SVG MOVES UP IN WORLD NETBALL RANKINGS
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is presently placed 20th in the world and fourth in the Americas Netball zone, according to the most recent rankings given by World Netball. These rankings are derived from all matches played through November 3, 2022.
Jamaica is now ranked fourth in the world, Trinidad and Tobago eleventh, and Barbados fourteenth.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines had three significant outings in 2022, winning the 2022 ECCB/OECS International Netball Series held in Dominica in February, losing 3-nil to Barbados in an Invitational Mini-Series held in Barbados in July, and finishing third at the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifiers held in Jamaica from October 16 to 22, 2022.
Natasha Baptiste, president of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, is thrilled with the development accomplished. She observes that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the only Caribbean nation in the top four teams to have improved their standings since the August 2022 World Netball Release.
In August of 2022, Jamaica ranked third, Trinidad and Tobago eleventh, Barbados fourteenth, and Grenada twenty-first. The most recent rankings issued by World Netball indicate that Jamaica has fallen one place to fourth, while the other two nations have maintained their position, and Grenada has fallen one place to the twenty-first.
Without the assistance of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the sponsors, netball would struggle to continue, says SVGNA President Baptiste.
Baptiste thinks that by 2023, with the execution of the various programmes and policies, there would be an improvement in the playing of netball, both locally and regionally, as St. Vincent and the Grenadines strives to enhance its world ranking and become a Caribbean netball powerhouse.