Coaches Commission Committed to Development

and Knowledge Transmission

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 1, 2025. – The NORCECA Technical and Coaches Commission held its virtual meeting focused on coach development and knowledge transmission, aiming to strengthen volleyball within the NORCECA Confederation.

NORCECA President, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, highlighted in his welcome speech the importance of the commission’s role and its members in fostering the growth of volleyball in the region. “Our Confederation has greatly supported the efforts of the FIVB Empowerment Program, a highly significant plan for strengthening national teams.”

During the meeting, strategic plans for 2025 and 2026 were discussed, focusing on increasing support and equipment for the National Federations most in need. Additionally, the necessity of developing national teams and coaching programs was emphasized, encouraging coaches to complete Level 1 and 2 courses, especially women. This aligns with the new FIVB regulation that, starting in 2026, will require all national women’s teams to include at least one female member in their coaching staff for international championships.

The commission’s president, Francisco Cruz Jiménez, underscored the importance of active participation from all members to address key issues and continue raising the level of volleyball in NORCECA. Cruz highlighted the need to evaluate the relationship between investment and performance in competitions, promoting an effective assessment of the impact of development programs.

The challenges faced by National Federations in various zonal associations were recognized, as well as the need to find sustainable solutions to overcome them. Among the recommendations was conducting a country-specific diagnostic of what needs to be implemented, evaluating its execution, and periodically reviewing its effectiveness.

A key discussion point was the implementation of the “Coach-to-Coach” program, designed to assess each federation’s needs and ensure proper execution through periodic reviews.

Mushtaque Mohammed, NORCECA Vice President and President of the FIVB Development Commission, stressed that the solution does not lie solely in coach training but also in improving governance within National Federations. Additionally, Mohammed emphasized the importance of efficient management in National Federations, as proper governance is crucial for the success of development programs in all aspects of the sport.

Mohammed elaborated on the idea that, besides technical training, coaches should incorporate athlete education into their development programs, define investment strategies, and work in collaboration with National Olympic Committees and local governments.

The session also included discussions on implementing training courses for coaches through the NORCECA-FIVB Regional Development Center in Santo Domingo. The need to offer refresher seminars for Level 3 coaches and to restore specialized clinics, which had been part of NORCECA programs in previous years, was also addressed.

The meeting featured the participation of John Kessel from the United States, a member of the commission, and NORCECA Vice President and Volleyball Canada President Mark Eckert, who shared experiences on empowerment programs. Kessel referenced the “Let’s Keep the Ball Flying” and “Volleyball Foundation” initiatives, which drive social development worldwide, leveraging the power of volleyball to tackle social imbalances and bring about positive social change. Meanwhile, Mark Eckert highlighted that Canada’s women’s volleyball program has benefited from the FIVB Empowerment Program, a model that helped improve their world ranking from 18th to 8th place in just four years.

Finally, Marte Hoffiz expressed his satisfaction with the session’s outcomes, noting that several proposals will be presented to the NORCECA Board of Administration for consideration. In his closing remarks, he stated, “Above all, there must be a strong will to ensure that coaching education programs and all aspects of development achieve the results we aim for.”