COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 30, 2017) – USA Volleyball is proud to have history-making individuals appointed to key North America, Central America and Caribbean (NORCECA) commissions with the addition of U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Head Coach Bill Hamiter as the first sitting volleyball representative to the Technical and Coaches Commission and USAV Board of Director Sue Mailhot as the first woman appointed to the Referee Commission.
“USA Volleyball remains committed to diversity and inclusion throughout our leadership, and our NORCECA commission appointments certainly reflect that,” USA Volleyball Board Chair Lori Okimura said. “We are lucky to have individuals on staff and in our volunteer leadership who are willing to contribute their time, expertise and passion for beach, indoor and sitting volleyball.”
Further, USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Jamie Davis was chosen to serve on the Sports Organizing Commission. In total, USA Volleyball is honored to have 17 individuals appointed to various NORCECA Commissions.
Hamiter, who recently led the U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team to its first gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games, has been a pioneering coach in sitting volleyball and also influenced hundreds of indoor volleyball players and coaches of all ages and levels. He started coaching sitting volleyball without ever seeing a match but relying on his coaching experience from the indoor game. Hamiter served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team from 2001 to 2010. He guided the program to gold at the 2003 Parapan American Games and then coached Team USA to a program-best sixth place at the 2004 Paralympic Games.
“I am humbled and excited to be nominated and accepted to be a part of the NORCECA Technical and Coaches Commission,” Hamiter said. “I look forward to representing USA Volleyball and serving with highly respected coaches from the confederation. This is an amazing opportunity to represent all three disciplines of volleyball but especially sitting. This appointment shows NORCECA’s efforts in developing the sitting discipline even though it is not the sitting volleyball zonal governing body. I am honored to be one of the first, if not the first, sitting volleyball coaches to be named to a FIVB confederation commission. I look forward to getting up to speed and contributing however I can.”
Mailhot, who also serves commissioner of USA Volleyball’s Great Plains Region since 1997, holds certifications for USAV National Scorekeeper (1986-present) and USAV International Scorekeeper for indoor and beach (1995-present). She has been a USAV National Referee since 1991 and was a USAV National Beach Referee from 2000-2006. Among her top roles for USA Volleyball events include serving as assistant tournament director at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships (2010-present), indoor volleyball scorekeeper for the 1996 Olympic Games, Rules Testing Commission representative (2004-2008) and head referee and referee coordinator for the USA Volleyball Show Me Qualifier (2009-present).
“What an honor this is to be the first female appointed to the NORCECA Referee Commission,” Mailhot said. “When I initially accepted this position, I had no idea that women had not previously served on this commission. USA Volleyball gives so many opportunities to women officials at all levels, so I hope with my previous officiating experience, I can contribute in some way to this very important volleyball commission. I am excited to participate on this commission with some of the most successful volleyball referees in the world as more opportunities are given to women in all aspects of volleyball.”
NORCECA’s other commissions will be well-represented by Americans as well. Davis joins USA Volleyball’s Senior Manager of National Team Events and Sponsorships Melissa Weymouth on the Sport Organizing Commission. Lori Okimura, chair of USA Volleyball’s Board of Directors, will continue to serve as the president of the Marketing Commission. John Kessel will continue as the secretary of the Development Commission. The Beach Commission has USAV Director of Beach National Programs Sean Scott and Stephen Owen.
Hamiter joins Cecile Reynaud and Pat Powers on the Technical and Coaches’ Commission. Dr. Andrew Gregory will serve as the secretary for the Medical Commission and work alongside Dr. William Briner as both return to the commission. The Referee Commission has Americans Doug Wilson and newcomer Sue Mailhot, who also serves on the USA Volleyball Board of Directors as the Officials’ director. The Press Commission returns USA Volleyball communication staffers Bill Kauffman and B.J. Evans, while the Statistics and VIS Commission also returns Monica Paul and Nate Ngo.
- Sport Organizing Commission: Jamie Davis, Melissa Weymouth
- Beach Volleyball: Sean Scott, Stephen Owen
- Technical and Coaches Commission: Bill Hamiter, Pat Powers, Cecile Reynaud
- Development Commission: John Kessel (Secretary)
- Referee Commission: Sue Mailhot, Doug Wilson
- Medical Commission: Dr. Andrew Gregory (Secretary), Dr. William Briner
- Press Commission: Bill Kauffman, B.J. Evans
- Marketing Commission: Lori Okimura (President)
- Statistics and VIS Commission: Monica Paul, Nate Ngo
“USA Volleyball is honored to have so many outstanding leaders serving on NORCECA commissions,” Davis said. “This is a reflection of the quality of work our staff and lay leaders put into growing the sport of volleyball, not only in the United States, but in our zone and around the world. It is wonderful to see NORCECA taking a leadership role in advancing sitting volleyball by adding Bill Hamiter to the Technical and Coaches Commission, along with Sue Mailhot to the Referee Commission with her background as a certified international scorekeeper. I, myself, am humbled to be asked to join the Sports Organizing Commission in helping to develop quality events in our zone.”
The primary role of each commission is to make proposals to the NORCECA Board of Administration and the Executive Committee.