U.S. to Host 2010 Sitting World Championships

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 7, 2009) — USA Volleyball, the University of Central Oklahoma and U.S. Paralympics will join forces to host the World Organization Volleyball Disabled (WOVD) 2010 Sitting World Championships on July 11-18 in the UCO Hamilton Field House in Edmond, Okla. UCO is an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site.

The competition is expected to bring approximately 640 athletes and coaches from 40 men’s and women’s national teams from around the world to Edmond. The competition will serve as a qualifier for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

“We are very excited about this event and look forward to working with UCO and U.S. Paralympics to make it a world-class tournament,” USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal said. “UCO’s commitment to our U.S. men’s and women’s sitting teams has been great and we look forward to sharing that support and hospitality.”

Bill Hamiter, who serves as head coach and high performance director for the U.S. Sitting Volleyball Teams, looks forward to having a home-court advantage for his teams. The men’s and women’s teams that place in the top three at the Sitting World Championships will automatically qualify for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

“Having it here at UCO, we feel like will have a good home fan base,” Hamiter said. “Hopefully the crowds will help us as well.”

Hamiter also hopes the tournament will provide greater visibility and respect for the sport of sitting volleyball in the United States.

“Those that know volleyball, when they see (sitting volleyball) played, will not only be amazed at the quality of play, but will also say, ‘We thought standing volleyball was difficult, we ought to try this.’”

Day passes to the competition will be $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets will go on sale at a yet to be determined date in spring 2010.

UCO became an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training site in July 2009. The university is an Olympic training site in the sports of volleyball and archery and can train any Paralympic sport. The university currently hosts 11 resident Paralympic athletes in the sports of sitting volleyball, archery and track & field.

UCO is the official training site for the U.S. Women’s National Sitting Volleyball team, which won silver at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing as well as gold at the 2009 EuroCup in Roermond, Netherlands. The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team won the silver medal at the 2007 Parapan American Games and just missed qualifying for the 2008 Paralympic Games.

More information on the competition can be found at www.2010Worlds.com. For more information on the 2010 Sitting Volleyball Worlds contact Leigha Joiner at (405) 974-3160 or ljoiner1@uco.edu.

Tags: Bill Hamiter, Central Oklahoma, Sitting Volleyball, World Championships