness, and promotional efforts are a few of the challenges the organisation faces."
Robinson said the opportunity to partner with the Sunshine Girls is a great investment for corporate Jamaica as the team has proven its quality on the international stage time and time again.
"Sponsors are more likely to invest in organisations with a clear plan for growth," she stated. "We are confident that the Sunshine Girls will deliver performances that not only meet but exceed expectations, continuing to make Jamaica proud on the global netball stage."
