JA START VOLLEYBALL HUNT AGAINST HAITI

by André Lowe, Observer staff reporter lowea@jamaicaobserver.com
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Jamaican senior men's volleyball team will begin their hunt for a place in next year's FIVB Men's World Championship in Italy later this evening when they face neighbours Haiti in their opening game in Group D of Round Two qualifying action at 7:30 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.
The group is completed by qualifier favourites Mexico, St Lucia, Bahamas and Cayman. However, they will only face Haiti and the Cayman Islands in the 'preliminary' round and will then play a knockout game with one of the other teams based on their position after these two games.
The top two teams at the end of the tournament will move on to the next phase of qualifying.
Head coach David Jack, who has experience coaching on the US collegiate circuit, is expecting the number 66-ranked Jamaicans to finish in one of those top two spots and is hoping his charges can take full advantage of playing at home.
Said Jack: "I think our chances are good, just seeing how the team was prepared, their commitment and passion for working really hard and we are playing at home.
"That should count for something; we must let home field advantage pay in our favour. We hope to see a raucous crowd cheering us on. (we are) looking towards that championship game and we hope to be a part of it."
The team which boasts the likes of experienced campaigners such as North American-based Parrish Offer, Andre McLean, Dany Wilson and NORCECA beach volleyball standout Mark Lewis, have been in training since September of last year, and Jack is banking on the expertise of his top players to pull his team through.
"We expect them based on their experience both on and off the court to lend a hand to some of these less experienced players and guide them along the way so that we can see that difference when they step on the court," shared Jack.
He did, however, concede that he knows very little about this evening's opponents as a collective unit, but has information on a few of their top players.
Jack added: "Our first opponent is Haiti; we don't know the entire team well enough but individuals from that team have played in the senior volleyball tournament that have been hosted at GC Foster several times. So in our preparation we have been working on a number of areas that we think are key (for the match-up)."
The Jamaicans will next in action on Friday at 5:00 pm against the Cayman Islands at the same venue.
Team: Robert Andrews, Dellan Brown, Ricardo Chong, Omar Frazer, Namarie Gordon, Collin Henry, Shavoy Irving, Mark Lewis, Andre McLean, Parrish Offer, Delford Morgan, Richard Reynolds, Donovan Richards, Delroy Salmon, Errol Smith, Conaradio Taylor, Dany Wilson.