-says coach
The national junior girls volleyball team will be looking to avenge their two loses at the Inter Guiana Games 2011, and according to the coach Randy Adams, they are primed and ready to do exactly that next month.
Adams told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview that he believes that the girls’ team has come a far way after their third place finish in the three-team IGG tournament in Suriname last year. He added that the players have developed a better understanding of the game and they should be capable of doing the home crowd proud when the tournament is held here in Guyana November 2nd -4th.
“I would say that this year’s team has a better chance of winning. They have grown. Last year they were fresh but this year they got the understanding,” Adams said.
According to the coach, it was a major plus for the team that nearly all of the players who played in last year’s edition of the tournament stayed committed and trained throughout the year. Those same players are still eligible and will be competing again at the IGG next month. Adams also stated that the team includes just about one of two fresh players but they have already grooved in the squad. With a team comprising primarily second and third year IGG players, Adams said that there was not much of a need to focus on technique in training.
“The technique is there, most of them already know the basics so this year we just had to get them to understand the game better and try to practice more and more so that it becomes part of them,” Adams added.
The core group of players on this year’s team include Sheereda Gafoor, Jana Edghill, Krystal Sukra, Kryta Amy Yan, Nikita Samaroo, Allana Bose, Giselle Fernandes, Natasha Skeete, Sheene Subrattie, Tomala Felix, Kathleen Victor and Cynthia Harris.
Additionally, Adams also stated that the teams will be working on game systems as they enter the final weeks of preparation before the tri-nation tournament. The team will be engaging some of the senior female players in a few practice games as well as some of the younger players from Adams’ club Young Achievers Volleyball Club to aid in the preparation. The team practices on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at the National Gymnasium.
