Local volleyball needs to be spiking

The once promising sport of volleyball, which, about two years ago, was a bright spark, seems to have had its energies sapped.

At present, volleyball in St Vincent and the Grenadines, from this column’s vantage point, is in dire need of some spiking.{{more}}

What has then caused that slump in activity, that buzz, that spunk that was being generated?

Yes, there are not many regional tournaments for St Vincent and the Grenadines to contest at this time, as there are few tournaments on the agenda at the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) level.

It is no fault of the present administration that the two Under-23 tournaments (male and female) did not materialize, whilst the senior male tournament continues to be deferred with regularity.

However, it was quite unfortunate that the local association was unable to send the senior female team to the ECVA Tournament in St Eustatius in July.

The only barometers which presented themselves as gauges of where the sport was at the youth tournaments for both males and females, back in April in Antigua and Barbuda and the secondary schools’ games in St Lucia, last July/August.

And from these, some talents emerged in the persons of Shernelle Browne, Delshun Welcome, Jad Martin and Brandon Smart, among others.

Unfortunately, very little has been done to ensure that every opportunity is maximized to have these players get to the next stage of their volleyball development.

Instead of harnessing these skills, things are left to chance, compliments the lethargy of those who hold the buttons of navigation of the sport here.

This is against the reality that the gap that once existed in ECVA is closing down slowly, and St Vincent and the Grenadines is being looked upon as a potential force in the configuration of teams.

Also, we have slighted the impact of St Vincent and the Grenadines gaining a berth through Welcome and Rodell Fraser, to the Youth Olympics in beach volleyball, which was held in Nanjing, China, in August of this year.

This attainment should have acted a booster shot in helping to get beach volleyball up and running, and gain greater acceptance by the general sporting populace.

We have been served with aces in this regard, as others in the region are using the excitement of beach volleyball as a conduit for promotion of the main stream court volleyball.

Again too, St Vincent and the Grenadines, on the strength of the achievements of Welcome and Fraser, had earned the respect of others; hence, the wider regional volleyball body, NORCECA, had fast tracked the process in procuring a beach volleyball court.

How far has this process been advanced? Is the parcel of land behind the Media Centre at the Arnos Vale Playing Field still the venue earmarked for the proposed court?

This is just one of the many benefits which are on the table for the authorities to sit and sup, thus helping to make the sport on the local front stronger and more organized.

In addition, there are several development courses which are out there for the taking, but no one is tapping into them to ensure that St Vincent and the Grenadines gets a piece of the pie.

Therefore, St Vincent and the Grenadines has to position itself to be the beneficiary of what is on offer at the various levels up the chain from the benefactors.

Whilst the hierarchy of the executive of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association has to be more visible on the sub-regional and regional landscape, charity begins at home.

Revitalisation of the sport, nationally, should be paramount.

Imperative in making this happen is a national tournament or some mini competitions, to keep the spirits alive.

Having persons simply going to have a hit twice or thrice per week cannot cut it in the absence of any form of competition.

Furthermore, creative ways have to be found to bring the sport of volleyball into prominence, first and foremost to the regular and those players who in the recent past had taken a liking to the sport.

All involved, especially those who hold the task of national administration, need to wake up out of their slumber and score points, instead of the numerous service errors.