AIS depart on Jamaican tour

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

By Netball Australia

A significant feature of the AIS Netball Program is the opportunity to the best young athletes in the country to travel internationally and a gain snap shot of the future for those who develop into the next generation of Australian Netballers.

Today, the AIS team embarked on a 2 ½ week international tour of Jamaica – an opportunity expose the team to the Caribbean flair - as the team play a series of matches and against the Jamaican 21/U side and teams in the National Super League.

Lead by AIS and Australian 21/U coach Simone McKinnis, the team is eagerly anticipating the tour and the opportunity of some competitive matches .

“It’s a really exciting trip and one I think will be a challenging one,” McKinnis told the Canberra Times before the team departed.

“It’s a very different style of play, and all these girls with the exception of two who have played them in a training camp, have never come up against it before.

“It’s a lot more aerial, the Jamaican girls are very athletic, but I think it will be more physical than they are used to as well.”

On the team’s return, focus will be firmly directed towards the Australian Netball League, which commences in August.

The touring party to Jamaica is:

Shae Bolton (VIC)
Kimberley Borger (NSW)
Sarah Ebbott (WA)
Rachel Forbes (QLD)
Maryanne Hamilton (NSW)
Ashlee Howard (VIC)
Jasmine Keene (WA)
Kathleen Knott (VIC)
Samantha May (NSW)
Kara Richards (VIC)
Laura Scherian (QLD)
Amy Steel (VIC)
Courtney Tairi (NSW)

Coach Simone McKinnis (OAM)
Assistant Coach AIS Maria Lynch
Scholarship Coach AIS Nicole Cusack
Manager Donna Monteath
Physiotherapist Laura Schwab