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JAVA set back by CAZOVA postponement

Published:Monday | March 30, 2020 | 12:27 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s senior women’s volleyball team in action at the CAZOVA Senior Women’s Championship at the National Indoor Sports Complex in 2017.
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Jamaica’s senior women’s volleyball team in action at the CAZOVA Senior Women’s Championship at the National Indoor Sports Complex in 2017.

Jamaica Volleyball Association (JAVA) president Rudolph Speid said the postponement of the CAZOVA Under-23 Championship, which was scheduled to take place in the Dominican Republic from April 5 to 12, will be a major setback for the association.

Speid believes that missing out on the Under-23 tournament is an opportunity lost.

“The Under-23 tournament was the one we were supposed to play in April, but the coronavirus came out more serious, and we couldn’t travel to the tournament,” he said. “This is a setback for us because we were trying to rebuild [the senior team]. Two years in a row, we went to China with the Under-23s, so we were really excited [to see] how they were going to perform.

“We wanted to see if we could build up our stocks for the senior tournament in June, so we planned to rebuild with the youngster set. We were going to explore the younger players who went to China and see if we could pick up some talent by fielding younger teams.”

AT A DISADVANTAGE

Speid said that even if JAVA were able to hold the Under-23 tournament later this year, it would still put the association at a disadvantage.

“The Under-23s use a lot of college students from USA and Canada, so we have to figure out what is the best course of action,” he said. “I don’t think we can keep it later in the year because we might not have the best players, and we will be at a disadvantage. Although other countries have professionals players, it doesn’t affect them that much.”

He is hoping that with time, things will return to normal, sporting activities will resume, and JAVA will be able to host its leg of the NORCECA Beach Tournament in November.

“There can be no planning right now; everything’s on hold,” Speid said. “FIVB (volleyball’s world governing body) also had the AGM (annual general meeting) that we were supposed to attend in Thailand. We would also participate in the normal beach tournament in November, but all of those are postponed, so everything is on hold. There nothing going on.

“But I am hoping that by November, we will be able to host it. If there is any chance we can host one, it would be that.”

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Major volleyball events postponed:

CAZOVA Under-23 Championship – April 5-12, Dominican Republic

CAZOVA Senior World Championship Qualifiers – June 1-8, Guadeloupe

NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour