GVF partners with PYARG, Upper Dem. Dept. of Education for volleyball programme

Feb 18, 2015 Sports

Secondary schools in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) will within the next six months unfold a grassroots volleyball development programme.

GVF Marketing Executive Mr. Mark Bradford centre hands over ten volleyballs to Coach Ms. Ann Gordon and Ms. Alicia Roache AFO of PYARG.

This will see participation of students from levels nine and ten who will be a part of the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) (MS) programme under the Physical Recreation requirements where the sport of volleyball has been chosen and a partnership with the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) will commence a major grassroots programme.
In Kwakwani, Berbice River some One hundred and forty students will commence the sport’s training under facilitator, former national volleyball player and coach Ms. Annie Gordon at the Kwakwani Park court.
Marketing Executive of the GVF, Mr. Mark Bradford who also heads the Competitions and Fund Raising committees, informed the students and teachers and other community stakeholders at the Kwakwani Secondary School on Friday last that his federation has recognized that the best of female volleyball players in Guyana over the past years were from the region 10 area which includes Kwakwani and Linden.
He noted that with the grassroots programme the various coaches and students now have a short term goal in preparation for selection mainly to the female representative squad which will represent Guyana at the Inter Guianas Games, August 6-10th 2015.
Notwithstanding or side stepping the males, Bradford noted that there are still places for selection of students of exceptional quality since the male team has been together for some period.
He emphasized the need for the resuscitation of the sport in the area and emphasized that with the grassroots programme in place others will come onboard in the community and surrounding communities and villages.
The GVF executive visited facilities in the Kwakwani community and has sought to collaborate tournaments between Kwakwani and the satellite villages and community very soon.
Businessman and proprietor Mr. Brian Sampson, who operates the Bush Pool Resort, has indicated his commitment to hosting tournaments of a beach volleyball nature in assistance toward promoting the sport at a high level with the guidance and assistance of the GVF.
Sampson indicated that beach volleyball will now become a weekend feature in the calendar of events at his resort.
Assistant Field Officer of the PYARG (MS) Ms. Alicia Roache in conducting the launching of the programme at the Kwakwani Secondary School said it was launched in the United Kingdom in 1956 as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and came to Guyana in 1998 under the late President Janet Jagan.
The award, she explained to the students comprises of three award categories in Bronze, Silver and Gold.
These categories she noted have four compulsory components in Skill, Service Expedition and Physical Recreation that the students must complete to be qualified for each category.
On completion of her presentation, two video presentations of the award were shown as the students got a more in depth appreciation for the programme. Registration forms were distributed to the students and with their parent/guardian approval, the event will begin.
Headmistress Ms. Adrian commended the GVF executive and the PYARG AFO for their presentation and committed the student’s participation to both programmes.
Former national volleyball female player now coach and sports organizer of the Kwakwani Community, Ms. Ann Gordon, received ten volleyballs and a net to commence the grassroots programme while businessman Brian Sampson of Bush Pool Resort received two volleyballs and a net for the promotion of beach volleyball at his resort from the Marketing Executive of the GVF Mr. Mark Bradford.