USA wins NORCECA volleyball at SMB, Cayman puts on a good show

By Christopher Tobutt

USA male and female volleyball teams won the two-day Cayman Islands leg of the NORCECA Under 23 Beach Volleyball TouSeven Mile Beach on Oct 29 and 31.  Cayman male and female teams tried hard and put on a great show to be proud of. The Under 23 Tournament is being hosted by the Cayman Islands for the first time with 14 teams competing (7 male, 7 female) from Cayman, Aruba, Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the USA. 

The tournament was opened today by Hon. Bernie Bush, Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage, Cayman Islands Government and Mushtaque Mohammed, Vice President of the NORCECA Volleyball Confederation.  

“The Ministry of Sports is committed to developing our young athletes, and seeing them succeed at the national and international level,” said Minister Bush, who opened with the first serve. “We are proud to support the Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation as they offer programmes and organise tournaments such as this one which give our young volleyballers international exposure and valuable experience.”

NORCECA VP and CAZOVA President Mohammed brought greetings on behalf of the NORCECA President and complimented CIVF for being the host of the first Continental underage tournament and indicated that the venue is world class and has the potential for hosting a FIVB tournament.

Everyone was playing their hardest in the hot sun. Sitting in the shade were the proud moms, dads and family, many of whom had come thousands of miles to support their sons and daughters.  Colleen Blanchard had come from I am from Tennessee: “I am here watching my son play volleyball. He just played and he got his first international win against Jamaica,” she said. “We are so grateful to the Cayman Islands for hosting this tournament and Norceca.  I absolutely love the Cayman Islands it is my second time here and it is just as amazing as it was the first time here. Everybody in the Cayman Islands has been so kind and nice.”

Women’s team results were: 1st USA, 2nd Canada, 3rd USA, 4th Trinidad & Tobago, 5th Cayman Islands team Anjia Delapenha & Lucie Finlason, 6th Cayman’s Deajra Tulloch & Chlouie Gaetos and 7th Cayman’s Delapenha and Joanna Robinson.

Men’s Results were: 1st USA, 2nd Canada, 3rd USA, 4th Aruba, 5th Trinidad & Tobago, 6th Jamaica, 7th Cayman’s Declan Van Dam & Jabari Powery.

The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) is an incorporated, non-profit organization responsible for all volleyball activities that take place in its zone.  NORCECA is the continental confederation that represents its thirty-five (35) member countries at the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) level.  The Confederation is responsible for, among other things, the staging of Olympic and World Championship zone qualification tournaments, as well as continental championships for both men and women in Indoor and Beach Volleyball.  In 2003, NORCECA celebrated its thirty-fifth (35th) anniversary.