CaribPR Wire, BROOKLYN, NY. Tuesday, August 17, 2010: They stride into the Lincoln Terrace Park at Buffalo & East New York Avenues in Brooklyn, New York just before game time each weekend, pushing strollers with one hand as a sports bag weighs down one shoulder and a folding chair the other. Moments later they are dressed and ready to play.
They are the sports moms of netball – migrants from several LIME Caribbean territories who are proud to call New York City home. The above scenario has played out every weekend since June 5th at the park, the playing headquarters for the LIME/CANA (Caribbean American Netball Association) endorsed tournament, which turns 13 years this year.
As the umpire’s whistle sounded shortly after 6 pm, on Saturday, August 14th and fans took up their positions around the touch lines, it soon became clear that there were 96 degrees of separation between the teams on this humid summer evening.
It was a different atmosphere in the park, with teams knowing that a loss meant the end of a promising season and more than time enough to ponder ‘what if’, looking ahead to the off-season.
“The atmosphere on the court and in the park was different, more hustle, more purpose in the play,” noted veteran administrator (player/coach/umpire) Kunkel Blaine.
In the span of sixty minutes, that separation would translate into a 47-16 victory for Pitons2 over Spice Girls in the Seniors2 division, as the single elimination or knockout phase of the tournament tipped off.
The result means an early summer vacation for the Spice Girls and the other losing teams, as you must win to stay in the competition and move on.
Powered by their athletic center, Sharm Jean Pierre, Pitons2 left no doubt about their second place finish in the crowded and competitive division, scoring at will against an undermanned Spice Girls unit that finished their divisional campaign, one place (11) from the bottom.
Pierre, a former St. Lucia national junior player, was as generous off the court as she was during the match, insisting that the entire team contributed to the delivery of the KO punch to the opposition.
“It was one of our easier games so far this season as all the players contributed. It was a team effort,” she said.
And true to form, the weekend schedule produced no surprises, as the seeded teams all advanced to this weekend’s quarter-final round. Among them are Crusaders and Typhoon.
Much of the buzz will no doubt be on Senior division champions Volcanoes2, as they go for the double. They closed out division play with an emphatic 57-17 win over Flying Targets that had the coaching staff singing their praise.
Tip-off this Saturday, August 21st is at the usual 4 p.m. and there is no cover charge.
ABOUT LIME
LIME, (formerly Cable & Wireless), is the Caribbean`s leading telecommunications company. LIME has kept the people of the Caribbean connected for more than 100 years. LIME is focused on providing products and services that improve the lives of Caribbean people every day whether they live in the region or are part of the Diaspora. LIME`s aim is to deliver the best communication services at the best value across the board–full stop. LIME–for living every day.
PHOTO CAPTION:
A Pitons2 GK gets into her defensive stance as her Spice Girls opponent prepares to shoot, during knockout round action at the LIME/CANA tournament at the Lincoln Terrace Park, Brooklyn, last weekend, August 15th, 2010. Pitons2 won the match.(Sharon Bennett Photo)
