114 participants in basic coaches course in Dominican Republic

114 participants in basic coaches course in Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, March 22, 2014 – The Dominican Republic National Volleyball Federation is running a national coaches course with 114 participants from the 32 provinces of the country.

The three-day course is organized in collaboration with the NORCECA/FIVB Regional Development Center in Santo Domingo with the support of NORCECA Confederation.

The course, focused on coaching’s basics is under the direction of Ariel Sainz of Cuba, assisted by Wilson Sanchez and Cristian Cruz of the Dominican Republic.

Sainz has the experience as coach of junior and youth teams in his native Cuba and also coached the Dominican men’s senior team. Both Sanchez and Cabral are currently assistant coaches for the Dominican women’s senior squad.

“We have exceeded our expectations with the number of participants and that is a good sign of growth and how our sport has its place in our society,” Ramon Garcia, President of the Dominican Federation, said during his welcoming words on Friday. “We need to spread the sport throughout the country and today we are planting the seeds towards that goal.”

Garcia remarked the participation of a considerable number of females, including several former members of the Dominican Republic National Team like Kenia Moreta, Juana Gonzalez, Juana Savinon and Larissa Reyes.

NORCECA President Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, who is also vice president of the national federation, expressed his satisfaction about the course drawing interest from all over the country.

“We need to expand the sport covering the whole country in order to maintain and improve the level we have attained in the women’s ranking for a significant period of years,” Marte Hoffiz said. “And also translate that progress to the men’s ranks.”

The opening ceremony was attended by Gerardo Suero, vice minister of sports, Nelly Manuel Doñe, representing the Dominican Olympic Committee, as well as Nelson Ramirez, director of the Development Center and members of the national federation.