(l-r) Mr Ephraim Penn, BVIOC president, Ms Jackie Weekes, Virgin Islands Volleyball Association (VIVA), Mr Roy Barry, VIVA vice president. Photo credit: Charlie Jackson
An historic moment was shared yesterday May 27, 2014 when the BVI Olympic Committee, the Virgin Islands Volleyball Association and Ms. Jackie Weekes inked a contract to put in place a National Sports Structure.
As Mr. Ephraim Penn, BVIOC president, explained at the signing held at the Olympic offices, the contract was historic for two reasons: “It is the first National Sports Structure to be signed and we have many more planned,” he stated. “It is also historic because for the first time a sport has not had to bring in an expert from oversees to implement developmental programmes. Jackie Weekes is right here and has the necessary qualifications to gain the approval of the Olympic Solidarity Organisation who are providing the funds.”
Those funds are to the tune of $30,000 and the contract runs from June 1st until December 31st 2014 by which time Ms. Weekes will have been charged by the Volleyball Association and the BVIOC to undertake a thorough analysis of the sport’s current programmes and development from Primary School to National Junior Teams.
“This programme will be at the forefront of keeping volleyball alive,” continued Penn. “It is also very important to recognize Jackie’s past efforts to develop the sport and to now assist her and the local association in getting the sport back to the high levels it once enjoyed.”
Roy Barry, Vice President of VIVA, thanked the BVI Olympic Committee for partnering in the programme. “It is great to have one of our own in the position and exposing the youths to the sports. Hopefully we will unearth a lot of gems and the sports will grow in the Territory,” said Barry.
Weekes will hit the ground running and already has a programme for young Volleyball enthusiasts established at the Multi Purpose Sports Complex on Wednesdays and Saturdays. By August she hopes to have Junior National teams in preparation and practice for tournaments and will be working in schools almost every day from September.
All member federations of the BVI Olympic movement were given the opportunity to apply for the various programmes presented in the Olympic Quadrennial Programme and Volleyball took full advantage. It is anticipated that other sports will be following suit to take full advantage of the support offered by the BVIOC.
