Page 187 - AGC-Journal-2016

AGC JOURNAL 2016

Training ’chimp’. Some of our players took early More Matches
morning dips into the sea at 5.45 a.m. The
After a hearty breakfast, we made our rest of us sampled the recovery benefits of Match three and the heat and intensity
way to our first training session of many sleep in our nice comfy double beds. of back to back games and training
and utilised the hotel’s court (albeit minus began to take its toll, it was the turn
posts) but right next to the beach. A Match Play of the ‘newbies’; with Lorraine Thomas
perfect location as the court was set beside getting a very intense umpiring master
a white sand beach with crystal clear water We played a myriad of matches at the class. Tonight, the intention was to field a
– perfect for a dip given the temperature Community College of Montego Bay mixture of experience and greenness, in
of 30 degrees even in the morning at 8 over the duration of the tour both inside equal matter, against the Legendary Club
a.m. Conscious to take on a lot of water and out. Our first match arrived quickly, of Mandeville. With the guidance and
in between drills, it was hot and even the however we soon realised that despite encouragement of all tour members the
hardened sun tan seekers were cowering our best efforts ‘Jamaican Time’ (a time ‘newbies’ played their hearts out and the
in the shade during breaks. A great mix zone we were not familiar with) ensured resultant score ensured that everyone had
of novice and experienced players on we had to take start times with a pinch the opportunity to encounter high level
this tour meant that a lot of individual of salt. At the venue, interestingly, we matches. The experience and adeptness
coaching took place which proved were faced with taller than normal gained, will put all of our players in a
invaluable for those less proficient. netball posts with tyres attached to the more skilled and confident place for not
bottom filled with cement and strange only individual netball success but for that
Netball Drills though this was, but we did not let this of the AGC Netball team.
faze us. The opposition, Westmoreland
Throughout the week, Ellie Nawele, Nordia from Savanna-la-Mar, were well-drilled Final Match
Masters and Ana Buinitaria (who went and springier than Springer Spaniels; a
on to win the award of Best All Rounder) trait taught to all Jamaican players even Our final official match felt like a
led us through a myriad of netball drills before they learn to catch. The game was championship decider. Whole families
and skills, from basics to the tactical and strongly contested by our defence, but arrived with picnics to watch this
strategic match play. We left Jamaica with unfortunately that extra foot of cement international fixture. The St James All
some toughened defensive players namely really did make a difference and the final Stars were the premier team and earlier in
Leonie Hendrickson and Diana Snelling score was 37 - 26. Onto our second game, the tour we had seen them play a warm-
with the Most Improved player of the tour the Jamaican Defence Force; stiflingly up game. They were not called ‘All Stars’
award being presented to Lauren Carrick- hot, we felt the effects of the humidity without the necessary talent to back up
Hilton who proved a very quick learner even before the warm up. Rumour had such a name. This was our only outdoor
adapting her play from attack to defence it tickets were being sold on the door, so match and there was little time for warm
when required. we encountered the added pressure of a up as darkness threatened. Even though
paying crowd awaiting some action and we convincingly led the first quarter, slowly
Mental Robustness boy did we deliver. With the added support but surely the opposition caught us, and
of Patricia Abel encouraging our shooters
in her usual persuasive way from the side even though Cheryl Roberts made her
Training sessions were not limited to the lines, the cement no longer a hindrance presence felt by all on court, they were just
netball courts as we took advantage of to Ellie Nawele and it was a victory to us too far out of reach with a final score of 33
the swimming pool for volleyball and with a final score of 22–30. A humbling - 26. Cheryl Roberts went on to win much
aerobics and the resort yoga instructor was exchange of flags followed the match deserved praise as ‘Player of the Tour’ with
booked for much needed deep stretching. and the hope that one day the Jamaican her relentless work rate, or as the Jamaican
Lorraine Thomas introduced us to mind Defence Force will take up our offer of a girl’s said “she just kept bringing it”.
management and ‘The Chimp Paradox’ rematch on home turf.
which saw us all exploring our mental
robustness and improve our sporting
performance, climbing the ‘Ladder of
Success’ and harnessing
our inner

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