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Chairperson of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association's (ISSA) netball competitions, Erica Ewbanks, is delighted with this year's staging, which she believes was well executed.

"I feel good that we have come to the end of another successful season. The teams were very competitive, the umpires were excellent, and the coaches did their best every time. We saw the spirit and competitiveness amongst the teams and players throughout the season," said Ewbanks.

Ewbanks, the principal of Garvey Maceo High School, is pleased that schools are developing their netball programmes.

"We are happy with the growth of netball in the respective schools, and it is getting better and better every year," she said.

It was another dominant year for teams in the central region of the Rural Area Senior and Junior competitions, with champions Holmwood Technical High, Manchester High, Denbigh High, Glenmuir High and May Day High outclassing their opponents from other regions of the country.

Ewbanks attributes the success of the central region to the efforts of stakeholders in the area.

"I think it reflects netball in central Jamaica getting a lot of support, where we see teams from this region advancing to the second round and beyond. In the other regions, I think it could be a lack of support, as when schools are not getting the support, they tend not to do as well. It boils down to the pressure it puts on past students and principals to support the students playing," she said.

According to Ewbanks, there is a lack of sponsorship for netball, and she urged corporate Jamaica to help develop the sport on the island.

"Netball does not get the same support as football, and this is not only in ISSA competitions, but is islandwide. Unlike football, where sponsors go on board willingly, this does not happen in netball," Ewbanks said.

"Netball is the second most popular team sport in Jamaica and has done well internationally, but over the years, we find it very difficult to get sponsorship for our competitions.

"We want to break down this barrier. We want to say to our sponsors, 'Please come on board, as we are doing well worldwide.' Netball Jamaica is doing well, and we are hoping more can be done by sponsors, especially in our school competitions," she said.