Barbados began the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Guadeloupe with a runaway victory on Monday over Sint Maarten. Competing at the Paul Chonchon Hall in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, Barbados won 75-18.
It was a perfect start for the Young Gems in Pool B of the Americas Zone Qualifiers, as they aim to finish in the top three, and punch their tickets to the NWYC next September on the Rock of Gibraltar.
Barbados dominated from the first quarter, winning 25-6. They extended to 44-9 at the halftime interval, and moved on to 61-12 at the end of three.
On Tuesday, Barbados will play Antigua & Barbuda. The other teams in the group are Trinidad & Tobago and home team, Guadeloupe.
Head coach Pamela Hesson said she is confident with the team’s chances of progressing.
“The team is strong, particularly our defense. I don’t think anything will get past us, and in terms of our shooting, we are now where we need to be. The girls feel better and they will do Barbados proud.
“They are ready and confident that we are going to do well. The mindset is that we are going to win. We are not going for second or third. We know that they will be good teams but we are focused on doing well,” she said.
“I’ve only had them for a short while and it was a lot of work to do. What we have done is persevere. There have been challenges but they have done really well.
“I am very proud with the way they have dealt with things. You can definitely see the movement in their performance from where they started and where they are now and they are so much better,” Hesson added.
Barbados is ranked 14th in World Netball Rankings, based on matches up to 1 March 2024. In the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) which includes Canada and the USA, only Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago are ahead of Barbados. Sint Maarten is ranked 34th.
