SVGVA needs a home for Volleyball

Another sport here is calling for a home to rest its head. Joining in the crusade is the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association.{{more}}

President of the local Volleyball body, Shaun Young, last Sunday, at the opening of the National Championships at the Girls’ High School Hard Court, called on the relevant authorities to find a home for the sport.

“Volleyball needs a home”, Young said forcefully, which drew a loud response from those present.

“So far, we have been going from court to court”, Young said, but thought that enough time has been spent doing this .

He was, however, thankful to the National Lotteries Authority, for permitting them the use of the Richmond Hill facility.

Young said that such a facility – a home, will also provide the Association with a much needed secretariat.

“The Association is run right now at the back of my car and at my workplace”, Young jokingly remarked.

And, Young got immediate support for his plea from President of the National Olympic Committee(NOC), Trevor Bailey.

The NOC’s head thought it was “high time” that Volleyball and other sports, including Cycling, which he heads, be afforded a home.

He challenged the National Sports Council to assist in this regard.

Last Sunday marked a “rebirth” in the sport of Volleyball, as it ushered in the first national championship since 1999.

According to Young, what is evolving is as a result of a series of activities since the latest concerted attempts of revival of Volleyball were made from 2004.

Young pointed to the caravans that were in operation on weekends, touching the various once established Volleyball communities, small, four-a-side competitions, the Talent Identification Programme, as well as a coaching course geared at Physical Education teachers, as the basis for staging the 2008 championships.

He, however, thought that during the phases of revival, “there were more ups than downs”.

But, with some of the impediments out of the way, Young and his seven member Executive have the confidence of eighteen teams that will contest the championships. There are five A Division Male teams and a similar number in the B Division of the male segment. Eight teams are registered in the Female Division.

And, in an attempt to truly spread Volleyball, matches in the championships will not be confined to the Kingstown court, but will also be fixtured in the rural communities. (RT)