KINGSTON, Jamaica, February 9, 2024.- Jamaica has been named as the hosts of the 2024 Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) U19 Boys and Girls Championships. The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 5, 2024, and will unfold at the prestigious G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
The confirmation of Jamaica as the host country and the specified dates came through a letter from CAZOVA President Mushtaque Mohammed, as revealed by the Jamaica Volleyball Association (JAVA) in a press release on Thursday.
“It was a very simple choice,” said Mushtaque Mohammed. “Jamaica is one of the national federations who sent in a bid to host, and the bid was very much completed in terms of meeting all the requirements”.
“They have met the requirements in terms of having a facility, they have provided a schedule and a timeline for all the activities that would take place and that particular venue, GC Foster, has a history of hosting previous Caribbean volleyball events”, he added.
Jacqueline Cowan, president of the Jamaica Volleyball Association (JAVA), said that Jamaica’s bid being accepted by CAZOVA is a significant decision for the association as it provides a massive opportunity for the development of volleyball in Jamaica.
Cowan explained that JAVA will be hoping that this year’s tournament will be the perfect platform for the under-19 teams to make that next step in their careers.
“It is significant for us because we’re always trying to ensure that people are aware of our sport,” she explained. “Bringing it to Jamaica will give the public the opportunity to come to GC Foster and see the development that is taking place with our youngsters and will also see how we can transition the U19 team to the next age-group competition, so we’re quite pleased to be able to host it.”
This marks a significant milestone for Jamaica as it marks the first international volleyball event to be hosted since the onset of the global pandemic.
Jamaica has a rich history of hosting successful volleyball events, having previously organized the CAZOVA U18 Girls and U19 Boys Championships in 2019 at the G.C. Foster College. The Senior Women’s CAZOVA Championship took place in 2017 at the National Indoor Sports Centre, while the CAZOVA U19 Boys Championship in 2015, held at G.C. Foster saw Jamaica emerging as champions, securing the nation’s first-ever international volleyball title at any level.
The Caribbean Island has also been a host for high-profile beach volleyball events, including the Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualification in 2015 and 2016, as well as the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tournaments in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
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