NMIVA looks back on first year

Though people have been playing volleyball in the CNMI for a number of years, the local leaping scene took on a new look under the umbrella of the Northern Marianas Islands Volleyball Association last season when 45 members opted to instill a governing body to the popular sport.

In its first year in the Marianas, NMIVA has sponsored the 13th Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival at the Pacific Islands Club, the Jam Attack indoor volleyball tournament, BSEA/Rudeger Outdoor tournament at Micro Micro Beach, and a series of qualifying tournaments which led to sending Mili Saiki, Melissa Halaby, Nan Intharaluk, and Donn Dunlop to compete in the South Pacific Mini Games in Palau.

With one candle on the cake, NMIVA and its members have accomplished a lot already, but are looking to broaden the horizons of volleyball in the Commonwealth by opening doors to all of the interested diggers and jump servers.

NMIVA Secretary Steve Nguyen said that he fells that NMIVA carries the stigma of a solely outdoor organization while in fact it covers all of the bumpers, setters, and spikers in the sand or on the hard courts. His aim is to get as many players involved in the group as possible.

“We have a lot of talent out here and only 45 members. We want to kick-start this new season by inviting indoor and outdoor volleyball players from Saipan, Rota, and Tinian to come join NMIVA. There is a lot of great local talent here and it is my hope that we foster and assist these players to learn and improve their game,” he said.

According to Nguyen, seats on the board of directors are open for change during the upcoming officer’s election, and he wants to get as many people involved with the selection process as possible.

“The entire NMIVA membership needs to vote on who will help lead NMIVA for this upcoming 2005-2006 season,” he said.

The next meeting for all NMIVA members is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 7pm at the PIC. Nguyen said that NMIVA is preparing for yet another year of beach and indoor volleyball by planning for the BSEA/Rudeger, the 14th Marianas Cup Beach Festival in the spring of 2006, and tournaments in between.

“The 2005-2006 season promises to be a jam-packed, heart-pounding, sand-kicking, indoor-leaping volleyball season. Don’t blink because you might miss something,” he said.

The election comes in time for the rapidly approaching fall season of beach ball at the PIC, as organizers ready to participate in the 7th Annual Miller Lite Four Person Beach Volleyball League. For more information about NMIVA, contact Steve Nguyen by calling 234-0522 or via email at soundsticks@gmail.com.