Local Teams To Compete In US Open Volleyball
With the 2013 NatWest Island Games less than two months away and being hosted on home soil in July; Bermuda’s National Volleyball teams are in the final stages of readying themselves to compete against the likes of European islands such as Saaremaa, Faroe, Aland, Gotland and others.
The teams have been training and competing abroad since the beginning of the year, and this weekend will travel to Louisville, Kentucky for the US Open Volleyball Championships, from Fri May 24th through Sun May 26th.
Representing the Men’s National team will be: Ian Bucci, Daniel Fiddick, Jon Gazzard, Mike Gazzard, Dave Gletsu, Keiran Hamilton, Gary LeBlanc and Brad Meindersma
Head Coach Bill Bucci stated, “We are very excited to be traveling to Kentucky for the US Open Championship. Our travel team roster for this event has players with a variety of experiences.
“We have players who have been part of the National Team program since the beginning in 2002, such as Jon Gazzard, Mike Gazzard, and Gary LeBlanc; we have players who have come up through the ranks of the BVA youth program, such as Ian Bucci & Daniel Fiddick; and we have a current member of our youth program in Keiran Hamilton. Dave Gletsu and Brad Meindersma are experienced players who have been with the program for several years.
“The competition at this event is always at a high level and we can’t wait to see how we stack up”.
Following the US Open, the Women’s National team will also travel to Kingston, Jamaica, for the second round of the 2014 FIVB World Championships, to compete against the likes of Jamaica, Suriname and Nicaragua, June 1st and 2nd. The top three teams from this tournament will move onto the third round of qualifying.
Representing the Women’s National team at the US Open will be: Lisa Leblanc, Stacey Dorush, Melissa Fiddick, Wendy Gazzard, Allison Lacoursiere, Denise Mullican, Khianda Pearman-Watson, Elisabeth Rae, Alana Rathbun Swiss, Vikki Stevenson, Heather Wearmouth. Slight changes to the roster will occur for the Jamaica tournament, with the additions of Michaela Eberly, and Sarah Mentzel; with Wendy Gazzard, Allison Lacoursiere and Heather Wearmouth not traveling.
Head Coach Juanita Blee said, “The ladies team is looking forward to our trips to both Kentucky and Jamaica. These events are key to our training as warm up for the 2013 NatWest Island Games as it will give team members an opportunity to play at a higher level of competition and get some experience under our belt before the Games.”
