A MULTI-SPORT athlete from Bromsgrove with international experience in England netball and Jamaica Rugby Sevens says ‘its a dream come true’ for both her and her family to now be invited to trial for Jamaica’s netball team.
Danielle Jordan-Taft was invited to the netball trials in Jamaica in March and hopes her efforts will secure her a place to represent the second national team of her career at upcoming championships over the summer.
After quitting her job as a director in the apparel and fashion industry, where she worked with clients in the sports wear industry including Nike, Danielle focused on her competing and raised funds to cover her travel costs to attend the trials.
Danielle said: “It’s a dream come true. I’ve always dreamt of playing netball internationally for Jamaica.
“After playing for England, my Jamaican family used to joke about when I would play for them and finally I’ve been able to do that in Rugby and hopefully now in Netball.
“It was a big deal for the family and has bought everyone together.”
The Netball Jamaica trials will produce 31 players who will be named in a long squad, with players later being selected to compete at the the Central American and Carribean Games in El Salvador in June and the World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa in July.
Danielle’s international sporting career started in 2013 when she was called up to represent the England Nets netball team, where she earnt 13 caps in the Tri Nations Tournament in South Africa.
Since then, Danielle has competed with the Nets at multiple world championships in 2014, 2018 and 2020. She continues to play regionally in the Netball Premiership 1 Division.
An unexpected call up in April 2022 gave Danielle an invitation to compete with the Jamaica Rugby Sevens team, after coaching her son in the sport led to her talents being recognised by Jamaica womens rugby team manager, Hughton Campbell.
Danielle and the rest of the Jamaica Rugby Sevens team, known as the Lady Crocs, made history at three Rugby Americas North tournaments, placing second in Jamaica and Mexico and third in the Bahamas.
The teams performances at Rugby Americas North in 2022 earnt them their highest ever placed finishes at the tournaments.
The former England Net now hopes to fly Jamaica’s flag in both netball and rugby.
With ambitions to compete for the rugby team at the Central American and Carribean Games, as well as the Olympic qualifiers in Canada in August and the Pan American Games in Chile in November.
The athlete added: “The goal is to make final selection for both teams and play at all of the tournaments.
“My ultimate dream has always been to make a world cup with Netball and Olympics with rugby. I’m so close.”
Danielle is also looking for player sponsorship to help finance her dreams, as netball and rugby sometimes lacks the funding of other major sports such as football.
