Contract impasse looms between Netball Jamaica and head coach

Netball Jamaica and head coach Oberon Pitterson Nattie could part company after two years and nine months.

RJR Sports has been reliably informed that Pitterson Nattie and Netball Jamaica have been at loggerheads over a new contract, which would run until the 2015 World Championships in Australia.

It is understood that 43-year-old Pitterson Nattie rejected the latest offer from the national association Saturday evening.  

Calls to Pitterson Nattie’s phone for a comment went to voicemail up to early Sunday afternoon. Marva Bernard, President of Netball Jamaica, declined to confirm an imminent split with the former national defender, only offering: “I don’t want to comment on this matter until the board of directors has had a chance to review and comment on coach Pitterson Nattie’s latest position."

The 13-member board of Netball Jamaica is expected to have an emergency meeting within the next 48 hours to discuss the matter.

Pitterson Nattie was appointed head coach of the national senior team in May 2011, replacing Connie Francis in the lead-up to the World Netball Championships in Singapore that year, where Jamaica ended fourth.

Pitterson Nattie had previously coached the senior sunshine girls to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The team is scheduled to resume training this week after a 5 week break, since returning from their tour of England in January.