By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
Wiles... It is somewhat of a challenge going into a new environment and so on but I'm looking forward to it. - File
IT'S ONLY summer but so far it's been a good year for national netball and basketball representative Sharon Wiles.
Known for her rough and tumble style of play, the 24 year-old was a member of Jamaica's bronze medal winning team at the just-concluded Cable & Wireless World Netball Championship.
Having helped the country improve its ranking, she has her sights set on embarking on a new adventure.
Wiles is among a group of 10 local players who were recently awarded basketball scholarships to tertiary institutions in the United States.
She leaves the island next Friday to pursue two-year studies in Food and Nutrition at Brevard Community College in Florida and says she is looking forward to the challenge.
"It is somewhat of a challenge going into a new environment and so on but I'm looking forward to it. I'm very excited, just like I was when we finished third in netball and made Jamaica proud," said Wiles, a past student of St Andrew Technical High School.
Wiles started playing basketball in 1997 and represented her alma mater in school competitions.
After completing her secondary education she was invited to join Waulgrovians Club where she continued to play both basketball and netball alongside the likes of Connie Francis and Oberon Pitterson.
She was soon drafted into the national programme and made appearances in two Senior CARICOM tournaments (1999 in Barbados and in 2000 in the Dominican Republic).
"I really see this as a big accomplishment. Not many people are as fortunate as me so I'm going the make the best of my opportunity," she said.
In netball, Wiles has been a national representative since 1998. She advanced from the Under-21 level to the senior programme and has been to two World Championships (New Zealand in 1999 and Kingston recently), Commonwealth Games in Malaysia and England, Caribbean Championships and played in Test series against teams like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England.
Also getting scholarships were Kimani Samuels of Blazing Panthers, Daniel Rose of Buckfield United, Tyrone Davidson of Pure Nets, Richard Andrews, David Martin and Ramon Gayle of Tivoli All Stars, Tomika Hall and Kashondra Ellis of Lady Panthers and Dorrell Barrett of Urban Knights.
Samuels will attend Palm Beach Community College, Rose the University of Niagra, Davidson, Andrews, Martin and Hall South Eastern Illinois State University, Gayle - Morris State College in Oklahoma, Barrett - Pace University in New York and Ellis - Brevard Community College.
These are the most scholarships ever granted in any year and Jamaica Basketball Association president Marland Nattie sees this as a huge achievement.
"Based on this and other factors, it seems the local programme is doing very, very well. We had some notable achievements like the two new leagues that were started and having the biggest division one final to date.
"The Star Search basketball camp had the greatest impact this year and it is from this that most of the athletes got their scholarships and another three are already earmarked for next year. Good things are happening for the sport right now," he said.
