Ebanks looks forward to FIVB beach volleyball course
NATIONAL SENIOR women’s team assistant coach O’Neil ‘Starry’ Ebanks said that attending the FIVB Beach Coaching course in the Dominican Republic, which runs from today until next Wednesday, will be beneficial to the development of the sport, locally.
Ebanks was set to depart yesterday for the five-day course, which is being funded by NORCECA, the regional volleyball authority.
“This course means a lot to me not just for personal development, but development in terms of beach volleyball within the country. We are making an impact but would like to take it further than where we are, not just in the Caribbean,” Ebanks told The Gleaner before leaving for the course yesterday.
“We want to take it worldwide. We made it in the juniors at the World Championship and would want to do it in the seniors. Next year is a qualifying year, and we want to see if we can get beach volleyball going,” he said.
“I want to help and develop the programme, so this Level 3 course, which is the highest, will strengthen me with more knowledge in running a beach volleyball programme. We are aspiring to participate in the Olympic Games and at World Championship levels,” Ebanks continued.
“I am looking forward to the course and hope everything goes as expected. It is not going to be an easy course, but I am ready for the challenge,” said Ebanks.
Ebanks said that beach volleyball is a little different from court volleyball but that both are fun.
Ebanks started playing volleyball at Knox College in the 1980s and took up coaching in 1997.
“I first started winning with Wolmer’s Girls in 2000 and won 15 titles out of the overall 22 that Wolmer’s have won,” he noted.