Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Friday, January 23, 2015    

CATHERINE HALL, St James — One of the reasons the Jamaican Under-20 men’s team might have failed so badly in the ongoing CONCACAF Under-20 Championship is that players got too relaxed after they made the team, suggests head coach Theodore Whitmore.

Jamaica managed only two points in a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game in Kingston and an error-filled 0-0 draw against Aruba in their final Group A game in Montego Bay Wednesday night.

Jamaica scored just two goals, both coming in the first game, and never threatened for a play-off spot that would see two additional qualifiers in addition to the two automatic spots that went to the group winners for the FIFA Wold Cup to be held in New Zealand May-June.

Whitmore told members of the media on Wednesday that players got relaxed after the final squad was named. “After the 20 were named, the players got relaxed knowing they could not be dropped from the squad,” the coach said.

He acknowledged that some players had not performed up to expectations, but refused to call names. He noted that for sure the overall the tournament proved to be “a series of disappointing results”.

One of the biggest issues, Whitmore trumpeted as a factor that led to the meltdown, was the perennial shortage of time for coaches to properly prepare teams for competitions.

“We just never had time for players and coaches to get to know each other,” he said. “We never had time to ‘chop and change’, and that is never good.”

“We need more time to prepare teams, not just this Under-20s, but the senior teams, all junior teams sand the women’s teams,” he said.

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Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Friday, January 23, 2015    

CATHERINE HALL, St James — One of the reasons the Jamaican Under-20 men’s team might have failed so badly in the ongoing CONCACAF Under-20 Championship is that players got too relaxed after they made the team, suggests head coach Theodore Whitmore.

Jamaica managed only two points in a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game in Kingston and an error-filled 0-0 draw against Aruba in their final Group A game in Montego Bay Wednesday night.

Jamaica scored just two goals, both coming in the first game, and never threatened for a play-off spot that would see two additional qualifiers in addition to the two automatic spots that went to the group winners for the FIFA Wold Cup to be held in New Zealand May-June.

Whitmore told members of the media on Wednesday that players got relaxed after the final squad was named. “After the 20 were named, the players got relaxed knowing they could not be dropped from the squad,” the coach said.

He acknowledged that some players had not performed up to expectations, but refused to call names. He noted that for sure the overall the tournament proved to be “a series of disappointing results”.

One of the biggest issues, Whitmore trumpeted as a factor that led to the meltdown, was the perennial shortage of time for coaches to properly prepare teams for competitions.

“We just never had time for players and coaches to get to know each other,” he said. “We never had time to ‘chop and change’, and that is never good.”

“We need more time to prepare teams, not just this Under-20s, but the senior teams, all junior teams sand the women’s teams,” he said.

View the original article here

Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

Winning start for Jamaica in Regional U-15 tournament

A fourth wicket stand of 128 between Raewin Senior, 69, and Dominik Samuels, 54, enabled Jamaica’s Under 15 cricketers to begin their quest for the WICB title with an exciting three wicket win over Barbados at Up Park Camp.  

It was the visitors who took first strike and posted 219-8 off 50 overs as Joshua Corbin top scored with 43. He received good support from Jadan Jones, 33, Kirkland Brathwaite, 26 not out, and Joshua Bishop, 23. Skipper Raewin Senior took 3-38 to be the pick of the Jamaican bowlers.

In their reply, the Jamaicans were reeling at 18-3 off two overs. Senior and Samuels led the fightback with a run-a-ball 128 run partnership. Senior cracked two sixes and eight fours in his knock of 69, while Samuels hit six fours in his 54.

Both batsmen went with the score on 150. Andre McCarthy then scored 34, and Byron Brown, 26 not out, as the Jamaicans reached their target, losing 7 wickets off 47.2 overs.

The boys from Trinidad and Tobago began their title defence on a winning note, after a six wicket victory over the Windward Islands, with five overs to spare at Kensington Park, while Guyana recorded an emphatic 113 run victory over the Leeward Islands.

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Winning start for Jamaica in Regional U-15 tournament

Jamaica's women make winning start to Caribbean basketball tournament

Jamaica’s female basketball team opened its Caribbean Championship campaign on a winning note, with an 86-26 rout of Guyana.

Shennieka Smith led the Jamaican charge with 16 points, while Jennifer George had a double-double 13 points and 14 rebounds. Loretta Gordon netted 12.

The team will next play St. Vincent & the Grenadines later on Wednesday.  

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Jamaica"s women make winning start to Caribbean basketball tournament