The top volleyball teams from around the Caribbean will be in town next month as The Bahamas hosts the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Senior Championships.
The regional tournament will feature teams from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Aruba, Guadeloupe, Curacao, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with host nation The Bahamas.
President of the Bahamas Volleyball Federation (BVF) Kurtwood Greene said around 300 players and coaches will be in The Bahamas for the competition, which will take place from August 16-23 at the Kendal G.L. Isaacs National Gymnasium.
Officials made the announcement as the world marks ‘International Volleyball Day’, and this will be the first time The Bahamas will host the regional tournament since 2006.
Men’s National Team Coach Glen Rolle, who was a member of the 2006 national team which had a disappointing finish, said he’s looking for redemption.
“It’s a personal thing to me,” Coach Rolle said. “I played in ‘06 when we were here, and we didn’t have a good run. We want to come out successful in this one. These teams are determined to represent the Bahamian people. At the end of the day, we can’t do it alone. We need the support of the Bahamian people. I know that will put us on top.”
Greene said the final team selections will be made by the end of the week, noting that there are difficult decisions to make as the players are competitive.
Romell Knowles, chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the event, said today marks a proud milestone for Bahamian sports. He said the tournament will give Bahamians a chance to showcase its capacity to host, while giving the players a chance to play on home soil, an experience he said is like none other.
Knowles said the task for The Bahamas is heavy, but expressed confidence that Team Bahamas will deliver inspiring performances.
National team standout Shonari Hepburn said the upcoming tournament represents “a dream for all of us”. He said watching other teams play on their home soil over the years is a feeling that he is now looking forward to.
“I want that to be us,” said Hepburn. “There is no country that can beat us. We ain’t just hosting to host… we know what we came to do. We want to show [everyone] that we’re not hosting for just fun.”
Hepburn said that at the end of the tournament, he expects himself and teammates to walk away with the trophy for Team Bahamas.
“It’s going to shine a very bright light on volleyball,” he said.
Knowles added that the staging of the championship aligns with the government’s goal of making The Bahamas a sports tourism powerhouse.
“In 1968, NORCECA (North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation) envisioned a Caribbean united by volleyball,” said Knowles. “Today, The Bahamas honors that legacy. With government resolve, federation excellence, and athlete passion, sports is not just moving, it is soaring. Let us march toward 2026 with unstoppable Bahamian pride.”
Greene said the organizing committee will put on an unforgettable experience. A total of eight men’s teams and seven women’s teams are expected to compete.
