Elite League final MVP, mom takes aim at new challenge

NETBALL JAMAICA Elite League finals MVP Tracyann Francis’ achievements go far beyond what she did in the final of the Red Stripe Flavours Netball Jamaica Elite League on Sunday.

Just to be part of that final, the Kingston Hummingbirds goal shooter, who helped her team defeat defending champions and favourites Manchester Spurs 52-50 at the National Arena, produced an achievement.

A nine-month-old and a three-year-old would have been good reasons to miss the competition, but add to that the fact she lives out of town, then her sacrifice takes on added meaning.

“It is very difficult because I have to travel from Christiana, Manchester, to the National Stadium every week and I have to travel with them,” Francis said.

The challenges included her missing many team training sessions.

“I kind of get training off because of the distance, as most of the players live in town,” she said.

Despite these setbacks, the goal shooter excelled in the competition.

“I feel overwhelmed. It’s been a while. I have been doing this from high school, and I’m just excited and happy at the same time,” she said.

The former Holmwood Technical and G.C. Foster College netballer said although she is glad she is competing well, she has hopes of playing in an international netball league in England or Australia.

“I always have hope, but you have to work towards that. It doesn’t just come to you,” she said. “You have to be in the national programme. I was in the national programme, but because of difficulties, because I have two kids and sometimes I would have to bring them to training, and they don’t allow them.”

“I played under-16, I was in the programme for under-21, but I did not get picked, and then I moved on to senior, but I haven’t represented at the senior level,” Francis explained.

This, she says, she knows she has to work hard for.

“I need to do some training on my own and get back in the national programme. I also might have to move back to Kingston because I live all the way down there, and everything is kept at the National Satdium,” she said.

The 27-year-old said she wants to achieve the best that the game can offer.

“I want to achieve good things in life because I am no longer living for myself, I am living for my kids,” Francis said