Ward understands the assignment against England

National senior netball defender Jodi-Ann Ward says she is determined to help the Sunshine Girls wrest the Horizon Series trophy from rivals England when the teams meet in their four-match series later this month.

The opening two matches are scheduled for London on November 21 and 22 before the teams travel to Jamaica for the final two encounters on December 5 and 6 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

The last Horizon Series was initially planned as a four-match contest but was reduced to two games following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, with England winning both encounters on home soil.

Ward, 32, a versatile defender capable of playing goal defence, wing defence, and goalkeeper, is relishing the opportunity to face England again. She said the series will provide valuable preparation for the Sunshine Girls as they build towards next year’s Netball World Cup in Australia.

“I am really excited, and I am looking forward to it because I know that Jamaica don’t get a lot of Test series, so whenever we do get them, it is always a great opportunity to work on stuff as a unit and work on how you fit into the environment as well,” Ward said.

“I know that whenever we come up against England, it is always a great match-up, so I am expecting a lot from this series.”

Ward, who has been a mainstay of the Sunshine Girls set-up for the past decade, said her preparations have remained unchanged as she seeks to ensure that she is in peak condition for the series.

“My preparations are pretty much the same going into any major championships, going into any tour and playing any major game. It is just for me to stay consistent with whatever I have been doing that has been working for me,” she said.

“Keeping up in the gym, keeping my fitness level up, and so my preparations don’t change much because whenever you are going into any competition, you want to make sure that you are in the best shape possible.”

Ward missed the previous Horizon Series after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that sidelined her for approximately 10 months.

However, she returned to the Sunshine Girls squad for the Commonwealth Games in August, where she helped Jamaica secure the silver medal.

‘Wanted to represent my country’

She admitted that missing the England series was particularly difficult because of her desire to represent Jamaica.

“I had an ACL injury, and it kept me out for about 10 months, which meant that I wasn’t able to compete in the Horizon Series. That was challenging for me because I wanted to represent my country,” she said.

Ward is also looking forward to continuing her professional career with Australia’s Sydney Sirens after being retained in the recent player draft.

She said the draft process was mentally demanding because of the intense competition for places among Australia’s talented players, but she is excited about what lies ahead.

“I am really looking forward to being a part of the Sydney Sirens because a lot of the girls are the same, so it doesn’t really change much in terms of personnel. But we have some really exciting things coming up,” Ward said.

“It was really a tough time going through the draft because you never know what would happen because we have some really great players in Australia, and everyone is fighting for a position. So it was hard mentally trying to go through that phase, but I am excited for the change, and I am excited to see what the Sirens have to offer next season.”