The future of Cayman netball looks increasingly promising following a highly successful under-16 development tour to Kingston, Jamaica, earlier this month.
As a core component of the Cayman Islands Netball Association (CINA) 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, the tour provided 20 young athletes – six from Cayman Brac and 14 from Grand Cayman – with an invaluable opportunity to test their skills and training against some of Jamaica’s top youth netball programmes.
Cayman’s tour results
The tour opened on 5 Dec. at the Leila Robinson Netball Courts with the Cayman squad’s first competitive fixtures since training began.
CINA ‘A’ faced a tough challenge against The Queen’s School, falling 21-9, while CINA ‘B’ secured an 8-6 victory over Camperdown High School.
Reflecting on the results of the first day’s action, lead coach Bryan Green said, “These contrasting results provided valuable insights into the squad’s current capabilities and areas requiring attention.”
He added, “The victory demonstrated the team’s ability to execute their training concepts under pressure, while the defeat highlighted aspects of game management and consistency that need refinement.”
The momentum shifted the following day as both Cayman teams entered a 12-team rally featuring more Jamaica school teams, such as Mona Preparatory School, St. Catherine High School, St. Hugh’s High School, Ocho Rios High School and Manchester High School.
On the Cayman side, CINA ‘A’ won three of their five matches and ended the rally with a third-place overall finish.
Narrowly missing out on a semi-final qualification based on goal difference was CINA ‘B’, who won four of their five games.
Green praised both squads saying, “Both teams showed the ability to compete consistently across multiple matches in a single day, reflecting improved fitness and mental resilience.”
When analysing both teams’ performance, Green said, “The third-place finish [by CINA ‘A’] represents an excellent achievement against regional competition and validates the training programme’s effectiveness, [and] team B’s near-qualification demonstrates squad depth, with the narrow margin (goal difference) indicating competitive parity rather than significant performance gaps.”
The tour concluded on 7 Dec. with CINA ‘B’ defeating Mona Prep 9-6, while CINA ‘A’ fell 23-11 to former urban area champions Gaynstead High School.
“Overall, our objectives to give the girls some exposure and to look at the players’ skill and fitness levels were definitely met,” Green says.
Beyond their own matches, the Cayman players were treated to a showcase of elite netball, watching the senior Jamaica Sunshine Girls take on the All-Star Mixed Team.
Faith Crooks, CINA president, described this experience as “an essential part of the development tour, as it provided them with exposure to high-performance netball and officiating”.
Team captains reflect on tour experience
DaNiqua Howell, captain of CINA ‘A’, said, “The trip was an amazing learning experience for all of us.”
She added, “Playing against high level competition pushed us out of our comfort zone and showed us exactly where we need to grow.”
One of the biggest lessons learned during the trip was the importance of communication and trust on the court, Howell said.
“When the pressure went up, we had to rely on each other, and that helped us bond as a team,” she said.
Reflecting on her personal lessons learned as team captain, Howell said she learned a lot about staying composed in tough moments.
“I feel like I grew a lot, not only as a player, but as a leader. I learned to stay calm, hype up my teammates, and keep the energy up no matter what the score was. Not every game went our way, but we kept fighting and supporting each other,” she said.
Feeling motivated, Howell said, “Returning back to Cayman, my goal is to work on improving team chemistry even more and sharpening our decision making during fast-paced play. Overall, the trip made us better players and most definitely a stronger team.”
Yasmin Elliot, CINA ‘B’ captain, echoed Howell’s sentiments about the trip, saying it was a “great opportunity for our squad to experience playing competitive netball together against some strong teams”.
“We played a lot of netball over three days and also watched a senior team – it was good to spend time together as a group on and off the courts which will make us a stronger team,” Elliot added.
A trip marked by purpose and resilience
The trip was a testament to resilience, particularly for Cayman’s team manager Nadia Adams Richards, who was forced to execute a major logistical pivot.
Crooks said, “I must especially commend [Richards] for all her work in executing this vision, despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. She was faced with a significant pivot to rearrange plans in place since September 2025 and every effort was made to secure alternate sources for certain aspects of the trip.”
Notwithstanding these challenges, the management team, supported by a group of volunteer chaperones, safeguarding officers, a logistical coordinator and coaches Bryan Green and Milton Clarke, ensured the tour met its primary goals of grassroots programme development and elite exposure.
