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" I paying dis $5 under protest!" " Dis is an insult to people who know netball!" U tink dis is Waterford ?"

Those were some of the comments my best friend said to everyone who was within earshot of him at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium last night ( 23 June) when we went to watch the debacle that was the Barbados U-21 team as they opposed their opponents from England.

Walking into the Gymnasium we knew something STUPID was going to happen and something STUPID did.

I am not criticising the fifteen who are still vying for places on the team because they all deserve a chance,some more than others. I however believe that the ones who don't stand any chance of making that twelve ( MANAGEMENT KNOWS WHO THEY ARE) , should've been in the stands and not on the court.

The starting seven were : Leah Harper (GS), Shakira Boxill ( GA),Jalissa Lovell (WA), Shakira Springer (C),Kamillah Burke( WD),Janiece Clarke (GD) and Makeba Clarke ( GK) . Sitting in the stands were Damisha Croney,Samantha Browne and Jahlesal Brathwaite. HUH??

I am of the belief that the two scholarship winners, who are studying in England should've been on the court at the same time mainly because of the type of netball the England U-21 was playing. That they were exposed to that same level should've been reason enough for the head coach.Obviously it wasn't.

It was made abundantly clear that we were going to be tortured by a team who seemed to have lost it's way less than three minutes into the first quarter. Leah Harper and Shakira Boxill never clicked and showed limited communication, a limping Shakira Springer was , well limping......, and Jalissa Lovell never got going. It was the defensive trio who tried to keep Barbados in the game.

Even though they were outjumped, Makeba,Janiece and Kamillah played as though their lives depended on it. It was unfortunate that their teammates didn't feel this way.

The introduction of a new goal shooter-Shanise Banfield, goal keeper-Faye Sealy and others didn't make any difference as the damage had already been done, the fat lady had sang and the curtains were closed.

I choose not to write too much on the nonsense that was displayed on the court because I am sure when reading this article,it will bring back horrible memories for the players. It should be the absolute OPPOSITE for the management team.

Was it an attempt to eliminate players or just to prove to us the public that some players shouldn't be there? Was it an attempt to showcase some insane coaching decisions?

Goals for us were so few and far between that the English supporters in the Gymnasium applauded when we scored goals. Imagine that !

As my best friend also said, " A good player doesn't make a good coach!"