By Trevor Thwaites(St.George's correspondent)

The 2006 Cable and Wireless Netball season was off to a colourful start last week Saturday in St George’s. The many colours blended beautifully as the players from the 14 participating teams marched energetically from the Cable and Wireless Building on the Carenage onto the Netball Arena at Tanteen. The proceeding was highlighted by short addresses from the sponsors and the Grenada Netball Association.

Efforts are being undertaken to revise the once popular sports, which was among the best in the region’s 1980’s. Grenada finished second to the Caribbean Netball Championships Trinidad and Tobago at the Tanteen Netball Complex in 1982. However over the years with the retirement of many stalwart players like Janice Celestine, Mrs Veda Bruno Victor, the Louisons – Ann Marie and Sherry Ann, June Salhab, Joan Pivotte, Nadica Mc Intyre and others, the game has been on the decline.

Netball officials are however, attempting to arouse new interest in the sport and are expecting a keen and exciting event. The major highlight of the opening was a netball rally among the teams. The keenly contested event was jointly won by St Patrick team Shamrock One and Caribbean Agro Queens Park Rangers one. They played to a 7-7 tie at the end of the 10 minutes allotted for play in the final and was also deadlocked at 9-9 following four minutes of extra time.

Queens Park Rangers had beaten Carriacou, and St Andrew on their way to the final, while the team from the North had swept passed the challenge of St Joseph’s Convent St George’s, Vita Malt City Girls and Combine Stars. First round matches in the competition were scheduled four during the week. The 14 teams have been split into two zones for the event with the top two in each other zones advancing to the semi-finals. The teams are: Caribbean Agro Queens Park Rangers (1&2), Grenada School of Nursing and St Joseph’s Convent St George’s (11&2).

The others are: Aquarium Sonics, Mt Moritz Spice Girls, Fun City, Combined Strikers, Vita Malt City Girls, St Patrick Shamrock (1&2), Marketing and National Importing Board and All Timers. Games are being played on afternoon at the Tanteen Netball Complex from 5:30. Netball Official say that following the event teams will be selected to represent the country in upcoming Junior and senior events.



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