Barbados launch FIVB Regional Volleyball Development Center

Barbados launched the FIVB Regional Development Centre at the Wildey Gym on Sunday 5 February 2006 to herald in a new and historical chapter in the volleyball sporting chronicles of this island.

TIn a brief ceremony which was twinned with the opening and awards presentations for the new volleyball season, the Barbados Volleyball Association's president John Griffith described the launching of the centre as the realization of the dream to continue the rapid development of volleyball in Barbados and within the English-speaking Caribbean.

Both Neil Murrell, Deputy Director of the National Sports Council and Erskine Simmons, the General Secretary of the Barbados Olympic Association lauded the establishment of the Centre which is the first in the English-speaking Caribbean and is the 11th to be set up in the world by the governing FIVB.

The regional Caribbean was represented by Patricia Garel, the president of the Jamaica Volleyball Association and Rupert Sorhaindo, the head of the Dominica volleyball Association.

Mr. Sorhaindo who was also representing Norceca as one of its executive members promised active participation by the OECS region in taking part in the upcoming courses at the centre. "Previously, all Norceca countries were expected to attend the Centre which is in Dominican Republic with the language difference being a tremendous hindrance," Sorhaindo added.

Barbados will be utilizing the facilities at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex to run the various programmes for the centre. A one week FIVB Referees' Refreshers course started yesterday, the first day of the new centre's existence with Jose Sanler Diaz of Cuba conducting the seminar for over 20 Bajan officials. Two regional coaches' courses are already booked for later in the year.