Former Regi star takes his talents to Jamaican team

from the Kingston Whig Standard
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1558782

VOLLEYBALL: Parrish Offer, fresh off his first season as a pro player in Denmark, will play at world championship qualifier
Posted By MIKE KOREEN

For Parrish Offer, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

When the Regiopolis-Notre Dame graduate was told there was a chance he could represent Jamaica in international volleyball competition, the local lad might as well have said, 'Ya, mon' on the spot.

The well-spoken, Oshawaborn, Kingston-raised young fellow, who just returned from his first professional season in Denmark, recently received his Jamaican citizenship (his mother, Pat, was born in the Caribbean country).

Next week, Offer, 24, is off to the other Kingston -- in Jamaica -- to play for the country in a world championship qualifying tournament, where many family members will see the McMaster University product bumping, setting and spiking for the first time.

"The thing I'm happiest about is a whole side of family gets to see me play," Offer said yesterday during a quick trip back to his old stomping ground -- the Regi gym.

"They've only seen pictures and videos. Just the opportunity for them to see me play is really special. Having a Jamaican flag on my chest makes it all that much better (for them)."

While the proud Canadian would love to represent Canada one day, Offer admits he's not under serious consideration to play on this country's national team.

Canada is ranked 21st in the world, while Jamaica is 66th.

"I know my limitations," Offer said. "I'm not at that level (of the Canadian team), I know where I am. This is a good way for me to go get some good international experience. Plus, I get to go to Jamaica for free."

Just before he left for Denmark in September, Dave Preston, Offer's coach at McMaster University in Hamilton, told him about a former player of his who played internationally in the Caribbean because of family ties and suggested he look into the possibility.

So Offer contacted the Jamaican Volleyball Association, who didn't take long to warm up to the Canadian after examining his resume.

Offer completed his requirements for citizenship while in Denmark and finally got the green light to come down less than two weeks ago.

Offer is travelling with his girlfriend and will receive free airfare, accommodation and food.

"I'm going in completely not knowing (what to expect in terms of competition)," Offer said of a six-country competition that includes the Cayman Islands, Haiti and Mexico, St. Lucia and the Bahamas.

The top two teams advance to the next round of world championship qualifying in Cuba later this summer.

"I'm expecting to contribute very well," Offer said. "I was just want to give them a little bit of international experience, playing at a high level."

That experience came in the top league in Denmark this past season, playing for Middelfart. The team, which advanced to league semifinal play, featured two other Canadians, a Brazilian, a Norwegian and a Japanese coach.

"We had all the continents covered," Offer said with a smile. "We communicated in English, but there was a little bit of broken English here and there."

Offer, who also coached a couple of girls teams for the club while he was in Denmark, has a contract offer to return next season, though he's exploring the market before marking a final decision.

Offer enjoyed his time in Denmark -- crowds were usually in the hundreds -- and also travelled to the Netherlands and Spain.

"It was a really good learning experience," he said. "It took me a little while to adjust. The game is a little bigger and a little faster (than the university game in Canada).

"It was a great place to get started."