The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Volleyball Federation has been working towards competing in a major international competition like the Central American and Caribbean Games for a long time.

When the games are held November 14-30 in Veracruz, Mexico, the BVF will finally get a chance to showcase the men’s national team as they compete along with nine other disciplines at the four-yearly games.

“Finally we are picking the fruit of that tree that was planted many years ago,” said federation president Rev Joseph Smith. “Some 10-12 years ago, the version that we had in Suriname, we planted that little tree and now we can finally reap the fruits that are being produced and we are elated.

“The team has been doing very well over the past 3-4 years and we are now rated number six in NORCECA with the big boys like the USA, Canada, Cuba, so we are in that top seven in the NORCECA region and big and better things can come for this team as long as we stick together and do the things necessary to maintain our focus.”

For the past month, Smith said the federation has engaged in the services of Augusto Jose Sabbatini of Brazil, who worked with the men’s national team.

“The team is poised for greatness and hopefully we will see some fruits from CAC,” Smith said. “The first flaws we had from the team was that he realised that our legs were weak. The upper body strength was there, but the legs were weak and that was one of the first things that he attacked.

“He worked with the legs, he got them strengthened and the guys are quicker now, they are smoother now and you can see it in their play. But that goes a long way. You need that stamina to make it when you play one of the tough teams in a five-setter.”

As the team heads to the games, Smith said the expectation is very high for the team to medal and in the process, maintain their NORCECA ranking. With a mixture of youth and experience, Smith said they are looking forward to the team performing very well, despite the fact that they will be missing Tony Simon, who suffered an injury in the national team’s last tournament in Trinidad & Tobago over the summer.

The team, coached by DeVince Smith and Lloyd Davis, will comprise of Gaegu Smith, Princtanique Wilson, Renaldo Knowles, Romel Lightbourn, Je’Vaughn Saunders, Jamaal Ferguspn, Byron Ferguson, Endierich Rahming, Alton Rolle, Lorenzo Williams, Shonari Hepburn and Shedrick Forbes.