Sunshine Girls seek major investor

Netball Jamaica president Karen Rosen-Baugh says the organisation is actively seeking a major investor to support the Sunshine Girls’ bid for a historic gold medal at next year’s Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

The Sunshine Girls, one of Jamaica’s most successful national teams, are coming off back-to-back silver medals at the Commonwealth Games, having finished second in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier this month.

Rosen-Baugh stressed that greater financial backing will be critical as Jamaica pursues its first World Cup crown. “We always need funding, but we also need investment, and we need investment in a team that has shown not just heart, courage and excellence in playing but consistency at the top,” she said. “We will keep pushing for that global gold medal, and we are not going to stop pushing for it. We need investment from Jamaican companies. We want to also thank the sponsors that we have had and continue to be by our side as we continue to build a really good elite programme.”

She added that Netball Jamaica is also seeking a shoe sponsor to ease the financial burden. “We would love to have a shoe sponsor because we don’t have a shoe sponsor at the moment, and we would love for someone to come on board,” Rosen-Baugh said.

Meanwhile, the Sunshine Girls will resume preparations with the Horizon Series against England later this year. The four-match series includes two games in London on November 21 and 22, followed by two in Kingston on December 5 and 6.

Rosen-Baugh said the series will be vital for selectors and coaches ahead of the World Cup. “We are having the Horizon Series, which is coming up in November and December of this year, and remember that we have a four-year contract with them, and this is year three,” she explained. “So the selectors will have their work cut out to select the right team to represent Jamaica. It is also part of our preparations for the 2027 World Cup, and so I do expect there to be intense competition for places on the team, and so we will see which players will rise to the occasion.”

She added: “We have had mixed results against England over the past couple of years, so we know on a good day, when we go head-to-head, we can come out on top. That is our intention - to really test the programme that we have put together and the players that we have at our disposal.”