By Neto Baptiste
The Antigua and Barbuda Netball Association (ABNA) has put its search for a new coach on the back burner.
This is according to president, Karen Joseph, who said the body’s plans to bring in outside help to prepare both the senior and junior national teams ahead of their scheduled tournaments back in 2020, were trumped by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“From since Covid, that has been an issue all over the Caribbean, so that is going to be on the back burner for now. They [intended coach] had taken up another offer last year, but I don’t know what they are doing presently. I had a talk with a coach [local] a couple of weeks ago and as I have said [Carl] Casey is there and we are working together. Casey is doing some netball coaching courses and he was successful in the one he did last month and so we are really trying to get ourselves in order as well,” she said.
Hinting that the association could pick up its search for a new coach in the distant future, Joseph said the focus is now on preparing the senior national team for two pending tournaments later this year, adding that more help is expected from the International Netball Federation (INF), which could assist in lifting the standard, not only in Antigua, but across the wider Caribbean.
“Going forward, it is something we can look at, but internationally, the INF is also extending their hands to help in any way possible – countries like Dominica and Antigua and Montserrat and so on to help out the netball, so they can bring the Caribbean back where it used to be,” she said.
There has been no competitive netball in Antigua since March last year which is mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.