Pitterson-Nattie positive about Grenada’s World Cup chances

LONDON (CMC):

GRENADA'S national coach Oberon Pitterson-Nattie has painted a bright future and believes that with continued development, the country can challenge for a spot at the Netball World Cup scheduled for England in 2019.

"I don't see any reason why we can't do it. It's a tall task, but it can be done and based on what we have (it is possible)," the former Jamaican player and national coach told the Grenada Sports website.

"Right now, we have 17-year-olds touring with the team, so you can imagine we have 19-year-olds, 20-year-olds who are touring with the team, so it means that these are the girls in the next three or four years and they should be ready for World Championship,"she said.

Pitterson-Nattie has been working with the Grenada netball programme over the last year and has been seeing signs of development at the national level.

The national side is currently participating in the challenge section of the Netball Europe Open, which involves Gibraltar, Israel, Ireland, Malta, Switzerland and the United States. It ended yesterday in Newcastle.

Pitterson-Nattie said Grenada's netball would excel once the focus was placed on grassroots development.

"What will be important is the work that is done at the schools, and that is where it starts," she continued.

"We have to create that developmental pathway so that you can see players improving as they go along. We have to look at the coaches who are working with the kids at schools."

Grenada is currently ranked 30th in the International Netball Federation rankings.