The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FORMER multiple national team player Jackie Conyers has been pleased with the development of her Back to Basics volleyball camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The camp for boys and girls got started on Monday and is slated to run through Friday with the aim of teaching fundamentals and skills such as hitting, passing, setting, serving, blocking and defence from the host of instructors.

"We're pleased with the turnout," said Conyers as she reviewed the participants. "We have a number of new campers and we were able to retain some of the campers who have been here from the start."

This year, four coaches from the United States, including Rita Buck-Crockett (a USA Volleyball Hall of Famer and two-time Olympian), are working along with Conyers to put on the camp as well as to help secure athletic scholarships for the various players.

"They love the Bahamas, the hospitality is wonderful, they have a love for the game, they see talent and they can help the kids get scholarships," Conyers said.

Conyers, who has excelled in volleyball, basketball and softball, said this is her way of giving back to help in the development of team sports and she will continue to assist in whatever way she can.

"I've played many sports. I worked hard, so I know what to expect and I try to encourage the kids to work hard," she said. "I want them to stay disciplined and focus. We guarantee the kids that if they come to this camp, work hard and stay focused, they will have fun. Discipline is strictly enforced, so there's no time for them to come here and fool around. We want to see progress."

Arlene Hughes, who is back this year along with Bahamian coach Vanessa Johnson, said her goal is to see the players all grow by leaps and bounds at the end of the week.

"It takes discipline, it takes technique, but this is where it start at the basics," Hughes said. "I'm excited to see so many of them returning. I think their skills are growing and their level of improvement is getting better."

A former team-mate of Conyers, Johnson is currently coaching at the high school level in Georgia. She said in the eight years that she has been coming back home and working in the camp, she has seen a lot of progress.

"Anytime you see returning people, that's a good sign. It means that they are enjoying it, or they have benefited from the last time," Conyers stated.

"So this year, I just expect for them to continue to grow and to enjoy the sport. Once we have those two things and they are enthusiastic about what they're doing, we would have achieved our goal."

Johnson said she's excited to be in the position where she can make a contribution to the development of the sport.