FIVB-NORCECA Development Center opens in Baja California

TIJUANA, Mexico, November 3, 2013 - The North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) wrote a new chapter of its history after the official opening of the Regional Development Center Offices in Tijuana, Mexico.

The activity took place at the Baja California High Performance Center where FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça, NORCECA President Cristobal Marte Hoffiz and South American Confederation President Dr. Rafael Lloreda Currea joined former Olympians Mayra Huerta and Cesar Ozuna in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

All the delegates to the XXII NORCECA Congress and Pan American Volleyball Union (UPV) Congress were invited to the ceremony and took a tour around the brand new facilities which are part of a new development plan not only for the countries in the northern hemisphere but for the benefit of the whole American continent.

"This regional center is part of a new era in volleyball,” Marte Hoffiz stated, “and it is not only for the development of our sport in the NORCECA region but it is also for the countries of South America.”

"It is created for the development of talent in the pursuing of high performance and sport excellence," he added.

The Regional Development office in Mexico is part of a joint project with other center like the one currently offering services in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as well other projected in Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago. Nelson Ramirez, the director of the Dominican Republic Center, also attended the ceremony.

Courses and training for coaches will take place at this facilities as well as training camps for teams for national teams that will have the chance to prepare for competitions at the High Performance Center facilities as part of an agreement with the Baja California State Government through the Sports and Physical Culture Institute in charge of managing the sport complex.

"We must be satisfied for this joint effort made possible by the Sports Institute of Baja California, as well as the State University of Baja California," Marte Hoffiz added.

The tour around the facilities was guided by Saul Castro Verdugo, General Director of the Sports State Institute and President of the XXII Congress Organizing Committee, who also showed all the areas of the facilities that are equipped with advanced technology, including meeting and media conference rooms.

The director's office and other working areas are located at these facilities that share space with the Multi-Sport Building that also services to other disciplines like Taekwondo and Fencing.

"We are convinced that the future champions of our confederation will come out of these facilities," said Marte Hoffiz to President Graça while both were surrounded by the delegates to the XXII Congress that concluded on Sunday at Grand Hotel Tijuana.

The Baja California High Performance Center includes the athletes’ village, a dining room, fitness room with all kind of machines and a medical facility for rehabilitation.