Under 23 Netball – some interesting lessons

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St Vincent and the Grenadines not only hosted the 16th Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, ECCB, Under 23 Netball Tournament but won the finals in what emerged as a true cliff-hanger of a sporting event.
The victory was sweet and the patrons of Keartons in particular delighted in the way in which it was achieved.
Congratulations are therefore in order for the Vincentian team for regaining the Under 23 OECS netball title and for having done so in the wash of entertaining excitement.

The Tournament
The St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association hosted the ECCB OECS Under 23 Netball Championships just after the national senior team failed in its bid to qualify for the World Netball Tournament scheduled for next year.
The extensive work being done at Arnos Vale precluded any opportunity for the Tournament to be hosted there and for some time the organisers anguished over a venue.
Initial reactions to the location of the tournament in Keartons were not particularly enthusiastic and many saw it as a rather interesting and most challenging experiment.
As it turned out the experiment proved to be a resounding success thanks in large measure to the people of Barrouallie and its environs who gave outstanding support at every stage. St Lucia began the tournament as defending champions and like hosts, St Vincent and the Grenadines, swept aside the other opponents on the way to the final showdown.
For the patrons and the participants each game had merit and generated excitement and fun.
On the final evening the two teams battled through to the final minute of play when St Vincent and the Grenadines snatched victory after trailing for most of the encounter.
Saskia Diamond who arrived from Barbados the afternoon of the final arrived too late to start the game but once she got on the field she showed her skill and helped the team to victory.
For the patrons there were occasions when it was difficult to even raise an applause so fearful were they of a Vincentian defeat once more at the hands of St Lucia.