Congratulations to Jamaica's Sunshine Girlz!

jamaica vs south africa shoot
Originally uploaded by dejagib

Congratulations are in order for Jamaica's Female Netball Team (The Sunshine Girlz) who placed 3rd in the World Netball Championships which ended in New Zealand, today.

They beat England by one point. Final score: Jamaica 53 points,  England 52 points.

Congratulations are also in order for the Australian team who beat New Zealand by 4 points, (Australia 42 points, New Zealand 38 points), to win the Championship!

This means that the Sunshine Girlz have retained their 3rd place spot in the World.

The Jamaican girls lost their composure in the 4th quarter of the game and thus the English team was able to gain on them.

This is a very important lesson for the Jamaicans to take under their belts and learn from.

I believe they could have won their match against New Zealand on Friday. (They were leading 30-26 points at the 1st half)...But they panicked (having never been in a winning position against this team). They eventually lost 49-59 to New Zealand.

Our coaches have to continue to work on the mindsets of our Jamaican athletes, so that they don't croak (buckle) under pressure.  This is the only way that we will be no. 1 in the world...

If we lack the self confidence to be no. 1, we will always settle for being no.3!

Pssst...sponsors and potential sponsors, this is also a note to you, as well. Please support our Female Netball Team! :)

They need to play the top teams in the world (New Zealand, Australia, England) in order to build their self confidence, so that they can beat them.

Without your monetary and "in kind" support (e.g. nutritional products and travel to league games in these countries) for the entire Netball Programme, our girls will continue to be no. 3!

Additionally, you are losing money by not getting exposure for your goods and services...because you do not sponsor this team.

Just look at the exposure you could have received in New Zealand, from having the Sunshine Girlz wear your branded clothing,etc. and your being able to showcase your products, there!

...The support for the Jamaican team in New Zealand was tremendous...any souveneirs that they distributed, representing Jamaica, that had your brand name and logo on it...would have been a hit!

....Just look at what you missed out on! :)

Nuff said! (Jamaican meaning, enough has  been said!)

(Inset shows picture of the Sunshine Girlz (in yellow, black and green) against South Africa in the World Netball Championships, held in Kingston, Jamaica, March 2003.)

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) World Netball Championship 2007 Results, World Netball Championships 2007 Home Page, Friday November 16,2007

2) Radio Jamaica News at 12:00 p.m., November 17,2007

3) Article, "Australia beats New Zealand to win the world netball championships", Associated Press, November 17,2007

4) Article, "Jamaica did not stick to plan", Sports Jamaica, November 17,2007