Dehaney hopes Sunshine Girls medal at Commonwealth Games

National senior netball player Kadie-Ann Dehaney says the atmosphere in the Sunshine Girls camp is great as the team continues its preparations for this month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Sunshine Girls are currently engaged in a week-long training camp in Durham, England, as they fine-tune their play for the Games, which will run from July 23 to August 2.

The Jamaicans will be looking to build on their historic performance at the previous Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where they captured their first-ever silver medal.

Dehaney, who plays professionally for West Coast Fever in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League, said the players have quickly bonded and are working hard to build chemistry ahead of the tournament.

“The vibes have been good so far in the camp, since I arrived. I have met our new shooter Azara (Wilmot), and other new English-born (players), and so yes, we are just trying to build the vibes and chemistry in the team right now,” said Dehaney.

A defender who will be competing at her second Commonwealth Games, Dehaney added that she is entering this tournament with a different mindset after gaining valuable experience over the past four years.

“I am feeling good going into my second Commonwealth Games, but I think that I am going to take a different approach this time around,” she stated.

“The first time, it was a bit hectic for me coming into the team, and I did a lot to transition, but now I am more settled in with my off-court stuff. And coming from Perth where I had a really good year … I am very focused on the task.”

Dehaney pointed out that Jamaica has a strong chance of challenging for another medal, despite fielding a different-looking attacking unit.

“I think our chances are high. I think we are the unknown because the attack is very different, but I think you can’t count out a team with Romelda Aiken-George on the team,” she said. “I think, for us, we just have to use her to our advantage, with her and Shanice Beckford at the front, likewise with Nicole Dixon-Rochester in the middle, and so, for us, we can use that to our strengths heading into the Commonwealth Games.”

Dehaney also shared that while she hopes to maintain her own high standards throughout the tournament, her ultimate ambition is to help Jamaica return to the podium.

“For me, I would like to remain consistent and leave with a medal, but we would like to go all the way,” she pointed out.

Reflecting on her club season with West Coast Fever, Dehaney said she was pleased with how the team overcame several setbacks to finish among the competition’s top teams.

“I played for the West Coast Fever and I was pleased with our performance, knowing that it was very hectic for us at the start because it was a rollercoaster ride,” Dehaney said.

“We had injuries all over the court because we started building halfway in the season, which was very interesting for the team, and, to finish third, it was actually good for us.”