Sport

Volleyball teams named for overseas assignments

THE TECHNICAL STAFF of the Jamaica Volleyball Association has selected its final 12 for two major competitions to start in June.

The first competition, the fourth Women's Pan American Cup, is scheduled for June 8-18 in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic. Head coach Ortnel Findlay will travel with the team, along with Oneil Ebanks, Steve Davis and Jeniffer Evans. The players are Tracyann Pryce (captain); Ptamony Fletcher, Claudia Miller, Najwa Pagon, Avaniki Campbell, Romaine McNeill, Natalee Carty, Cherine Richards, Cheryl Daley, Shedeiky Hamilton, Kamille Dwyer and first timer Shanique Sterling. Sterling, a Wolmer's high school student, represented Jamaica in the 2003 junior championships in Martinique.

Jamaica is drawn in group B along with the USA, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and Barbados. The 12-team competition features the best in the world.

Junior representative

Round One of the men's World Championship qualifier will take place in Barbados from June 13-20.

Conaradio Taylor makes his debut for the national male team, while Marlon Williams, former junior representative makes his way into the team. The ten returning players are Andre Mclean, Errol Smith, Richard Reynolds, Namarie Gordon, Ricardo Chong, Patrico Grant, Neil Williams, Dellan Brown, Mark Lewis, and 2004 Caribbean MVP Dany Wilson.

The team will compete against the Netherlands, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Barbados. Phillip Greenland, Dervent Clarke, Marcello Gooden, Michael Clarke and Jeniffer McKenzie are the coaches.

The volleyball association is now seeking to raise $1.3m to send both teams to the tournaments.

It will cost $750,000 to cover airfare, uniform and international referee's fee for the Santo Domingo tournament while another $550,000 will be needed to send the men's team to the 2006 World Championship Qualifiers in Barbados.