Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Volleyball Association (ZVA) says one of its mandates in 2020 is to uplift beach volleyball and sitting volleyball.
ZVA held its annual general meeting in Bubi District over the last weekend attended by eight provincial chairpersons and their deputies to draw up the association’s calendar of events.
Zimbabweans are generally exposed to the more formal 6-a-side version of volleyball, but beach volleyball and sitting volleyball are growing in popularity both as recreational and competitive sports.
Beach volleyball is mainly played in Harare where it took root after an exhibition at the Zimbabwe National Youth Games in Marondera in 2010. Sitting volleyball, also known as Paralympic volleyball, is a form of volleyball for athletes that are physically challenged.
Speaking after the three-day AGM, ZVA secretary-general Tawanda Sithole said: “We had eight provinces out of 10 and l think that’s an achievement on its own. The association managed to zoom in on some critical issues that we felt should be ironed out and help us move forward as an association. Even at our continental and international body, FIVB, we have been more or less directed to focus on sitting volleyball and beach volleyball.
“So, this year going forward we are hoping to see a big shift from just the normal 6-a-side volleyball that the general populace is used to. To that we have made few changes to our programme where you will see a lot of beach volleyball activities.
You will note that we have made deliberate efforts to increase not just the occurrence of these beach volleyball competitions, but also the magnitude of the competitions.”
He said they will hold a Presidential Challenge beach volleyball for the first time in May and to introduce sitting volleyball competitions this year. – @innocentskizoe
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