There was a definite break in her voice and there was a hint of tears being held back.
For a woman who is known for her strength and outspoken nature, it came as a bit of a surprise, but when you listened to the passionate way in which she spoke of her favorite sport of Netball, it was quite understandable.
Janet Grell Hull spoke in a recent interview with NTV Sports about the sport that she has grown to love from her high school days.
She spoke in glowing terms of the work done by her mother Cicely Hull, Dora Stevens and others, in ensuring that Nevis eventually got a Netball Association.
She indicated that the first local tournament organized by the Association had three competing teams: Mountain Rockers, Secos (CSS) and Sneakers (her team). They played for a trophy donated by then President of the West Indies Netball Association, Lystra Lewis.
A Nevis team was selected from the tournament and participated in the West Indies tournament that year, held in St. Kitts. Nevis has the dubious record of being whipped during that tournament, by the mighty Trinidad and Tobago team, 117 to nil.
However, with much sacrifice and effort, Janet Hull was at the Helm of Nevis Netball, when in 2003, Nevis tied with Grenada in first place, in a historic under 23 tournament, held in Nevis.
She is flabbergasted that the Netball complex is currently in a state of ruins and that the game is not currently being played on an island, which has produced West Indies players such as Cresentia O’Flaherty and Lydia Thompson Claxton. She herself, also represented in Netball at the international level.
Going forward, Janet wants to see Netball being taught from the school level upwards and community teams revived. She wants to see the Netball Complex rehabilitated and grand Netball tournaments being hosted in Nevis once again.
She is also willing to make her input towards such elaborate gaols, whenever possible. The very energetic Netball icon also has dreams of participating in a golden girls tournament, sometime in the future.