LINDA ANDREWS has hailed the impact of Serena Kersten (née Guthrie) with Team Jets’ qualification to the National play-offs firmly in their hands.
Jets are sitting pretty at the top of the Netball South West Regional League 1 with just two games remaining and the knowledge that a win in their next match against Mavericks will seal the place in the play-offs and a chance to win promotion to National Premier League Division 3.
Kersten is still on maternity leave and has yet to officially take up her new role as performance lead with the Jersey Netball Association and head coach of Jets. However, she is already making her presence felt with the team when it comes to post-match analysis.
‘She is having a big influence on the girls,’ said Jets coach Andrews. ‘Once we’ve played she’ll do the game analysis and look at what was good and what we need to work on a bit more, so she’s already playing a major part in that side of things, which is wonderful.
‘She gives one-to-one feedback to all the girls after each game, so we’re very lucky to have her with that kind of knowledge and insight to help us. It might just be little things, like body angle. She sees so much and we’re lucky that she’s able to pass it on. Because she’s achieved so much in her own career there’s just so much respect around for her.’
Andrews said the team were ‘delighted’ to be top of the league with just two games to go which take place on the weekend of 11/12 March, starting with Mavericks and finishing against the main rivals for the league title, Premier Romans A.
She also praised a strong squad that has been able to rotate effectively.
‘We’ve done well and it’s been a really enjoyable season. We’ve given lots of opportunity to lots of different players to come with us and that’s what you need. To going into into the play-offs, you need a big squad who are all confident of playing at that level and I think we have achieved that this season. It’s not just been seven players, it’s been a whole squad.
‘What’s the most pleasing for me as the coach is that doesn’t matter what combination we’re putting on, the level of the play out there is really high. You then know when you make changes you’re not going to have a dip performance.’
