Netball in Jamaica

Netball in Jamaica
CountryJamaica
Governing bodyNetball Jamaica
National teamJamaica
First played1909

Netball in Jamaica is organised by Netball Jamaica. The Jamaica national netball team regularly competes in international netball competitions such as the Netball World Cup and the Netball at the Commonwealth Games. The Netball Jamaica Elite League is the top level netball league featuring teams from Jamaica.

Early years

Netball was first introduced to Jamaica around 1909 during the British colonial era. It was brought to Jamaica by English women who came to teach in girls' secondary schools, most notably at Wolmer's Girls' School. During the 1920s, the Young Women's Christian Association, played a leading role in promoting netball throughout Jamaica. By the 1930's seven teams from the Kingston and St. Andrew's Corporate Area, including teams representing the Wolmer's Old Girls Association, Excelsior High School, St Andrew High School and St Hugh's High School, were competing in the ISSA Cup. In 1935, the YWCA's advocacy resulted in the creation of Jamaica's first competitive league — the Kingston and St Andrew Net Ball League.[1][2]

Governing body

Netball Jamaica is the main governing body for netball in Jamaica. It is affiliated to World Netball, Americas Netball, the Caribbean Netball Association and the Jamaica Olympic Association.[3][4][5][6] It is responsible for organising and administering the Jamaica national netball team[1][7] and the Netball Jamaica Elite League.[8][9] It was originally formed in 1958 as the Jamaica Netball Association by Pancho Rankine, Margaret Beckford and Margarietta St. Juste. In 1959 it became a member of the West Indies Netball Board and an associate member of the All England Netball Association. It was subsequently invited to send a team to the West Indies Tournament in Montserrat in August 1959. Jamaica made their Test debut at this tournament.[1][7] In 2013, the JNA was rebranded as Netball Jamaica.[7]

National team

The Jamaica national netball team, commonly known as the Sunshine Girls, represent Netball Jamaica in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, Netball at the Commonwealth Games, the Taini Jamison Trophy and the Fast5 Netball World Series.[7][10][11][12][13] They have also represented Jamaica at the World Games.[14][15] At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with a team coached by Connie Francis and captained by Jhaniele Fowler, Jamaica finished as silver medallists.[16] They were bronze medallists in 2002, 2014 and 2018.[10][17] Jamaica has competed in every World Netball Championships/Netball World Cup. They were also bronze medallists at the 1991, 2003, 2007 and 2023 Netball World Cups.[7][11][18] Jamaica also won the 2018 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.[19][20] Between 2008 and 2018, Jamaica were regularly ranked number four in the World Netball Rankings.[21][22] However, in July 2019, they were ranked number two for the first time.[23] During the early 2020s they have regularly challenged England for the number three position.[24][25][26]

Debut Tournament Best result
1963Netball World Cup[11]3rd (1991, 2003, 2007, 2023)
1998Netball at the Commonwealth Games[16][10][17]2nd (2022)
1985Netball at the World Games[14][15]3rd (1985, 1993)
2009Fast5 Netball World Series[12]2nd (2009, 2017, 2018)
1997AFNA Championships[6]1st (1997, 2008, 2012)
2023Netball World Cup Qualifiers[6]1st (2023)
2010Taini Jamison Trophy[13][19][20]1st (2018)

International tournaments

Two netball teams huddled together on an outside netball court. The court is lit by lights as it is twilight.
Netball being played in Jamaica.

Jamaica has hosted the following international tournaments.

Tournaments
1971 World Netball Championships[27][28]
2003 World Netball Championships[29][30]
2023 Netball World Cup Regional Qualifier – Americas[31][32]

Venues

Netball Jamaica Elite League matches are hosted at the Leila Robinson Netball Courts and the National Indoor Sports Centre, both located within the National Stadium complex. The NISC is often used for indoor matches, while the Leila Robinson Netball Courts are used for outdoor games.[33][34]

Leagues

Netball Jamaica Elite League

The Netball Jamaica Elite League is the top level netball league featuring teams from Jamaica. It was formed in 2013 and is organised by Netball Jamaica. The league features teams representing the parishes of Jamaica. Between 2013 and 2019, due to sponsorship and naming rights arrangements, the league was known as the Berger Elite League. In 2014, Kingston Hummingbirds were the inaugural winners. Kingston Hummingbirds and Manchester Spurs are the league's most successful teams.[8][9][35][36][37]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Origins of Netball". jamaicanetball.org.jm. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "The Emergence and Development of Netball in Jamaica, 1909–1941". International Journal of the History of Sport. www.researchgate.net. December 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Americas Region". World Netball. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Members". americasnetball.org. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  5. ↑ "JOA believes netball should be rewarded". jamaica-star.com. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Women Netball Americas Tournaments index". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Netball Jamaica – Our History". mynetballjamaica.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Johnson credits mix of youth, experience for Elite League title defence". jamaicagleaner.com. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Kingston Hummingbirds crowned Elite League champions". radiojamaicanewsonline.com. 29 July 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 "Jamaica (at the Commonwealth Games)". World Netball. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "Women Netball World Championship Archive". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Fast5 Ferns hold off Jamaica to win thrilling Fast5 World Series title". stuff.co.nz. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  13. 1 2 "2022 Taini Jamison Trophy preview". central.rookieme.com. 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Women Netball World Games 1985 London". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Women Netball World Games 1993 The Hague". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Sunshine Silver". www.jamaicaobserver.com. 8 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Women Netball Commonwealth Games Archive 1990-2018". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  18. ↑ "Netball World Cup 2023: Jamaica 52-45 New Zealand - Sunshine Girls secure bronze". www.bbc.co.uk. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Taini Jamison Trophy: Jamaica win in thrilling final". World Netball. 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Jamaica make netball history beating NZ 59-53". www.rnz.co.nz. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  21. ↑ "Current World Ranking". World Netball. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  22. ↑ "World Rankings – History of Annual Updates 2008–2025" (PDF). World Netball. 1 March 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  23. ↑ "Jamaica overtake England in latest International Netball Federation Rankings". www.skysports.com. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  24. ↑ "Jamaica's Sunshine Girls now third in the world". www.caribbeannationalweekly.com. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "Sunshine Girls Rise to Third in World Netball Rankings, England Drop to Fourth". sportsmax.tv. 19 December 2024. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  26. ↑ "Sunshine Girls strengthen hold on third in latest World Netball Rankings". sportsmax.tv. 6 March 2025. Archived from the original on 23 March 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  27. ↑ "Kingston 1971 - Netball World Cup". World Netball. January 1971. Archived from the original on 14 January 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "Women Netball III World Championship 1971". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  29. ↑ "Kingston 2003 - Netball World Cup". World Netball. July 2003. Archived from the original on 8 March 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "Women Netball XI World Championship 2003". www.todor66.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  31. ↑ "Sunshine Girls continue to dominate at Netball World Cup Qualifiers". Jamaica Olympic Association. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  32. ↑ "Barbados join T&T, Jamaica at Netball World Cup". jamaica-gleaner.com. 23 October 2022. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  33. ↑ "Red Stripe Flavours renews title sponsorship of Netball Jamaica Elite League". our.today. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  34. ↑ "2025 Red Stripe Flavors Netball Jamaica Elite League Schedule". www.instagram.com. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  35. ↑ "Berger Elite League off the ground". www.jamaicaobserver.com. 7 March 2014. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  36. ↑ "Humming Birds win Elite League". jamaica-gleaner.com. 27 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  37. ↑ "Manchester Spurs crowned BEL champs". jamaica-gleaner.com. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
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