Volleyball action continues this weekend

Athletes who exercise their heartstrings in the relatively unknown sporting discipline of volleyball where spikes, serves and blocks provide entertainment for its followers, in contrast to popularly supported cricket and to a lesser extent football, are beginning to deserve their due.

In examining the slow progression of the sport, one can take stock of the increased coverage from the media while the business community is slowly starting to extend its reach beyond its conventional support.

This notion was echoed by President of the Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA), Trevor Williams who has been integral in streamlining several local volleyball tournaments during the year.

Williams, in an interview with Stabroek Sport, indicated that another ‘A’ division tournament is expected to serve off this weekend following the success of the ‘B’ division which ended last weekend.

The focus according to Williams, is built around identifying emerging talents as the association pushes for more facilities and exposure to ramp up interest in the sport.

“This tournament, first of all, is to identify emerging talents and to create some amount of activity among the junior and lesser-known players,” Williams said at the end of ‘B’ division tournament on Sunday last.

“But come next week [Sunday] the ‘A’ division [tournament] will feature our affiliated teams out of Bartica, Linden and the regular Young Achievers, Vanguard and Castrol,” Williams added.

He was also keen to point out the addition of a new group, Eagles which comprises of players from the volleyball county of Berbice who now reside in Georgetown.

The group, he declared, will add to competition and fierceness of the tournament.

Williams made his intentions known of building the reputation of volleyball through a league the DVA initiated in 2017 and hopes for more competitive teams to come on board, hence the follow-up tournaments.

He  called for more facilities to cater for volleyball given the rise in interest since according to him, the Gymnasium is oversubscribed by multiple disciplines.

This weekend’s action will begin at 13:00hrs today at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown where highflyers Achievers will defend their honour against strong opposition expected to come from Bartica and possibly the new kids on the block, Eagles. The National Sports Commission and Ramesh Trophy Stall are once again on board as the premier sponsors.