ST JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, October 27, 2024: Female referees- Monique Martis and Chesley Augustine Antigua inked their names in the annals of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA), when they were the two who officiate in the 2024 Men’s Final.
The historic occasion came in Senior Men’s Championships at the YMCA Sports Complex, as it was the first that two female referees were officiating in a Men’s gold medal match.
Delighted that they were part of a first, they expressed their views with a sense of gratitude, humility and honour.
Monique Martis
“It felt very honouring, because in my ten years as a referee, it is the first time I was actually paired up with another female, so that was a happy moment for me”, Martis said.
Martis however revealed that she felt some jitters knowing the importance of the match, its intensity and the raucous crowd.
“Once the match started and I did what I had to do, everything got easy, I felt calm and relaxed. All in all, it was a great honour and we both enjoyed and we did what we had to do at our best”, Martis commented
Chesley Augustine
“I am honoured, this is the second time refereeing a Men’s Final. The progress is there and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this historic accomplishment”, she related.
Not moved by the magnitude of a Men’s Final, Augustine said she kept her poise.
“You are in Antigua and Barbuda, home country, you know everyone was there for the home team, but I was not overawed by what was going on around me, because I had to concentrate on the match, shut out the noises and do the best in the most impartial manner”, she commented.
Augustine, who has two years of refereeing under her belt, noted that she never envisaged herself in that position.
Augustine who recently captained the St Marteen team in the women’s segment of the 2024 Senior ECVA Championships, revealed: “I always wanted to be a player, but I now realize that age and the body is not keeping up, so am pursuing a different direction in Volleyball”.
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