Accountability, togetherness drive Sunshine Girls
Published:Wednesday | August 2, 2023 | 12:05 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
NATIONAL NETBALLER Khadijah Williams has pointed to a shift in mentality and accountability within the team as the catalyst for their recent form, something she hopes will translate to glory as the Netball World Cup enters its business end.
The Sunshine Girls will play Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago at 9:00 a.m. Jamaica time in Cape Town, two wins away from securing a place in the semifinals of the tournament, their first since 2015.
Jamaica got closer to that objective with their fourth straight win of the tournament, defeating Uganda 61-49 on Monday, a game that was a warning for them to be much sharper at the start of games given the difficulties they had in the third and fourth quarters.
Uganda beat the Sunshine Girls, 16-11, in the third quarter of that game and then tied things up 12-12 in the final stanza.
But, according to Williams, the team’s ability to hold each other to a higher standard, as well as the ability to focus on collective solutions rather than harp on individual circumstances, has given them strength.
“Previously I think we picked apart each other, we blamed each other for different circumstances throughout the game. Now, we are holding ourselves accountable as well as each other and we are looking at finding solutions,” Williams told The Gleaner.
“As opposed to picking ourselves apart or blaming each other, we are finding better solutions going forward into the next game.”
Both Williams and captain Jhaniele Fowler have emphasised the need to improve collectively to be in a position to achieve their first medal since 2007. But it has not only been about holding each other accountable, but lifting each other up in the face of adversity.
One of the reason for the improved teamwork, Williams said, is ironically, the security breaches prior to the start of the tournament.
“I do think that the incident, while unfortunate, let us know that we have each other’s back. The incident, in itself, did bring us together. Despite that, we are here for one goal and that is to play in that gold-medal match and win that gold medal. That is our aim,” Williams said.
Yesterday’s rest day after four intense days of competition, Williams says, gave the team a chance to reflect and prepare for the final push, which includes their Pool G final showdown with reigning champions New Zealand tomorrow.