The first season of the island’s beach volleyball youth sport came to an exciting end on 18 July.
With great anticipation and feisty competition, the seven teams showed off their polished spikes, bumps, and blocks hoping to defeat their fellow classmates.
Vibe 98.9 even showed up to provide a live broadcast, hoping to help out their team, the Vibe Powa Slam.
The Spin Ballaz took home the opening season title, defeating a very strong Goldfield Empire squad led by team captain Travis Webb and co-captain Johann Josephs. Webb commented after the game, “I thought the entire tournament was a great experience and fun all around. It was a disappointing loss, but our team played very well and should be proud”.
Coach Fareed Hosein refereed the games and was impressed with the progress these players had made.
“The level of play is quite high, and the players quickly learned the finer points of the game. It was fun coaching and taking part in this inaugural beach volleyball league put on by Cayman Sports Authority,” said the coach.
Spin Ballaz Captain Maggie Greenwood was ecstatic after her team’s victory. She was also named the tournament’s most sportsmanlike player. Brennan Ebanks, the team’s star player, was named the tournament’s top male player for his stellar performance over the past eight weeks. His performance was crucial to the Ballaz taking the league’s top honours.
As the day came to a close, Coach Carl Brenton shared his reflections of the initial season: “The programme was a lot of fun for the coaches and the kids. I was very happy with the great attitudes that the kids had and how much fun they had playing. We have some really gifted athletes in the program and I hope that they want to keep playing next season.”
Being crowned champion of the beach was not the only honour the teams were vying for. Cayman Sports Authority, the tournament organizers, donated a $1,000 cash prize that was not tied to the teams’ athletic abilities.
Winning the championship game did not count towards this prize. To compete, teams earned points by having teammates and family members clean up West Bay Cemetery Beach. Additional points were earned by having as many friends & family post comments on individual team pages provided by www.csa.ky.
At the end of the day, it was Vibe Powa Slam that earned the most points and the coveted prize.
The inaugural season for Cayman Sports Authority’s High School Beach Volleyball League was part of a test phase for CSA’s upcoming School Fitness Program. The programme’s goals were definitely achieved: create activities that get kids active, excited and involved. Over the past eight weeks, these teenagers supported their teams, got active, and helped on community projects.
Cayman Sports Authority and the Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation plan to expand the second season to include other high school this winter.
Ray Singh, Athletic Director of King’s Sports Centre and Cayman Sports Authority, “thoroughly enjoyed watching the final week of the season. The kids had a blast, and that was the whole point. We’re looking forward to being able to operate programs very similar to the Paramount High School Beach Volleyball League in the fall, with the introduction of the new school fitness program. Our fitness-based sports model will go miles towards offering Cayman’s kids healthier options. Thanks again to the Paramount Group for their support. They have helped to pave the way for a brighter Cayman.”
Cayman Sports Authority and the Cayman Islands Parks & Recreation Department would like to thank the following participants who helped with the clean-up: Maggie Greenwood, Kimberly Carlos, Taylor Clarke-Wint, Sheyla Torres, Kenrick McField, Mitchell Forbes, Nassaria Thompson, Kristoff Powell, Esther Ebanks, Robert Jackson, Devin Ebanks, Nicholas Douce, Ackiel Williams, & Brian Espino.
