A historic milestone is on the horizon for Saint Lucian netball, as the nation’s national squad, the Piton Sparks, prepares to make its first-ever appearance at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, hosted this year in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The tournament is scheduled to run from August 3 to 7 at the Juan Bosch City Sports Complex, and the full team is set to depart for the host nation this Friday to acclimate ahead of their opening matches.
Currently sitting 31st in the global netball rankings, the squad has set clear, ambitious goals for their debut CAC Games campaign. Team captain Melika Destang outlined the group’s objectives in pre-tournament comments, noting that while the team is aiming for competitive wins and a potential podium finish, climbing the regional and world rankings stands as a core priority for this competition.
Destang also shared details of the team’s rigorous months-long preparation for the event. “Training has gone extremely well, and it’s been very intense,” she explained. “We kicked off with three months of dedicated strength and conditioning work to build our base fitness, then shifted to on-court practice, refining technical skills and game strategy. Everything has come together smoothly through the process.”
Acknowledging the step up in competition the team will face in Santo Domingo, Destang noted that the CAC Games will pit the Piton Sparks against far stronger opponents than the squad typically faces in regular matchups. “We know this is going to be a very competitive, high-intensity tournament,” she said. “It won’t be easy, but our main aim is to push ourselves and move up the regional ladder, whatever the outcome.”
Adding a major boost to the squad’s depth is the return of standout athlete Megan Nestor, a successful collegiate and professional basketball star who got her start in netball as a youth athlete. Nestor has stepped back into the netball space specifically to compete in the CAC Games, and says representing her home country at the international level was an opportunity she never considered turning down.
“Netball will always be my first love,” Nestor told local outlet St Lucia Times. “I picked up basketball because I earned a scholarship for the sport, and I’ve been fortunate to build a really successful career in it that I’m still proud of today. But coming back to my roots, back to the sport where I started, to wear the national jersey – that’s something special I couldn’t pass up.”
Nestor added that the team’s long-standing chemistry gives them an edge heading into the tournament. “Nearly everyone on this squad has played together for years, so we already know each other’s playing styles, strengths, and weaknesses. That cohesion has made training even smoother, and it’s already showing on the court.”
Over the five days of competition, the Piton Sparks are scheduled to face five tough regional opponents: Trinidad & Tobago, the host Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Jamaica, and Barbados. Despite the challenging draw, the entire squad has expressed confidence in their preparation and their ability to compete with the region’s top teams, as they make history in their first CAC Games appearance.