Former Sunshine Girls captain Vangelee Williams in a netball Test match against England Roses in April 2018.
In a defiant stroke of passion, Vangelee Williams shattered the silence of a five-year retirement, reclaiming her throne among Jamaica’s netball royalty. The black, green, and gold jersey, once a familiar skin, now feels like a rekindled flame wrapped tight around her heart.
The Vitality Series showdown against England isn’t just a match — it’s her rebirth.
The series rivalry typically features two games in Jamaica and two in England each year. The Sunshine Girls won last year’s series 2-1, after one match was tied. This year, the Jamaica leg of the competition, which was slated for December 6 and 7 at the National Indoor Sports Centre, was cancelled due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa. Only the England leg will go through as planned on December 13 and 14 at London’s Copper Box Arena.
“I feel really happy to be back,” Williams said, her words laced with a hunger only the truly devoted know.
“I anticipated this moment very much since I have been training. It really feels good and it has made me realised that I actually missed the sport as this level and I am happy to contribute in any way I can,” the 33-year-old defensive player told the Jamaica Observer.
Rejoining the senior Sunshine Girls in September, she spoke candidly of the ascent: fitness remains a climb.
“Each day I have been steadily progressing. My fitness is not where I would want it to be but compared it to what it was a couple of months ago before they called me back, I am very much impressive with where I am at the moment.
“When I retired in 2020, at the time I thought that I had finished. Mentally, I tapped out of this level, and I just didn’t want to continue anymore. But I am back and I am better,” Williams stated, her eyes igniting like kindled coal.
A two-time World Cup and two-time Commonwealth Games veteran, Williams discards complacency.
“I am not sure about a next World Cup but I am definitely aiming for another Commonwealth Games. For this series, I have played against England many, many times and I have won against many, many times, and I have suffered some losses as well. It is always a pleasure playing against them and I am looking forward to it,” she noted.
Sasher-Gaye Henry-Wright, the Sunshine Girls’ head coach, couldn’t be more pleased with the return of Williams.
“We were out of all of our defensive players,” she explained, revealing the strategic move to bring back experience.
“If you had realised all other defensive players are younger players who have not yet played a lot of this level and so we definitely wanted to bring back some experience. We approached her and she was available and we watched her in her league. She was good and the selectors saw her and so we brought her in.
“I think she is doing a great job, she is not as fit how we want her to be but we have a few more days to go and we are expecting her to lead,” Henry-Wright told the Observer.
Williams was a part of the squad who loss 40-52 to the All-Star Mixed team at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Friday.
“I don’t think the defence is shaky. There are definitely some levels of inexperience but each girl that is on the defensive team, like we are workhorses, like we will provide interceptions and we do deflections, and we definitely give of our best and support the attacking team. Yes, we are missing Shamera [Sterling-Humphrey], Latanya Wilson, and Kadie-Ann [Dehany] but at the end of the day we still have hunger, and we want to play and we want to do well,” she ended.
Sunshine Girls (from left) Vangelee Williams, Adean Thomas, and Gezelle Allison share a photo on the bench during a game against the All-Star Mixed team at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Friday.(Photo: Garfield Robinson)
WILLIAMS…when I retired in 2020, at the time I thought that I had finished (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
Sunshine Girl Vangelee Williams in action during a game against the All-Star Mixed team at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Friday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
