Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA MEN'S volleyball team completed their final training session on Saturday ahead of their depature today to Babados, where they will attempt to get to round two of qualification for the 2006 World Volleyball Championships in Puerto Rico in August.
The team will face the Netherland Antilles, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Barbados in a four-nation round one qualification group.
The group winner will qualify.
The task faced is a daunting one as home team Barbados have won the Caribbean Championship over the last six years.
In fact, the first and only time that Jamaica beat Barbados was in the preliminary round of the 1993 Caribbean Championships in Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados later returned to win the championship game against Jamaica.
STIFF COMPETITION
They will also face stiff competition from the Netherland Antilles, who they have seen little of over the past three years, but are known to have a very strong development programme going into the round.
The Netherland Antilles are considered the biggest threat by coach Phillip Greenland as they represent a dangerous unknown factor. In their 2002 qualification bid, the Jamaican team was knocked out in round one in Santo Domingo.
Despite these factors, however, Greenland remains positive and is confident.
"Coming out of the sessions we are happy to have no injuries. We had very good sessions and have accomplished the goals we set out. It is a difficult mission but I believe we are ready."
Facing a daunting task he believes his players are highly motivated and believe in themselves.
"We are doing things that we were not able to do and we are feeling good. The good thing is that we have seen Barbados at their best and we know what we have to do to win."
The team will be called into action on Wednesday when they face the Netherland Antilles at 7:00p.m. On Thursday they will play Barbados at 9:00p.m.
