NMIVA players ready for Jam Attack, Mini Games

With little more than three months remaining before they depart for overseas competition, the beach volleyball players that will be representing the CNMI in the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Palau this July and August plan to assemble following this weekend’s Jam Attack to train as a team.

According to the men’s top point qualifier Kitinan Intharaluk of the Pacific Islands Club, both men’s and women’s teams will coordinate their training following this weekend’s fundraising event at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium in Oleai.

“We still need to try to raise the necessary money to make the trip, and after we help out with the Jam Attack I will be contacting all of the players and coaches to help coordinate our efforts so that we can be ready together,” he said.

Intharaluk finished atop the list of aspiring players with 67 points, while his teammate for the Mini Games Donn Dunlop finished the circuit with 54. On the women’s side, Mili Saiki of Saipan International School bested the field of 20 female finishers with 50 points through four of the five possible qualifying tournaments, while her teammate Melissa Halaby was right behind with 48 points.

The women’s third-place finisher, Laurie Peterka, ended up four points shy of making the trip as a starting player, but the veteran volleyballer will still join the team to Palau as a coach and an alternate in Palau.

Men’s third-place finisher Gabriel White wound up with 46 points when all of the events were completed, but he will be able to lend some words of wisdom to the team as well due to his status as a basketball referee.

While the Northern Marianas Islands Volleyball Association will be responsible for half of each players’ expenses, the individuals will still have to come up with the remaining portion of the cost to compete. Aside from the Jam Attack this weekend, the players have yet to release their fundraising plans, but acknowledged that they will in the coming weeks.

The 15th Annual Jam Attack takes the reins off of all the high-flying six-on-six action returns this Saturday, March 19, and continues on Sunday, March 20, when some of the best men’s and women’s teams bump, set, and spike their way toward championship trophies. The deadline to enter the Jam Attack is today, and the registration fee for the event is $100 per team.

“The competition will be up because of Guam coming, so with everyone playing against each other out here it’s good to get an idea of how we’ll fare against off island talent,” said NMIVA vice president Taula Peter.

For more information about the 15th Annual Jam Attack, contact Peter by calling 322-9263 or via email at lebwel007@hotmail.com or Jon Cramer by calling 235-6231 ext. 5147/8 or via email at jon@picsaipan.com.