JAMAICA celebrates when the Sunshine Girls win, when athletes stand on international podiums and when young talent rises from schools and communities with the promise of representing the country.

Less visible is the cost of producing those moments — and the volunteer-run machinery often expected to deliver professional results.

Netball Jamaica alone costs more than $100 million annually to operate, including tours, according to federation president Karen Rosen Baugh. About 70 per cent of its funding comes from sponsors, including touring partners that sometimes cover portions of travel expenses. Government also provides support, although Baugh did not give a figure or specify whether that support is recurring or tied to particular programmes or events.