By Neto Baptiste
The option of an overseas-based coach for netball is still on the table.
This is according to President of the Antigua and Barbuda Netball Association (ABNA), Karen Joseph, who said the body’s initial choice for the role has since taken up another offer.
“The last time I spoke to you we had gotten all of the documents from a coach in Jamaica but she is now back into coaching in her country which is first preference for her. I know it is a situation we will have to deal with and now we are in the process of speaking to somebody else from Jamaica. I spoke to the person and he is sending his documents and hopefully, we will know something in the next week or two,” she said.
The netball association announced recently that it will hold electoral congress on February 4th at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground with Joseph stating she will be seeking a second term in office.
The former national goal shoot said she has had discussions with two major sporting bodies with regards to the pending hiring of the new coach and how the coach will be compensated.
“NOC as well as the Ministry of Sports have always been on board where a coach is concerned because I’ve always said to them that we don’t have a qualified coach in Antigua, per sé. I have my Level II coaching certificate, but I have been out of coaching for a while so we have always advertised we need a coach. The NOC has always been on board with that and also the Ministry of Sports who’ve said that as long as we get somebody they would help to finance it,” Joseph said. Antigua and Barbuda is currently ranked 36th from 42 countries in the world. The latest rankings were published in December of 2019.