Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

Members of the national Under-16 pose at the Alhambra Inn with team officials and representatives of sponsors Digicel, prior to their departure for the Caribbean Championships in Antigua and Barbuda yesterday. The team officials are Cora Ricketts (left, front row), physiotherapist Maureen Spence-Campbell (right, front row), assistant coach Minneth Reynolds (right), middle row) and head coach Joan Cargill (right, third row). The Digicel representatives are public relations executive Patria-Kaye Aarons (centre, front row) and sponsorship and promotions manager Maurice Bryan (second right, front row). - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

A confident 12-member national Under-16 netball team left the island yesterday for this year's Caribbean Championships, which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda.

The Jamaicans, who are the defending champions, have won six of the last seven tournaments that they have contested, with the only blemish being their 2005 upset loss to Barbados, which they avenged a year later.

"The players are very confident," said Joan Cargill, coach of the team. "We have to expect this, even though it is the first outing for most of them and so they are really excited about it.

"However, when they get there and start playing - they will realise how much harder it is than they are thinking, but I know that they can stick to the task ahead."

preparations going well

Cargill noted that preparations had been going fairly well because the girls were peaking at the right time and it was just for them to get used to the standard that was expected of them, but she was sure they would improve by the time they got there.

"I think the inexperience can be a factor, but we are not looking at that because the girls have been prepared physically and mentally for this and I know that we have the ammunition to get the job done," Cargill explained.

Captain Samantha White, who is the only returning member of the squad that captured the title in 2006 in Trinidad and Tobago, said the team is raring to go.

"We are very confident and the girls are well prepared and can't wait to get out there.

"We have trained hard and are focused on this because we are the defending champions and everyone wants to beat us," White pointed out. The competition is slated to begin today and will see teams competing in two groups.

Jamaica have strengthened their line-up with the inclusion of Marvadeen Anderson.

Anderson, a 14-year-old who is 6'9', is considered a very bright prospect for the future. The Jamaicans are drawn in Group One alongside hosts Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago. Group Two comprises Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St Lucia.

The full squad is: Goal shooters - Alona Chambers, Deneen Taylor; centre - Brittni Bent, Candice Bryan, Shanttele Campbell and Shanique Miller; defenders, Ashley Henry, Vangelee Williams, Sheree-Sha Richards and Shanice Lee.