Connie Francis left out of Sunshine Girls coaching staff

The coaching staff for Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls heading to the 2011 World Netball Championships in July has been decided.

Former Sunshine Girls defender, Oberon Pitterson is back as coach of the senior netball team

However, Connie Francis, who had been in charge since Pitterson's departure in 2006, has found herself on the outside, as Annett Daley, was chosen as assistant coach.

Daley was Francis’ assistant.

Dorothy Hobson, the Second Vice-President of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA), who chaired the coaching selection panel, explained their choices.

"Those two were able to comprehensively convince the panelists that they were the two persons who were able to take the team forward. Each of them was given an hour in which to answer a number of questions and at the end of the process, we deliberated. We looked at it closely and we realized that both Pitterson and Daley had justified why we should select them," she said.

The panel also included Jill McIntosh, JNA Technical Director; Maureen Hall, former head coach; Don Anderson, the Vice-President of the Jamaica Olympic Association and Dr. Aggrey Irons, psychiatrist.

Selection was also based on the coaches' performances in the recent series against Trinidad and Tobago and England.

Pitterson says the selection process was gruelling but she has benefited from the experience.

"The entire process was grilling, the interviews etc, but (they) made you prepared for what’s to come, all the what ifs."