The Office of the Prime Minister has stepped forward and boosted this year's T&T Volleyball Federation Premier Division men and women competitions which take place in November and December, to the tune of $150,000 as the government demonstrates the importance of highlighting sport.
According to Daymien Stewart, Vice President of the T&TVF, the women's competition will take place from Tuesday, November 26 to 30 while men will do battle from December 15 to 22.
Stewart, a past president of the local federation as well noted that this year's staging of the event will once again feature some of the best athletes in the Americas playing for local clubs with the semifinals and finals to be televised to 27 countries around the Americas.
He added, "The TTVF’s team is hard at work to acquire the necessary sponsorship for the showpiece event, and several sponsors are considering the venture.
"I also believe a television deal would be an attractive possibility for sponsors, while the TTVF is currently reviewing a contract and working feverishly to raise a further $290,000 to balance its budget.
Meanwhile, the local volleyball season will serve off with its indoor season on Saturday at the National Cycling Centre, Balmain, Couva from 8 am with its much anticipated two-day Development Festival.
Stewart, who also serves as chairman of volleyball’s Sports Organizing Commission promised a very exciting season in 2019 saying, "the average volleyball athlete just wants to play, and play they will.”
This season will have activities for all volleyball levels starting with the two-day festival which is expected to feature over 300 participants playing in nine categories; Open Men and Women for Novices, Under-14 mixed gender, Cadets Boys and Girls (Under-17 & Under-16), Youth Boys and Girls (Under-19 & Under-18) and the much-anticipated Juniors Men and Women (Under-21 & Under-20).
Among the clubs expected to be represented are Glamorgan, Big South East Port-of-Spain (SEPoS), West Side Stars, West Side Trendsetters, La Cura Sport, Challengers, Central Bank, Zenith, Toco Youths, Milat (Defence Force), Police, Troopers, University of Southern Caribbean (USC), and Technocrats.
The Development Festival will be followed by the Super League A & B Divisions which will begin on Tuesday, October 15 until Sunday, November 17.
Stewart noted that the Super League A Division is the highest level for local volleyball and the Super League B Division was designed to encourage Businesses and Education Institutes to get involved.