Bermuda to compete at Florida Challenge

BERMUDA, December 6, 2018 - The Bermuda Volleyball Associations’ Junior National Girls program is sending three teams to Daytona Beach, Florida to compete in the 2018 Florida Holiday Challenge this coming week-end. They will compete under Paradise Hitters Volleyball Club name at this two-day tournament held at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center on December 8th and 9th.  

Bringing three age groups for this valuable experience speaks to how well the program is growing, and this could not be done without our generous sponsors and dedicated coaches. There are 112 teams registered to date from across the US and several other countries for this tournament. All matches will be best of 3, games to 25 and the players will be competing at a high level against other large clubs.  

Paradise Hitters 14 Team

The “Little Hitters” are competing in the USA 14U Division under the team name “Paradise Hitters 14” and are coached by Mike Gazzard and Lisa LeBlanc. As the youngest group, Coach Mike notes that this team is comprised of 5 returning players and 4 new players. “Our goal this tournament is to compete at the highest level possible while further developing the core skills that will continue to make them successful as they rise through the ranks.” Coach Lisa is excited for triumph this weekend – “Not only have we established the training where they are ready to compete, but our athletes have shown significant improvement and drive from last year. With this solid base, the new players have rapidly developed and this experience will propel them to the next level. Competing against high level players in their age bracket means gaining valuable experience which equals success no matter the outcome.” 

Paradise Hitters 16 Team

The “Junior Hitters” are competing in the USA 16U Division under the team name “Paradise Hitters 16” and are coached by Allison Settle-Smith. Coach Allison notes “Our athletes have been more focused, committed and playing at a higher level than I’ve ever seen from our junior volleyball programs in Bermuda. No matter the results, we will come back with experience that will continue to strengthen our teams.”

Paradise Hitters 18 Team

 The “Paradise Hitters” are competing in the USA 18U Division under the team name “Paradise Hitters 18” and are led by Head Coach Gary LeBlanc. Coach Gary is pleased with the growth of the program. Under 18 is the most competitive bracket and he explained “We are extremely excited for this first overseas tournament of the season, which is much earlier than in past seasons, to see where we stack up against the US teams early on. If we keep our errors to a minimum and play consistently, we’re hoping to do well. We have a number of veteran players in their last year and I know they are looking forward to our best season yet. This tournament represents our first step toward that goal”.