Jamaica Netball Association president Marva Bernard (left) proudly stands with goal shooter Marvadeen Anderson, following the arrival of the national U-16 netball team from Antigua, where they had won the Caribbean U-16 championship last year. The 6' 10" Anderson won the best shooter award at the Caribbean Netball Championships in helping Jamaica to their seventh title in 10 years. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Edwin Allen High School's national Under-16 netball sensation, Marvadeen Anderson, said she enjoys playing in the Jamaica Netball Association's (JNA) top competition.
"I am enjoying it because I now have the opportunity to play against a lot of other experienced players and this has helped to improve my shooting and my overall development in the game," said the 6' 10" Anderson, who is the tallest netball player in the island.
She is five inches taller than Jamaica's senior team goal shooter, Romelda Aiken, who stands at 6' 5".
Anderson, who is competing in her first year in the big leagues, recently scored a game-high 36 goals from 49 attempts to lead newcomers Speg 'A' to a 45-41 victory over Police 'A', at the time their second consecutive win in the big league, the Berger Paints Super League.
Anderson added that she has been coping well with the demands on her to perform in the country's top netball tournament.
"It is not too much pressure on me because I have the height advantage over all the other players in the competition," Anderson said, adding that she has also been enduring a lot of rough play.
Best goal shooter
"This happens because they cannot reach the ball whenever it is thrown inside the circle to me and so the only thing they can do is to push me away," Anderson admits.
Anderson, who is a fourth form student at Clarendon's Edwin Allen High, was voted the best goal shooter at last year's Under-16 Caribbean Netball Championships in Antigua and, in the process, helped Jamaica to win the title.
Jamaica will host this year's competition later this month and Anderson is very confident they will retain the title.
"I definitely think that we are going to win this year's Caribbean Under-16 competition, because we have been putting in a lot of hard work in training and the girls are ready and rearing to go," said Anderson, who turns 16 on May 1.
"I also believe that we have a much stronger team compared to last year because I have improved my shooting a lot," said Anderson, who is an admirer of national goal shooter Aiken and former national captain Elaine Davis.
Despite many pundits calling for her to be selected on the national Under-21 team, Anderson said she is now focused on the Under-16 team.
"My aim is to help the Under-16s to win this championships and when this is over then I will be having exams afterwards. So I am not really focusing on the Under-21 team at this time," said Anderson.
Anderson, a former student at the Prospect All-Age and Junior High School, attributes her early development in the sport to national Under-16 head coach, Joan Cargill and Arlene Findlay, her coach at Speg 'A'.
She also noted that she hopes to pursue a career as a nurse.