My job is not done yet!
That is the word from Barbados Netball Association (BNA) president Octavia Gibson ahead of the December 16 annual general meeting at the National Stadium Lounge where she will face a challenge from vice-president Juanita Cordle.
In an interview with SUNSPORT yesterday where she reviewed the last two years in office, Gibson said there was still a lot to be accomplished.
“I can tell you that I gave it my all,” was Gibson’s response to assess her presidency.
“I have not accomplished all the things that I would like to do.
“I think we had mixed success. You know how the senior team finished [seventh] at the Commonwealth Games and that was a good climax, even though it came just outside of the end of the season on September 30.”
Gibson said there were areas in the constitution and bye-laws which needed addressing, but that was placed on the backburner to focus on the national teams.
The master plan for those teams also needs fine-tuning to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Tonisha Rock-Yaw was the latest player to receive a scholarship to high school in England, but Gibson wants to take that a step further and have scholarships to universities. She is presently in discussion with an English company which has Barbadian connections to bring that to fruition.
Another thing Gibson would like to see is a home for the sport which meets international specifications of a wooden floor and can hold supporters when there is international competition.
Barbados staged the Jean Pierre Under-16 Tournament here in April, but hundreds were turned away on the final night.
“It was heartbreaking to see the people outside and we couldn’t let them in because we were over capacity. It tells us that we have outgrown there (Netball Stadium) for regional competition,” the president said.
“We also need to develop a better relationship with Gymnasiums Limited for tri-series competitions.
We really need an indoor facility if we are going to go further.”
The lack of funding and sponsorship were also major challenges during the last term. Gibson said national team kit sponsors Gilbert were very pleased with Barbados’ return to the Top Ten in the world and anticipated that contract to be renewed.
However, the league needs a sponsor or a series of sponsors who would help offset the costs of running the competition. Unlike last year, all of the divisions and competitions finished without mishap.
The BNA was also able to send the senior, Under-21 and Under-16 teams to all of the major competitions and they performed well for the most part. The senior team qualified for the World Championships in Singapore and the Under-16s were second.
“The future looks bright, but we don’t have the facilities or resources of the other teams we are competing against on the world stage. I am sure if we had those facilities, we would be able to do better,” Gibson said.
