Just 46 days before a major international test match, Jamaica’s national netball team was dealing with the fallout of Hurricane Melissa. For three weeks, their training was disrupted due to the widespread devastation caused by the Category 5 storm.
Today they lost 80-37 to a full-strength England side in the first game of the series. But for so many of the Sunshine Players on the court, the match was about so much more than netball.
The storm created huge mental strain for the Jamaican players, especially for midcourter Abigale Sutherland. It devastated the home of her grandfather, and she was unable to make contact with him for several days in the aftermath.
“I am so close to my grandfather. My mother was unable to look after me as a child, and I lost my two uncles to violence. I lived with my grandfather and he is the proudest person of me. Any opportunity to tell people about me playing netball he will,” Sutherland said.
Sadly, without power to his area, Sutherland’s biggest fan was unable to watch his granddaughter play on television today.
With the first two Kingston matches cancelled, Jamaica took to the international court at the Copper Box Arena in London on Saturday for the first time since the hurricane.
They were already without several Australia-based star players who ply their trade in the professional Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league, including Adelaide Thunderbirds’ season MVP Latanya Wilson, who was also named in the SSN team of the year.
England played the team in front of them, and put the foot on the pedal from the first whistle, racing to lead 22-9 at the end of the first quarter. They rotated players and positions but still applied pressure and at half time led by an enormous 23 goals to the side ranked one place above them in the world rankings.
For Jamaica, the measure of success in this match was not the final score, but their ability to demonstrate resilience and unity after the challenges back home. With several experienced players absent, Coach Sasher-Gaye Henry-Wright was glad to hand out opportunities.
"We were very grateful that we at least had the England leg to play, especially the young and inexperienced squad - it was a blessing to get them on court to get used to the atmosphere."
Captain Shanice Beckford said that the team had come together like never before, using the familiar structure of international netball to anchor themselves as they faced England.
“I just tried to rally around the girls and remind them to stay in our bubble. I feel like when we are in our bubble and not listening to the outside noise or what’s happening around us.
“It’s devastating what’s happening back home... We have friends and families and fans that are close to us that were affected, but I try my very best to encourage them.”
Jamaican supporters were prominent at the Copper Box, waving flags and making their presence felt with constant cheers that lifted the Sunshine Girls. “It means everything seeing that we are away from home but we still have a sense of home. Everywhere you go you have a piece of Jamaica with you, so we really appreciate it,” Sutherland said.
But the appreciation was not confined to one section of the stands. England fans responded warmly to Jamaica’s shots and intercepts cheering and applauding moments of quality, irrespective of allegiance. The result was an atmosphere defined as much by respect as by rivalry.
England impressed and ultimately inflicted a 43-goal win over Jamaica. But captain Fran Williams spoke powerfully about the bigger picture: "It has shown us all that sports has a huge power to play in these horrific moments that you see and I've the utmost respect for Jamaica for travelling over at this time with everything going on at home.
“The fact that they've been able to come over here and compete against us in the way they did and bring that level of intensity. It's a huge honour and a privilege to represent your country, but with everything going on at the moment it had that extra special feeling today.”
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