Coaches excited by challenge

GILL QUERIPEL has denied that the appointment of two male basketball players as the new coaches of the women's island team is a gimmick. The netball supremo confirmed last week that island basketballers Jamie Roussel and James Robert had taken charge of the Guernsey team.

'I would not do a gimmick with my island squad - no way,' said Queripel.

'I want to beat Jersey as much as the next man. We wanted a change, a new focus and a new look.

'Jamie has been playing netball since he was 13 so he's got a long pedigree in the sport. Jamie and James have both been playing in the summer league since it started.

'They aren't new to netball by any stretch of the imagination. It's the tactical knowledge that they need to pick up on but we'll be there to help.

'I think it's great and I think it's really good for the sport. The girls are all up for it and are looking forward to it.'

The 29-year-old Roussel already has experience of coaching a senior women's team. He is assistant to the women's basketball coach, Pat Ogier.

Their team reached the semi-finals of this summer's Island Games in Rhodes, losing to eventual winners Menorca.

Roussel also played for the Guernsey men's team at the Games.

Roussel is going into the job with no preconceptions. He and Robert will be looking at the players that feature in the Super League.

The new competition was designed to get the island's best netballers playing against each other in a competitive arena.

'We're going to sort out training when we've seen a few of them,' he said. 'That's the good thing - we can turn up to games and see which players we like.

The women's side will be taking part in the national Challenge Cup next season and their winter will culminate in the inter-insular.

For the last four years, they have lost to Jersey.

In basketball, Robert is a guard for Yorkshire Guernsey Division One champions Le Mont Saint. The 24-year-old says he is up for his new challenge.

'I'm really excited, it's a good opportunity for me,' he said.

'We want to get that win against Jersey this year. We're looking to use the experience we have from coaching basketball and our experience of playing netball to get the girls to a higher fitness and to make their game quicker by getting the ball up the court quicker.

'And to get us into a good position to beat Jersey.'