Nygard Congratulates Men’s National Volleyball
By http://www.jonesbahamas.com
Nassau, Bahamas — Peter Nygard (sponsor) poses for a photo with The Bahamas National Men’s Volleyball team after they won bronze at the recent Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The Bahamas National men and women’s volleyball teams recently returned from the Caribbean Volleyball Championships (CVC) in Suriname with a bronze medal won by the men who narrowly missed making it to the gold and silver medal match.
The Bahamas National men and women’s volleyball teams recently returned from the Caribbean Volleyball Championships (CVC) in Suriname with a bronze medal won by the men who narrowly missed making it to the gold and silver medal match.
Last week Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard who largely sponsored the men met with members of the team at his Lyford Cay home and personally congratulated them on the achievement.
The CVC’s are early qualifying rounds for the 2012 Olympics and 2011 World Championship and missing them would have cost the BVF dearly in terms of fines, suspension, and lost opportunities. The bronze medal is the first medal of any kind for The Bahamas at the CVC’s in 10 years.
The shortened 10-member team that included Tony Simon, Byron Ferguson, Javari Suthard, Muller Petite, Renaldo Knowles, Prince Wilson, Glen Rolle, Jamal Ferguson, Romell Lightbourne, and Shedrick Forbes also expressed their gratitude to Nygard for his support and belief in them.
Speaking on behalf of his teammates on Sunday Knowles informed that Nygard assisted the men with a $16,000 grant to help cover costs like tournament fees, meals, air and land transportation and accommodations for the two-week tournament from August 5th to 16th.
With less than a month before the tournament The Bahamas Volleyball Federation (BVF) found itself between $18-$25 thousand dollars short of what they needed to take a full men and women’s team to the regional championships.
Knowles said both the men and women’s teams hit the streets washing cars and asking Bahamians for whatever help they could provide.
“If we didn’t make it to the tournament it would have had a negative impact on volleyball in The Bahamas because we would not have been able to play international volleyball for a long time,” said Knowles referring to the possible suspensions by NORCECA the regional governing body for volleyball.
“I’m just glad that we came together, stuck it out and was able to raise the money to travel. Both the men and women’s team had dollar days at the mall and washed cars at the ESSO Independence round about trying to help ourselevs, but it was Mr. Nygard who played a major part in our efforts to get to the championships, because withouth him most of the men would not have been able to travel,” said Knowles.
“Most of the men on the team play beach volleyball with with Mr. Nygard and we help him to stay in condition, so he just decided to sponsor a few of the guys. His contribution was a big step towards what we really needed to pull the trip off and we really appreciated it.
“Also we appreciate everything from the entire country, those who gave at the dollar day and those who supported the car wash; but we give a special thank you to Peter Nygard for his contribution that basically allowed us to be able to travel,” said Knowles.
The men easily won their pool with two straight sets victories over Jamaica and Suriname. They lost a controversial semi-final match to Trinidad and Tobago where several questionable line calls went against them, coupled with untimely mistakes causing them a chance at the gold medal match.
Knowles believe the three-days layoff caused them to lose their edge a little and when they faced Trinidad and Tobago they dropped the first two sets before finding their rythm forcing a fifth and decisive set. Team coaches felt as though The Bahamas had the best mens team at the tournament.
In the bronze medal match The Bahamian men dominated Guadeloupe in a three set route. And although they won bronze the Bahamians were a little disappointed they did not come home with the gold.
For years Nygard has shown his passion for sports Bahamian sports and as a result continues to give back to the community through his generosity assisting with the development local sports albeit helping with training expenses, travel costs or uniforms.
The Lyford Cay resident has reached out to athletes from amateur boxing, professional boxing, volleyball, sloop sailing and track and field among others that may not have been publicized.
Most recently, in addition to supporting the National Men’s Volleyball program he has been very instrumental is assisting amateur boxer Valentino Knowles with his training and travel expenses. Knowles won gold at the recent Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico and now has his eyes set on gold at the 2012 London Olympics.
Peter Nygard (sponsor) poses for a photo with The Bahamas National Men’s Volleyball team after they won bronze at the recent Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Paramaribo, Suriname.
