Volleyball camp provides players for St. Maarten “national” team

GREAT BAY, St. Martin (July 25, 2012)—When the “St. Maarten national selection” female volleyball team plays in St Kitts this weekend, the United Volleyball Club (UVC) will be rooting extra hard. The majority of the territory’s players in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association qualifying games for the region are current or former UVC members, ranging in age from 17 to 29.

On Monday, July 30, UVC will then begin its eight annual school vacation camp that will run until August 4, 2012.

“It is at this camp and during UVC’s year-long Youth Program where a number of the boys and girls from the club learn good sportsmanship and are trained to play competitive volleyball,” said camp coordinator Dr. Rhoda Arrindell.

Last week Scotiabank invested in the program for a second year when bank manager Elie Bendaly presented UVC with a sponsorship cheque to assist youngsters attending the volleyball camp.

A few other companies and individuals have since sponsored campers or donated to the camp, including the Windward Islands Bank, Prime Distributors, Cake House, Caribbean Liquors and Tobacco, IXI Design, Domino’s, and Kalseeran NV.

“Overall this year’s camp will include activities that promote knowledge of our nation’s history and culture; teambuilding and leadership skills, and the theory and practice of volleyball for young men and women,” said Dr. Arrindell.

Since 2004, the UVC mid-year program has taken the form of an on-island camp or an exchange program that takes participants to another country or territory for training, workshops, and friendly games with host teams.

The UVC camp registration fee is NAF 100 or $55 per camper, which includes a T-shirt, meals, and transportation for the various activities. Interested persons can contact UVC secretary Keishan Huggins at 550-3435 or Dr. Arrindell at 520-1136.

House of Nehesi Publishers [nehesi@sintmaarten.net]