Debe High aims for v-ball success

Debe High School’s newly-formed boys and girls teams are aiming for success in the Trinidad and Tobago Secondary Schools Volleyball League South Zone competitions.

The DHS teams have entered the zonal round-robin competition for the first time in the school’s three-year history. Having started in 2000 at the First Form level, students are now in Fourth Form and are ready to participate in regular school competition. School principal Judith King-Pereira disclosed that her students are eager to do well but they recognise that they have a major challenge to stop the more established teams. “Since the school started in 2000 with the First Formers, we always encouraged students to participate in physical education and sports. Although the population has increased three times more, we still have one physical education teacher, in Clive Ogiste. “Initially, he had some problems because the students were not keen on playing sports. But now we have a good mix of students and they are showing greater interest,” King-Pereira said. “They went to the zonal opening ceremony at the Pleasantville Sports Complex and when they returned, some of the students realised that the standard of volleyball is very high. They know that they have to train harder if they want to succeed. But they intend to make an impression,” the principal admitted.

Having a strong sports background by being a former Carib Magnolia Hockey Club player and hockey umpire, King-Pereira is very supportive of her students in their quest to become balanced in their overall development. She encourages them to develop their other talents and revealed that she sends them in batches to be taught swimming at the Presentation College St Michael Swimming pool in San Fernando. They also attended a 10-week training programme. “I want all my students to be able to become competent swimmers and to play different sports. I am hoping to get another physical education teacher to assist in the programme,” she said. The DHS boys will compete in the Under-17 category while the girls will challenge in the under 14 competition. At the Zonal opening, traditional powerhouse teams Barrackpore Senior Comprehensive, Naparima Boy’s High, Naparima Girl’s High and St Joseph’s Convent (San Fernando) participated in the march past and opening ceremony at the Southern Regional Indoor Sports Arena. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation Mushtaque Mohammed and chairman of the TTSSVL South Zone Nazim Mohammed were among the officials who witnessed the march past and two exhibition matches involving the top players from all the participating schools. Also showing up were Princes Town Senior Comprehensive, Iere High School and Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, who made a return to the zonal competitions after an absence of six years. Barrackpore dominated the boys category by winning the zonal and nationwide Under-19, Under 17 and Under-14 titles while Naps Boys were zonal and national runners-up in the Under-19 category. The Zonal chairman impressed upon the students to study and play sports and not to find themselves liming and getting into trouble.