USAV Hosts First Day of NORCECA Meetings

Bill Kauffman
Associate Director, Communications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 29, 2011) – The NORCECA Board of Administration and Executive Committee three-day session commenced Friday morning at the Cheyenne Mountain Resorts in Colorado Springs, Colo., the headquarter city for USA Volleyball.

During the meeting, the NORCECA Board of Administration will hear 2010 activity reports of the four zonal associations within NORCECA, along with reports from NORCECA Commissions (Finance, Beach Volleyball, Sport Organizing, Marketing, Legal, Press and Mass Media, Statistics and VIS, Refereeing, Development/Technical and Coaches, Medical). The four NORCECA zones will also present their respective program of activities for the upcoming year. Similarly, continental and intercontinental organizers of 2011 NORCECA events will make presentations to the NORCECA Board of Administration. The NORCECA Board of Administration will also discuss the upcoming 21st NORCECA Congress set for Oct. 3-10, 2011, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

On the eve of the opening day of meetings, members of the NORCECA Board of Administration and Executive Committee were part of a Welcome Reception attended by USA Volleyball and United States Olympic Committee staff members.

“We are honored and very proud to host these meetings in collaboration with U.S. Olympic Committee and NORCECA Confederation,” USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal said in welcoming members of NORCECA Executive Committee and Board of Administration and the staff of NORCECA during the opening ceremony. “We have worked very hard in the organization and I hope we can meet all your expectations.”

Among the highlights on the opening day was presentation of the 2010 NORCECA activities, Zonal Association reports and discussion of the NORCECA Development Plan.

“NORCECA has 41 National Federations and regional members, and only six National Federations are at Level III and IV,” NORCECA President Mr. Cristobal Marte Hoffiz said. “We are going to receive 30 percent more in developmental funds from FIVB to help improve the structure and performance of these other 35 National Federations that are Level I and II, and we will see many surprises in the future from those countries with a lot of talented athletes. It is my belief that the stronger that our National Federations and Regional Members get, the stronger NORCECA gets. This is not a dream, this is a reality. I am very enthusiastic. We have to continue working, continue progressing. There is a lot of work and room for improvement. With all the support you here in Colorado Springs today, we can do it.”

“We are very honored to be involved in NORCECA,” said USA Volleyball Chief Executive Director Doug Beal, who serves on the Board of Administration for both FIVB and NORCECA. “We are moving quickly in many directions, much faster than some other confederations. We are setting examples in many areas such as beach volleyball and development.”

“FIVB approved NORCECA’s increase in development funds based on Mr. Marte’s success in implementing NORCECA’s development plan and the positive progress made from these programs,” said Ms. Marta Centeno de Sajche of Guatemala. She currently serves as an FIVB executive vice president.

Following Ms. Centeno Sajche’s AFECAVOL zonal association, Marte Hoffiz applauded her and AFECAVOL for the willingness and desire to develop volleyball in the Central America zone. He said AFECAVOL is a great role model for NORCECA’s other zonal associations.

Marte Hoffiz mentioned that the CAZOVA zone is a vital part of NORCECA with 14 members in the Caribbean. All members inside CAZOVA are now ranked among the world’s top 100 teams, which had zero teams in the top 100 when it started.

The ECVA is the youngest zone of NORCECA with 13 members, and Marte Hoffiz applauded the zone’s quick success. “NORCECA will continue to provide resources to ECVA because it is the youngest,” he said. “We will provide all the necessary support, and ask in return only that ECVA continues to do things to improve. I take my hat off for all of ECVA’s achievements in its three years.”

Other highlights on the first day were the NORCECA Beach Commission presentation, a developmental proposal which would expand the beach tour to allow all 41 National Federations access to the circuit, the NORCECA Development investments that equaled $1,850,911 from 2007 to 2010 – including 55 percent of that total in 2010 alone and the 2014 FIVB World Championship calendar schedule.

Tags: Doug Beal, FIVB, FIVB Club World Championship, FIVB World Championship, NORCECA