Volleyball Teams To Compete Internationally
Bermuda’s Men’s and Women’s National Volleyball Teams will compete in Round 1 of qualifying for the 2018 World Championships this August, which marks the third time Bermuda has participated in the World Championship Qualifiers.
The first event is the Women’s Group A Qualifier to be held from August 6 & 7 in Phillipsburg, Dutch St. Maarten. During that event Bermuda will compete against British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and hosts, Dutch St Maarten.
In 2009, the Bermuda Women won the first round qualifier in French St Martin, moving on to the second round before falling to Trinidad, USVI and Surinam. In 2012, they moved into Round 2 once again, ending their run in Jamaica.
The Women’s National Volleyball Team consists of: Back row: Elisabeth Rae [Head Coach], Chanara Smith-Rookes, Khianda Pearman-Watson, Lisa LeBlanc, Roshanda Smith; Front row: Allison Settle-Smith, Amber Lopes, Sophia Sontag; Missing: Alana Rathbun-Swiss & Melisa Judd.
The Women’s team head coach Elisabeth Rae said: “There is a mixture of veterans and newcomers on the team which makes the team dynamics very interesting.
“The ladies will need to be focused and work together to get a good result but that’s true with any team sport. Our veteran players bring a wealth of knowledge and experience which will assist the younger players to develop positive competitive characteristics”.
The Men’s National Volleyball Team consists of: Back row: Head Coach Jon Gazzard, Brian Amaro, Eron Woods, Daniel Fiddick, Brad Meindersma, Keiran Hamilton, Kyle Hamilton; Front row: Brandon Sousa, Gary LeBlanc, Josh Malpas, Jacques De Verteuil; Missing Shannon Botelho
The Men will be competing in Grenada from August 20 & 21 and will be facing St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & Grenadines, and the hosts, Grenada. This year’s Men’s team highlights the progress that the Bermuda Volleyball Association has made over the years with its youth development program; with the majority of the team having come up together through the junior program to the senior level.
The core of the team that made the bronze medal match at the 2015 NatWest Island Games in Jersey last summer will be traveling to Grenada, lead by captain Daniel Fiddick; with the welcome return of middle hitters/blockers Eron Woods and Brad Meindersma.
“As this wasn’t an Island Games year, the men’s team hasn’t trained and competed abroad as much as we would like going into the qualifiers”, stated coach Gazzard; “however, with the experience that this group of men have, I’m extremely encouraged by our chances of advancing to the second round”.
