National exposure

FORMER island and Nerine star, Verona Jackson (formerly Tomlin), featured in a recent Netball Superleague match on Sky Sports Two and she is in action again on TV tonight. The 29-year-old schoolteacher spent two years in the island before leaving for Bedford five years ago and she now turns out for Loughborough Lightning in the national league. The third placed side recently travelled to play for Team Bath and it was the first time that a league netball match was played in front of the Sky cameras.

Unfortunately, goal defence Tomlin and her teammates went down after a hard fought affair, losing 56-42. Highlights from their last game against Brunel on Saturday are on the Sky channel 402 at 5pm and 9pm tonight.

Tomlin was recently named player of the match in Loughborough's comfortable 42-29 victory.

'It's a new thing: they've got a deal with Sky to show it on a Thursday night,' said Tomlin.

'It's different because normally when we play, it's in front of an audience at the match and now I've got kids at the school I teach at commenting about it.

'Any advertising or publicity of netball is good. It's one of the most played sports in the country but most people just know it as the sport from school. Now they can see there is more to it than just catching the ball, planting your feet and then passing.'

One person who caught Tomlin playing on TV was her former island and Nerine coach, Gill Queripel.

'I thought, ?I know that girl?, she used to strut her stuff around Beau Sejour on cold and windy nights,' said Queripel.

'I wasn't surprised to see her as she's a very good player. She had a chance to have trials for England when she was younger but she decided against it.

'She's a really good defender and she's definitely good enough to be in that category. She did play last year for Mavericks but of course it wasn't on TV.'

Queripel, like Tomlin, is also delighted that the sport is now getting regular televised coverage.

'It's good that it's on TV,' said Queripel.

'They are hoping that it will be as popular as the beach volleyball with the girls jumping around at 90mphs in their short lyrca skirts. Hopefully, it will attract some sponsorship and the money can be passed down to the development of the sport.'