In view of the relatively busy year for Volleyball in which St Vincent and the Grenadines will be participating in regional and international tournaments, president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Volleyball Association(SVGVA) Eardley Martin, is craving a better understanding of national representation by some employers.

Martin wants to see that change coming soonest, as St Vincent and the Grenadines’ volley ballers will be part of at least four tournaments during 2024.

Reflecting on the Under-23 male’s engagement in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) tournament last October in Tortola, the SVGVA president noted, “There were certain employers who gave me kidneys, gave me stress to get workers’ time off to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines…we wrote, we called, we visited, we got through with some, but there were one or two of them who were still giving the players, their workers, a hard time… it is not a year off of the job”.

Martin disclosed as a consequence, adjustments had to be made to the training schedule to accommodate players owing to the issues of time off not being granted to some of them.

He thus underscored, “When our guys and girls step foot out of here, they are not representing the association, they are representing St Vincent and the Grenadines and some of these employers have to come on board in supporting the youngsters”.

Martin revealed that among the outings for 2024, St Vincent and the Grenadines will be participating in the ECVA men’s and women’s Beach Tournaments late February in St Lucia, while there are the senior men’s and women’s tournaments.

Additionally, the Under-23 men’s team will journey to Ohio, USA in July for the Pan American Championships.