Brissett blasts Netball Jamaica ‘politics’

Veteran local netball coach Patrick Brissett said politics within Netball Jamaica (NJ) is hampering the development of the sport locally.

Brissett, a former coach of many-time national champions Waulgrovians, says that the country has produced many great players over the years, but successive administrations have failed to put right systems in place to get the players to realise their potential.

"I think that politics is hampering the growth and development of the sport, and this is how I feel, but I am just one little person," Brissett said.

"I know where we were going at one stage and I felt that we would have won the World Championships by now. We have always had rated players in the world for years, so why we can't take the next step?

"We just need to take the bull by the horns and decide that, 'Look, Jamaica means more than I, because Jamaica must be the front.'"

Poor showing

The Sunshine Girls, ranked fourth in the world, had a poor showing at this year's Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, after finishing fifth at the championships.

Although they were ranked second in the world going into the tournament, they also missed the semi-finals of the championships for the first time since 1995.

Brissett, a former long-serving vice-president of NJ, says that he was very saddened and disappointed with the team's performance in Liverpool, and that the sport is in need of urgent attention because it is heading in the wrong direction.

"I am really hurt to see that we are at this stage now. I am hurt," Brissett said.

"I remember sometime ago when Waulgrovians was around, we were invited to South Africa [for a tournament], and I will never forget what the man [organiser] said. He said we had players he wants and if we don't carry them, then don't bother to come. That was the level Jamaica was at and considering all these people have been local talent, so something is wrong, and I think it is politics," he said.

"I could be wrong, because somebody may have other views, but I believe that it is too much politics. We need to get back to basics because there is too much fancy foolishness happening in netball right now.

When contacted yesterday, NJ first vice-president Tricia Robinson said she will not be responding to Brissett's comments.