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AFTER MORE than a two-year absence, stemming largely from the COVID-19 pandemic, Netball Jamaica (NJ) Supreme Ventures-sponsored divisional leagues is scheduled to resume next month.
The leagues, which comprise of the A and C competitions, is set to tip off on April 2 at the Leila Robinson Courts.
Simone Forbes, first vice-president of NJ, said her organisation has now got all the relevant approvals for both competitions to go ahead and expressed delight at netball’s return to local shores.
“We are excited that we have finally secured the approvals that netball can finally start playing again,” said Forbes.
“So far 26 teams have been confirmed to participate in the leagues and we have our title sponsors in Supreme Ventures Limited,” she said.
“We haven’t played any local netball in over two years and to know that we can start playing netball again is awesome for us,” said Forbes.
The restart of the NJ leagues comes on heels of the resumption of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association high school competition, which got under way last week also after a two-year absence.
Forbes, who is a former Sunshine Girls’ captain, pointed out that as part of NJ’s protocols, no spectators will be allowed inside the venue for matches.
“We will be following right on the back of the schoolgirl league because our leagues will be starting just as theirs ends, so you get a continuation of some netball being played,” she said.
Forbes, considered one of the country’s best netball players of all time, said there were also plans afoot for the resumption of the Elite League, the country’s top netball tournament.
“We are happy that our young girls can start playing again and so are really looking forward to these competitions over the next two to three months,” she said.
“We have the second half of the year with a lot more netball to come but we are starting with these leagues. We are happy to have them back,” Forbes said.
robert.bailey@gleanerjm.com
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