THE Bermuda Volleyball Association (BVA) has got into the spirit of giving this Christmas season by donating sporting equipment the group has received to local schools. The BVA presented Berkeley Institute, Warwick Academy, Bermuda High School for Girls, Saltus, and Cedarbridge Academy with a sizeable selection of new volleyball equipment to use in each of their volleyball programmes for girls. The donation included indoor volleyballs, net antennae, linesman flags, indoor nets, scoreboard flipcharts, ball pumps and ball carts. With more than 100 girls in high school programmes across the island and that number growing all the time, the equipment is welcomed.

The BVA received the equipment via the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), which is a non-profit organisation that governs, manages, and promotes the sport of volleyball.

While Bermuda's association, which has close to 750 members, could have chosen to keep the equipment for themselves, the group decided to focus on reaching one of their overall goals.

"One of the BVA's objectives is to promote the sport of volleyball among Bermuda's youth," said BVA co-president Elisabeth Rae. "What better way to get them involved than to provide them with the equipment needed to get them out playing."

Established in 1975, the organisation has been focused on representing, promoting and developing the sport of volleyball in Bermuda. For the past ten years or so, however, the association is particularly committed to promoting the sport among Bermuda's youth through coaching and refereeing as well as projects such as their Youth Development Programme, a six-week programme teaching volleyball skills to youth aged 14 - 16, and sponsoring the High School Player of the Year award.

This is the second year that the six-week programme has been offered to students - a mixture of both boys and girls. Organised and instructed by several BVA members, the seasonal programme runs from September to December and there are 15 youth currently participating. The group is also contemplating a summer beach programme as well.

"The purpose of the programme is to teach basic fundamentals (underhand pass, overhand pass, spike and serve), proper form, constant movement through anticipation and reading your opponents - technical skills, drills through repetition, repetition, repetition!" said Wendy Gazzard, a director of the association. "Volleyball is the kind of sport where once you master the fundamentals the game becomes more and more interesting because you can then move on to more challenging and advanced plays."

As reported in this paper last week, Bermuda is hosting the 2013 Natwest Island Games and the BVA is looking to build skills among the young players so there can be increased representation by local athletes. Another goal for the group is for Bermudian volleyball players to attend universities on scholarships.

"In addition to trying to get kids to compete at higher levels, the goal is mainly just to get the kids out playing," said Ms Gazzard. "It's a great way to keep them active, to meet other people their age, and to play with kids from other schools."

The BVA also sponsors the annual Boys & Girls High School Player of the Year Award (HSPY), which is decided by the coaches of the high school teams. After each match each coach votes for the best player on the opposing team. The votes are tallied and at the end of the high school season, the player with the most votes wins the award.

"The winner receives a $1,000 scholarship from the BVA to attend an overseas volleyball camp," explained Ms Gazzard. "This year varsity players were eligible for the HSPY award but not for the scholarship. The intention is that players attend the camp and then bring the knowledge they gained back to the island for their varsity year."

This year's Boys winner was Ian Bucci, who plays on the Warwick Academy Varsity team. Since Mr. Bucci is a varsity player, he was not eligible for the scholarship and as a result, Brian Amaro from Mount Saint Agnes took home the prize.

The following players also received Honourable Mention recognition: Deshun Dill from Berkeley Institute, Adrian Pearman from Warwick Academy and Luke Parker from Warwick Academy.

The Girls High School Player of the Year Award will be announced next week when their season finishes for the year.

The association doesn't plan on curbing their interest in the youth of Bermuda anytime soon, says Ms Gazzard.

"As part of the BVA's mission statement and short and long term strategic plans we are trying to grow the sport in Bermuda and identify youth as our best investment."

For more information on the Bermuda Volleyball Association or to contact them about their youth programmes visit www.bermudavolleyball.bm.