Trinidad and Tobago’s men’s under-23 volleyball team will contest the eight-team Under-23 Pan American Volleyball Cup hosted by the El Salvador Volleyball Federation at the Carlos El Famoso Hernandez National Indoor Sports Palace in San Salvador, El Salvador from Tuesday, (September 22) until Sunday (September 27).
The T&T squad under the guidance of experienced coaches, Sean Morrison, Essiel Seecharan and T&T Volleyball Federation Technical Director Gideon Dickson features a number of players who have gained senior team experience in the recent past inclusive of Nicholas Williams (captain), Josiah Jankey, Jeremiah Jankey, Jerome Morrison, Jahreef Miguel, Micheal McCarty, Janeiro Atherly, Rayon Dickson, and Michael Burkett.
However, a key absentee will be middle-blocker, Canada-based Ackram Askoul
due to financial constraints with Craig Lawrence taking his place.
T&T will compete in Group B against Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic while USA, Guatemala, Nicaragua and host El Salvador contest Group A.
The T&T squad which arrived in El Salvador will have their first official training session today from 11am before they serve off their campaign tomorrow (Tuesday, September 22) will T&T facing Mexico in their opener followed by matches against Dominican Republic on Wednesday, September 23, and Costa Rica on Thursday, September 24 to end pool play.
At the end of the two groups of round-robin matches, the top team in each pool qualifies straight to the semifinals while the second and third placed teams in each pool meet in cross-over quarterfinals ahead of the semifinals, third place playoff and final.
The losers of the quarterfinals will then meet the two cellar-placed teams in fifth to eighth semifinals ahead of their final playoffs for positions fifth to eight..
Last year, in a thrilling five-set battle, the Dominican Republic was crowned champions after defeating USA 25-23, 21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14 at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.—Nigel Simon
