“Representing Jamaica and being a Sunshine Girl is an electrifying feeling,” she says, smiling as she reflects on a journey that began with her senior debut in 2013.

“It’s been a journey, I’ve learnt a lot.”

A mainstay at Goal Attack since those early days, Beckford has grown into one of the leaders of the Jamaica national netball team, also known as the ‘Sunshine Girls’. With leadership has come responsibility.

“It does feel like a lot of responsibility,” she admits.

“I carry the team on my back a lot.”

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But that weight is one she carries with pride.

“Being a Sunshine Girl is something that we wear on our sleeves. It’s playing with pride; it’s playing with passion. That’s our attack slogan.”

For Shanice, the pride is in representing her country and paving the way for the next generation.

“I love putting my dress on and getting my hair done, knowing that I’m representing my small island, not just for myself but for the next generation of girls coming up and looking at us for that leadership.”

Beckford was just a teenager when she first stepped onto the Commonwealth stage at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The experience left a lasting impression.

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“I always tell people that the 2014 Games were my favourite Games - the atmosphere, the people, the noise,” she recalls.

“Meeting new people from different countries is the best part of the Commonwealth Games. The camaraderie and the atmosphere are just electrifying.

“I remember the ceremonies, looking up to thousands of people, was that goose-bump feeling.”

That summer ended with bronze for Jamaica - the first of three consecutive Commonwealth medals Beckford has helped secure. Bronze followed again in 2018, before a historic silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games signalled that the Sunshine Girls were closing in on the podium’s top spot.

“It’s not always the finish we want, but it’s always a great feeling,” she shares.

“Seeing the smiles of your teammates and knowing you have put the work in is always exciting, and I want to do that again.”

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Now, with Glasgow 2026 on the horizon, the ambition is clear.

“2026 is going to be a great year for us. We are going to be in that final, and I feel like this time around we can get the job done.”

Shanice shares how the Sunshine Girls have discussed and dared to imagine a Commonwealth gold for years.

“We aren’t quite there yet, but in 2022, we were so close, and I feel in 2026 we could get over that final hurdle,” she says.

“It’s going to take a lot of hard work and believing in ourselves that we can get the job done.”

Belief, she explains, is rooted in something deeper than tactics or training sessions.

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“Jamaican resilience - we wear our hearts on our sleeves. We are fighters. If you knock us down, we are able to get back up. We will fight to the very end.”

That fighting spirit has defined Jamaica’s rise on the world stage and turned them into genuine contenders for gold. A medal of any colour would be celebrated; gold would be historic.

When asked what comes to mind when she hears the words Glasgow 2026, Beckford doesn’t hesitate.

“Excitement, fun and winning a gold.”

Twelve years on from her Commonwealth debut, she returns not as a wide-eyed debutant, but as a leader determined to finish what she and her teammates started. For Beckford and the Sunshine Girls, Glasgow 2026 is all about pride, passion and the belief that this time, the gold is all theirs.