BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – After competing on the regional circuit for more than a year, the Federation’s junior male volleyball team recently received exciting news: it has qualified for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, which will be held in Asunción, Paraguay, from July 11-20, 2025.
This marks the first time that a team from St. Kitts and Nevis will compete in the tournament, a milestone for local volleyball and male athletic development.
In a media statement, the St. Kitts-Nevis Volleyball Association (SKNAVA) announced the qualification, explaining that the nation was represented by the beach volleyball pair of Clerique Ward and Julian Bristol during the North America, Central America, and Caribbean (NORCECA) Volleyball Confederation U23 Tour, held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The duo showcased talent and determination throughout the tournament.
Although they did not claim the top spot, they accumulated enough points from this and other competitions to secure a spot in the Paraguay Games.
Rick Swan, Head Coach of the local volleyball programme, congratulated the players, calling the achievement a major milestone for the Federation’s athletes. “This achievement is a milestone for athletes in the St. Kitts and Nevis Federation,” Swan stated. It is not only a first for the territory but also for the sport on the island.
Swan noted that the U23 athletes have demonstrated dedication and commitment to training., emphasizing that they have worked hard up to this point and are excited for the challenge that lies ahead, as they prepare to compete against top junior beach volleyball players in the Americas next year.
Ward and Bristol will represent the Federation at the beach volleyball tournament, flying the national flag.
According to the SKNAVA, St. Kitts and Nevis is the only English-speaking Caribbean nation to qualify for volleyball at the Games. The Federation joins a distinguished group of qualifiers from the NORCECA Confederation, which includes the USA, Cuba, Costa Rica, Canada, and Nicaragua.
Glenn Quinlan, President of the St. Kitts Amateur Volleyball Association (SKAVA), praised the players, emphasizing that the qualification reflects both the athletes’ dedication and the local programme’s development efforts.
"This qualification is trstimony to the hard work of the players and also indicative of the commitment of the local association to develop young talents," remarked the president.
Quinlan, who also serves as an executive member of the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Committee (SKNOC), expressed confidence that with the continued support of the Committee, the team could achieve even greater success in the future.
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