Basseterre, St. Kitts, Oct 18 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom): On Tuesday the St. Kitts and Nevis Under 23 Men’s Volleyball Team returned home with a silver medal after participating in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association U23 Men’s championship over the course of the week in the British Virgin Islands.
The team was met at the airport by family members and other supporters. Among them was Minister of Sport, the Hon. Samal Duggins who commended them on their achievement.
He said “We have seen the performance and in my view of some of the games, we have come back and defied the odds and made it all the way down to the finals and I was hoping that we would have edged out and achieved the goal. Nonetheless, the silver will do this year and next year I am quite sure that our gold medal will belong to our volleyball players here.”
Head Coach Rick Swan said he was proud of the progress the team has made since the last tournament.
“A few years ago they played in the tournament and they remember those games that they lost and the beatings they took and it really motivated them to come to practice when they didn’t want to and be committed to work hard day after day after day and they put in the work and effort to have the success,” he said.
St. Clair Hodge of the St. Kitts and Nevis Amateur Volleyball Association thanked everyone who helped support the team and pledged the association’s commitment to help develop local volleyball.
“We are here to stay,” he said. “We are here to develop the young minds and the young generation, not just the men but the women. We want to take this sport further and represent the country everywhere we go.”
10 teams participated in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association U23 Men’s championship. In the finals St. Vincent and the Grenadines edged out St. Kitts and Nevis winning 3 sets to 2.
Individual awards were also presented to members of the St. Kitts & Nevis Team. Best Server went to Elkren Morton, and Best Opposite Attacker went to Aziel Belle.
Captain Zendai Richards was in the top five in multiple offensive and defensive categories.