Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Jamaica's captain, Oberon Pitterson, intercepts a pass and looks for a way around her Fijian opponent during their Cable & Wireless World Netball Championship quarter-final last night. Jamaica won 74-38.
Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
In a bizarre twist of events, the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) yesterday announced that Oberon Pitterson will go to the Commonwealth Games as a player and not as head coach.
Pitterson, who was announced as the senior coach just over a month ago, will be replaced by Maureen Hall, the teams' long-time coach.
Hall was announced as Pitterson's mentor at the time when the budding coach was promoted.
Pitterson to lead
Now, Pitterson will lead the team to the Games.
According to Hall, the move isn't as drastic as it seems on paper, as it is only a way of getting around Commonwealth protocol, where the coach isn't allowed to play.
"Oberon is the coach of the team. I'm just facilitating a process. We felt that the team had some fundamental weaknesses in key areas and we felt that Oberon, even at her stage, has something to contribute. So we felt that it was better we register her as a player so she can perform a dual role," said Hall.
In another surprising move, the squad, announced yesterday will not include budding shooter Romelda Aiken.
Hall didn't want to be specific about the reason for Aiken's exclusion from the squad but spoke in general terms regarding the selection process.
"I would have to elaborate on why any one else has been excluded," she said when pushed about Aiken's exclusion.
"My view is that when you justify one you have to justify all. Suffice to say selection was based on performance and the progress that was made in training and that applies to everybody," Hall added.
Aiken was Jamaica's Most Valuable Player in last year's Under-21 World Youth Netball Championships in Fort Lauderdale.
In the shooting circle will be Aiken's teammate at the Jamalco netball club, Elaine Davis, while Jodi-Ann Ffrench, Latoya Thomas, and Simone Forbes will also make the trip.
notable absentee
Another notable absentee from the Commonwealth squad will be the energetic Sasher-Gaye Henry, who it seems has lost her spot in the move to reinstate Pitterson as a player.
Pitterson will join a defensive unit that includes Nicole Aiken, who played on the same Under-21 team as her sister, Romelda, Kasey Evering from Tivoli Club, and Nichala Gibson, who is the former coach's teammate at Waulgrovians.
In the centre of the court Nadine Bryan will pull the strings along with Marion Campbell, while Peter-Gaye Thomas will be her understudy. Tamara Hylton has also been included in the squad.
The team will be managed by Yvonne Keane-Dawes.
