Inter-Gulf Netball Championships gets underway in Bahrain

fahad 18:54 05/03/2015
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  • Over 300 players participated in the 2014 tournament, with Dubai A (red) claiming victory against Dubai B by the narrowest of margins.

    Dubai travel to this weekend’s Inter-Gulf Netball Championships brimming with confidence after both teams reached the final of last year’s showpiece event in Bahrain.

    Over 300 players participated in the 2014 tournament, with Dubai A claiming victory against Dubai B by the narrowest of margins.

    One of the stars that day was Dubai B captain Louisa Stormont, and according to the skipper, the Dubai teams’ will return to Bahrain bidding for more success on Saturday morning.

    “The aim will be to make the final. The tournament has opened itself up to so many players and teams and it’s great to see plenty of new faces on the court,” said Stormont.

    “A competition like this brings different skills and different aspects of the game.

    “I don’t’ know if the Dubai teams’ have ever been this prepared before going into the tournament.

    With the Inter-Gulf Championships it brings the sport to the next level and the experience of having Maggie (Jackson) and Mary (Beardwood) as coaches is invaluable to our ambitions,” she added.

    Maggie Jackson is a hugely influential figure in the Dubai camp having lined-up for England over many years, including appearances at the World Championships and the 1986 World Cup in Glasgow.

    Victorious: Dubai A

    Her side-kick Mary Beardwood, also a talented players in the 80’s, guided the England team to a bronze medal in the first year of netball at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

    With her wealth of experience assisting teams down through the years, Jackson says the players have responded well and are looking forward to the two-day competition.

    “We’ve been focusing on the specifics and putting plans together. It’s fantastic to see the sport improve so well and this only helps a team like this with the experience in the local league (Dubai Netball League).”

    Like most top coaches in the game, Jackson never looks beyond the current task at hand. “I treat every opposition as strong until I play them,” she said.

    “I’m anticipating the (Dubai) A’s and B’s have strong players and it’s all about how they gel together and cope in pressure situations.

    “A lot of the teams here will be strong, including Abu Dhabi.”

    Abu Dhabi go into this weekend’s competition relishing the prospect of re-claiming the title they won in 2013. At the business end of the weekend, Dubai A and Dubai B should also be in the hunt for a final place depending on how opening round matches go.

    Jackson hails the tournament as it allows the girls to play against experienced opposition with the end product always resulting in player improvement. “It’s great for women sport. It’s hard when you want stronger competition and it’s expensive to find it. It allows the girls to play against different,” she said.

    “Netball is a sport you have to enjoy. You have to relish every minute of it. You have to clear your mind and focus on what you’ve learnt. It should become automatic after all the practice.”

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