THE Saint Lucia Volleyball Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Department of Youth Development and Sports, with part funding from the National Lotteries Authority, is currently hosting a volleyball programme for primary schools in Districts 7 and 8.
Close to 500 students representing eight west coast schools (Laborie boys/girls, Banse La Grace Combined, RivierDoree Combined, Etangs Combined, Soufriere Primary, Canaries Primary and Reunion Primary) in Grades 3 to 5 are, under the watchful eyes of some of SLVA members trained in UNICEF methods of safeguarding of children in sports and Physical Education Teachers.
According to EmmyVitalis of the Association, the objectives are to: (1) To engage young people as early as possible in high quality volleyball programme; (2) Extend the reach and impact of the Department of Youth Development and Sports initiative of a Summer Sports Camp; (3) Spread the playing of Volleyball to the south and south western region; (4) To help curb the rise in lifestyle diseases that seems to be affecting a lot of our young people and (5) To provide access to regions of the island disadvantaged by the lack of facilities, trained personnel and equipment.
The programme is a developmental initiative over three years, which seeks to track the participants’ performances and retention in the sport.
Vitalis says, “SLVA see this as part of its long term athlete developmental programme”.
She added, “We have been showing them the proper way to dig and move around for the ball. This coming week, we will be doing serving and setting. The young ones are quite eager to learn, some of them are naturally talented, others are not so much, but they try”.