Rising star Asante Chapman has been named in Bermuda’s 12-member senior netball squad that will compete at next month’s Americas Federation of Netball Association’s Championships in Trinidad and Tobago.The promising mid-court defender is currently based in England where she plays in the Surrey Junior Netball League with ‘The Downs’ who are based at Epson College.Chapman moved to the UK last year to pursue a dream of aspiring to the professional ranks and was eventually accepted into the prestigious Elite Surrey Netball Academy where she continues to refine her skills.“Asante is away in school right now and receiving quality coaching,” said national coach Anthony Mouchette. “She goes to a netball academy every week so basically she’s on par with what we are learning here and probably even more.”Chapman is one of two junior players promoted to the senior ranks for the upcoming tournament, the other being Kajuna Lema.“Asanta and Kajuna have been promoted from the Under-16s and have now been sufficient enough to make the national team,” Mouchette said. “From the previous exposure they got from the Under-16s internationally they know what’s expected of them, so they can hold their own.”Bermuda’s squad also contains prolific scorer Daniell Raynor, who led all scores during the past Winter League campaign with league champions Young Men’s Social Club Lady Bluebirds, solid defenders Karen Jones-Simmons and Chaquita Simmons as well as the versatile Ebonie Burgess and Marissa Wainwright to name a few.“We have a good mixture of youth and experience in the squad,” Mouchette added.Bermuda will be among the nine teams competing at the upcoming Caribbean Championships that also include regional powerhouses Jamaica, Barbados and hosts Trinidad.“We haven’t entered this tournament in a long time and we will be going up against the top guns,” Mouchette said. “But even though Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica are slightly out of our league we should be able to compete with the rest of the teams.”Grenada, St Lucia, Guyana, USA and Canada make up the remaining teams that will compete at this year’s tournament to be held from July 14-21.Mouchette, who is also a well-respected football and boxing referee, is encouraged by his players’ preparations for the event in Trinidad but stressed there’s still room for improvement.“I’m quite pleased where we are right now but there’s still more to learn and to do,” he said. “I don’t want the players to become complacent because we still have a long way to go. “But they are making good strides and the progress we have made thus far I’m quite satisfied with. The team is gelling really well and right now I’d say we are 80 percent ready, which is good progress for us.”Jene Charles will assist Mouchette with coaching duties in Trinidad.Bermuda: Karen (Jones) Simmons (capt), Marissa Wainwright (v-capt), Karlandra Smith, Jamila Godwin, Danielle Raynor, Ebonie Burgess, Kimale Evans, Asante Chapman, Jadirra Harvey, Kajuna Lema, Chaquita Simmons, Arkeita Fubler.