Sunshine girl credits her grandma for success

For Sunshine Girls centre Adean Thomas said her path to this year's Netball World Cup (NWC) would not have been possible if it weren't for her grandparents, who encourage her not to quit the sport after undergoing major knee surgery in 2014.

After recovering from a torn ACL in late 2014, Thomas' pursuit to represent the country at the 2015 Netball World Cup failed as she was only named as reserve and didn't make it to the tournament.

The 24-year-old Thomas, who is expected to be starting centre for the Jamaicans at next month's championships, said she was so disappointed after being left out in 2015 that she considered to give up the sport.

"My grandmother has been my biggest motivator along with my grandfather because at one point I wanted to quit and told they told me that I shouldn't quit," said Thomas.

Follow my dream

"They said it is something that I love and I should follow my dream. I just went back work hard and just look at me now going to my first Netball World Cup," Thomas said.

"I have been around my grandmother from I was very young and she has been there for me every step of the way and I want to thank her for that," she said.

Thomas, a former Vauxhall High School past student, has represented the Sunshine Girls at the Quad Series and Fast5 Series in the past. However, she pointed out that this is going to be a biggest test of her career so far.

"I am very nervous because this is first big senior tour because I will be going up against the best players in the world," Thomas said.

"It is going to be a long tour because we will play every day with just one rest day and so I just hope that everything will work out for me because I know that I am ready to take on the hard work," she said.

"I really want to do well and that is one of my goals and so I am getting my mindset right to go out there and put out everything on court, and at the end of the day be happy with my performance," Thomas said.