Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport
Jamaica's captain Traceyann Pryce (left), and Paula-Ann Porter-Jones who blocks against Belinda Francis of the Cayman Islands during their Caribbean zone volleyball qualifier at the National Arena in April. Pryce will lead the Riddim Girlz, who depart today for the IV Pan Am Volleyball Cup in the Dominican Republic. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMAICA'S RIDDIM Girls will make the short hop today over to the Dominican Republic, where the team will make its debut appearance at a Pan American volleyball tournament.
This one is the IV Pan American Volleyball Cup which starts today and runs through to June 19, where the Girls are going to face some very tough assignments as several of the teams drawn in Zone B among who they will play are world class.
Topping that list are the number three ranked United States, neighbouring Cuba, ranked number five and Canada, rated at number 23.
The other teams in the group are Mexico (No.30) and Barbados (No.40).
The rankings speak to the difficulty that will be experienced by the number 47 ranked Riddim Girls at this tournament, where they are seeking invaluable practice for the World Championship qualifiers in the same country in August.
Coach Ortnel Findlay holds no illusions of securing an unlikely title now.
"We don't expect to win the competition, but we expect to put up a good fight against the rest of the teams," he told The Gleaner in a telephone interview yesterday afternoon.
"Cuba, the USA and Canada are world class teams ... we aren't as exposed as those countries," he explained.
Having adopted that position, Findlay pointed to their goal at the tournament.
"It's to develop our level of volleyball and to see how well we can compete with the best in the world."
GOOD FIGHT
He did make one promise though, saying: "We know we're going to put up a good fight against the Canadians."
Continuing the Jamaica coach, whose team serves off against the US on Friday, thinks their real chance of a win will come against Barbados, who beat them for the Caribbean title in the final last year.
"It will be an interesting match because when we went to the Caribbean championships they beat us because they had the crowd support," Findlay reasoned. "But this time we're on neutral grounds so I expect to beat them there."
There is one change to the original 12-member squad named, Naima Stennett, who replaces Avaniki Campbell.
Campbell was forced to withdraw because of school commitments.
The squad is: Tracyann Pryce, Ptamony Fletcher, Natalee Carty, Romaine McNeill, Claudia Miller, Cherine Richards, Kamille Dwyer, Cheryl Daley, Shanique Sterling, Najwa Pagon, Shedeiky Hamilton and Stennett.
Jeniffer Evans is head of delegation, with Findlay (head coach), his assistant Oneil Ebanks and trainer Steve Davis completing the list of officials.
