Netball team competing in Isle of Man tournament
(CNS Local Life): The Cayman Islands senior netball team is one of six squads competing in the Netball Europe Open Championship 2019 taking place on the Isle of Man from 9-12 May. The first match on Thursday is against Ireland, followed by a game later in the day versus Gibraltar. The remaining teams participating in the ranking tournament are Emirates, Israel and the UK Armed Forces Netball Association.
Lucille Seymour, president of the Cayman Islands Netball Association (CINA), said the team was determined to fund the trip themselves and raised more than $40,000 to enable them to take part.
The government has made a commitment to CINA to provide coaching personnel to help develop netball in Cayman, and has previously provided funds, but Seymour explained that efforts to empower the women stem from “our ability to be a self-help organisation” with the team members working to raise their own funds.
“The squad has done a tremendous job in the last two months in raising the required funds to participate in the Isle of Man,” Seymour told CNS, noting the community was very responsive. “They are very proud to be representing the Cayman Islands,” she added. “I am very proud of their tenacity and their commitment to the sport…We expect that they will execute what they have been taught.”
The junior netball team as well is fundraising ahead of taking part in a high school competition (age 16-19) later this year in St Maarten, which is also a qualifying tournament. The netball association continues to seek corporate sponsorship to help the team attend this event, Seymour said.
In addition, part of the proceeds from the junior and senior fundraising efforts will go towards the certifying and training of local netball coaches.
For more information, go to the CINA website
