- Wednesday 30, June-2004 by Sherrylyn Clarke

RECOGNISING the need for training in speech and public speaking, a group from the Barbados Netball Association (BNA) came together recently to form the Future Speech Masters Club.

This was launched last Saturday at the Cable & Wireless Bartel Sports Club with approximately 25 members, doubling since the first meeting. Many of them were drawn from the first High Performance Netball Development Programme.

BNA president Annette Beckett said at a time when there was a struggle to find the positive things, this was just one of the many initiatives the BNA had introduced over the past 18 months.

“We looked in-house and used the expertise to launch a successful Netball High Performance Programme, we worked hard with our senior national team, against major financial constraints went to the 2003 World Championships and landed a seventh rating in the world. Our Under-16 programme continued to improve and we placed second in 2002,” said the proud president.

She told the netballers nothing caused more disruption in sport than poor or bad communication, something which continued to plague cricket.

“We in netball know that a great netballer is more than someone with outstanding skill. We know that a great netballer must have the ability to answer questions, ask questions, discuss aspects of the game and be able to conduct a conversation of substance in a universal language – English.”

The club was set up to help netballers improve their social, communication and leadership skills in a structured, yet fun setting with the expertise of the mother and daughter team of Kathy Harper-Hall and Marlene Hall.

Founder president Shakina Rock said she wanted to join the Toastmasters, but after the HPNDP group was dissolving, the girls decided to come together again and form their own speech club.

“I decided to go with them because I knew I would gain something from it,” she said.

She was nominated unopposed, and will serve as president for six months.

Participants learn how to conduct effective meetings using proper parliamentary procedure; increase word power; learn more about communication; make speeches and presentations; practise leadership roles; how to give and receive effective feedback to help with reports and evaluations.

The club meets every other Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Louis Lynch Secondary School. The next meeting is today and they assume different roles at each meeting.

All interested persons can contact Marlene Hall at 436-1487 or email marlenehall@caribsurf.com.

Compliments of the Nation News

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