Jamaica national netball team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Jamaica national netball team, commonly known as the Sunshine Girls, represent Netball Jamaica in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, Netball at the Commonwealth Games, the Taini Jamison Trophy and the Fast5 Netball World Series. They have also represented Jamaica at the World Games. At the 2022 and 2026 Commonwealth Games, Jamaica were silver medallists. They were bronze medallists in 2002, 2014 and 2018. They were also bronze medallists at the 1991, 2003, 2007 and 2023 Netball World Cups. Jamaica also won the 2018 Taini Jamison Trophy Series. As of 1 March 2026, Jamaica are ranked number four in the World Netball Rankings.
| |||
| Nickname(s) | Sunshine Girls | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Netball Jamaica | ||
| Confederation | Americas Netball | ||
| Head coach | Sasher-Gaye Henry | ||
| Captain | Jhaniele Fowler | ||
| Most caps | Nadine Bryan (159) | ||
| World ranking | 4th[1] | ||
| |||
| Netball World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 16 (Debuted in 1963) | ||
| 2023 placing | 3rd | ||
| Best result | 3rd (1991, 2003, 2007, 2023) | ||
| Commonwealth Games | |||
| Appearances | 8 (Debuted in 1998) | ||
| 2026 placing | 2nd | ||
| Best result | 2nd (2022, 2026) | ||
History
Early tests
The Jamaica Netball Association was formed in 1959. It subsequently became affiliated to the West Indies Netball Board and were invited to send a team to the West Indies Netball Championship in Montserrat in August 1959. Jamaica made their Test debut at this tournament.[2][3]
World Netball Rankings
Between 2008 and 2018, Jamaica were regularly ranked number four in the World Netball Rankings.[1][4] However, in July 2019, they were ranked number two for the first time.[5] During the early 2020s they have regularly challenged England for the number three position.[6][7][8]
Tournament history
Major tournaments
Netball World Cup
Jamaica have competed at every World Netball Championships and/or Netball World Cup since the inaugural 1963 tournament.[9][10] They have been bronze medalists on four occasions – 1991, 2003, 2007 and 2023. Jamaica have also hosted the 1971 and 2003 World Netball Championships.[11][12]
World Games
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 1985 World Games[33][34] |  |
| 1993 World Games[35] | |
Commonwealth Games
Jamaica have competed at every netball tournament at the Commonwealth Games. They were bronze medallists in 2002, 2014 and 2018.[36][37] At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with a team coached by Connie Francis and captained by Jhaniele Fowler, Jamaica finished as silver medallists.[38] Jamaica defeated Australia 57–55 during the pool stages and topped the pool.[39][40][41] In the semi-finals they defeated New Zealand 67–51 and, as a result, qualified for their first major final.[42][43] However, in the final, they lost 55–51 to Australia.[44][45]
Sources:[37]
Taini Jamison Trophy
Since 2008, Netball New Zealand has hosted the Taini Jamison Trophy series. The series features New Zealand playing against visiting teams. In 2010, Jamaica made their debut in the series and they have been regular participants ever since.[64] In 2018, Jamaica won the series. During a full four team tournament, they twice defeated New Zealand, once in the preliminary rounds and again in the final.[65][66][67][68] However, Netball New Zealand subsequently refused to allow Jamaica to take the actual trophy home, stating that "for insurance purposes... we can't really have it go offshore".[69][70][71][72] In 2022 complications with passports and visas saw the Jamaica team's arrival in New Zealand delayed. This resulted in the original test series been cancelled. It also saw Jamaica playing with a severely under strength team.[73][74][75] Following an investigation, World Netball would later fine Netball Jamaica GBP £5,000 (NZD $9,800) for failing to fulfill the original fixtures planned for the series.[76]
Netball Nations Cup
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2020 Netball Nations Cup[83][84] | 2nd |
Fast5 Netball World Series
Since 2009, Jamaica have played in the Fast5 Netball World Series.
Americas tournaments
Netball World Cup Qualifiers
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 2023 Netball World Cup Regional Qualifier – Americas[112][113] | 1st |
AFNA Championships
| Tournaments | Place |
|---|---|
| 1997 AFNA Championships[114] | 1st |
| 2008 AFNA Championships[115][116] | 1st |
| 2012 AFNA Championships[117][118][119][120] | 1st |
Source:[121]
Central American and Caribbean Games
Notable players
Current Squad
| Jamaica national netball team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Captains
| Captains | Years |
|---|---|
| Barbara Buckley-Jones[127][128] | 1959, 1963 |
| Avis Collins | 1967 |
| Vilma McDonald | 1971 |
| Sonia Nissen | 1975 |
| Brenda Khouri | 1979, 1983 |
| Janet Johnson | 1987, 1991 |
| Jill Patterson[129] | 1988 |
| Marva Lindsay[35] | 1993 |
| Connie Francis[21][130] | 1995, 1999 |
| Oberon Pitterson[22][48] | 2002, 2003 |
| Elaine Davis[23][51][131] | 2006–2007 |
| Simone Forbes[115][116][132][133] | 2007–2011 |
| Nadine Bryan[132][25][24][120][134][135] | 2009–2013 |
| Romelda Aiken[93][94][95][96][136] | 2013–2014 |
| Malysha Kelly[93][94][95][137][138] | 2013–2016 |
| Nicole Aiken-Pinnock[26][139][122] | 2014–2015 |
| Althea Byfield[140][141] | 2016 |
| Jhaniele Fowler[30][63][12][142] | 2017– |
| Shimona Nelson[143] | 2022 |
| Adean Thomas[144] | 2023 |
Source:[145]
Most-capped internationals
| Player | Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Nadine Bryan[135][146] | 159 | 1996–2014 |
| Oberon Pitterson | 120+ | 1988–2006 |
| Connie Francis | 120+ | 1985–2003 |
| Georgia Gordon | 110 | 1994–2010 |
| Simone Forbes | 102 | 2000–2011 |
| Jhaniele Fowler[147] | 99+ | 2010– |
| Elaine Davis[131] | 91 | 1995–2007 |
| Romelda Aiken[147] | 86 | 2005– |
| Nicole Aiken-Pinnock[139][148] | 82 | 2005–2018 |
| Kasey Evering[149] | 81 | 2002–2014 |
| Nichala Gibson[150] | 79 | 2000–2009 |
| Sasher-Gaye Henry[151] | 75 | 1996–2015 |
Head coaches
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| Leila Robinson | 1963 |
| Jo Wigman | 1967–1979 |
| Barbara Robinson Sinclair | 1983–1987 |
| Maureen Hall[35][50][51][152] | 1991–2006 |
| Connie Francis[153][154] | 2007–2011 |
| Oberon Pitterson[25][155][156][157] | 2011–2014 |
| Minneth Reynolds[158][159] | 2014–2016 |
| Jermaine Allison-McCracken[160][161][162] | 2017 |
| Marvette Anderson[63][163] | 2017–20191 |
| Sasher-Gaye Henry[63][164][165] | 2017–20181 |
| Connie Francis[83][153][154] | 2019–2023 |
| Nicole Aiken-Pinnock[122] | 2023 |
| Sasher-Gaye Henry[164][165] | 2024– |
- Notes
- ^1 Between 2017 and 2018, Marvette Anderson and Sasher-Gaye Henry served as co-head coach.
Source:[145]
Honours
