BVI Volleyball Association outline plans for 2003 season

By Dean Greenaway

Development of a constitution, implementing a youth program and starting a Primary School league, are among the plans outlined by the top brass of the BVI Amateur Volleyball Association for the 2003 season.

Association president Roy Barry and vice president Sabinah Mason, guests on Thursday’s Sports Beat Magazine, says a meeting is scheduled with prospective teams for the 2003 league that begins on March 15. Teams can register with secretary Kesheba Sprauve.

One of the first plans the association has Barry says, is to get a constitution in place, because the association never really had a constitution. “This led to some confusion during the past elections,” he noted. “We already have a draft and at our next meeting, we will set a date to sit down and ratify that draft then seek legal advice,” he said, while Mason added the plans are to have the constitution in place “Sooner rather than later.”

Barry says the new constitution will ensure that all teams are registered with the association and clarify who can and can’t vote. He says the aim is to have rules and regulations in place that will cover both the association and the wider body. Another association plan is to implement a youth program and build on what Jackie Weeks is doing with young players in Road Town, after attending a coaching clinic in Suriname. “What we are hoping to do is cater to the Primary School aged kids, and have someone go out to the various schools and try to train them in the discipline of volleyball.” Barry said.

“The aim is first to garner the interest in volleyball and secondly to get a league within the Primary Schools and build interest within the senior divisions of the schools,” he pointed out. “As these kids go on to High School, we’ll then be able to filter new bodies into the association’s league and also have new players try out for junior and national teams.”

Mason says the association is looking venturing beyond participating in the Leeward Islands and OECS tournaments, to move into the Caribbean Volleyball Championships. “We are looking at getting more exposure and vary the tournaments the national team participates in,” she said, noting that they have participated in the OECS tournament since 1991.

Barry added that the feeling is that it’s about time they build on what has been developed over the years. “We have seen these competitions and they offer us nothing new at this point in time,” he said. “In order for us to get more experience and build our skills, we need to go to tournaments where we can see better players and more organized volleyball.”