Just a couple weeks ago, The Bahamas' senior men's national volleyball team were on the cusp of qualifying for the prestigious FIVB (International Federation of Volleyball) Men's World Championship, which would have been a historic first for the country, but they didn't qualify. The women haven't been on the same level as the men for quite some time.
The Bahamas' women finished sixth at the last Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Championships, while the men were victorious. Not only that, but the men advanced all the way to the final round of the world championships qualifying process, finishing first in the first round, second in the second and third in the third, while the Bahamian women failed to get out of the first round in their group.
What is causing the huge disparity? Bahamas Volleyball Federation (BVF) President Joe Smith believes that sponsorship plays a significant part, and it is incumbent upon them to get more financial support behind the women's program in the country, like it is done for the men.
"Sponsorship is very important," said Smith. "The bottom line is that our women are not going to get better by just playing local teams here at home. We have to be able to get them more exposure and more experience, but we are well on the way. We are seeing a rebranding of the women's program now. I think that this is the year for them to excel.
"When you look at the program, a lot of youth is integrated into the team, ages 21-22.
"With the men, most of the guys who are excelling now, joined the program at a very young age, and they just grew together. I can see the ladies advancing to the third round of qualifiers (world championships) in the very near future. We have a good crop of athletes who can do it. It's just up to us to get some financial support behind them and allow them to get some international exposure. We are working on that."
The senior men and women's CAZOVA Championships are set for this summer, July 15-28, in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.
Both Bahamian squads would have to win in order to qualify for the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Championships, set for next year. The Bahamas' men are the defending CAZOVA Champions, and finished seventh at the last NORCECA Championships. The women still have a lot of work to do, just to get to that level.
"I think that we are on the way. We just have to go out there and continue to recruit talented athletes," said New Providence Volleyball Association (NPVA) President DeVince Smith.
"We want to give the ladies the same opportunities that the men had in terms of international exposure, where they will be faced against some of the best players in our region. To play against your own can only take you so far. The guys got together, made the sacrifice, and went international to play international teams. That built their confidence. Once we do the same with the female program, you will see the same thing happening with them in the future."
The Bahamas' men's national team is one of the favorites going into the CAZOVA Championships this year. BVF President Smith feels that this is the year for the women to make a statement. The implementation of youth and agility into the program could be a major component for the women going forward. The addition of collegiate players such as Je'Nae Saunders, Avoni Seymour and Terae Sweeting into the national picture is expected to bolster the women's volleyball program here in the country.
"When you look at the men, they began to excel when a number of them went off to college. We see that happening now with the women, and we can see a difference in their play," said women's veteran player and coach Margaret 'Muggy' Albury. "I think that we are definitely on the right track in terms of getting the women more established. The collegiate players will only add to the women's national program in the country, so the future looks very bright."
The CAZOVA Championships are about a month away, and it will be interesting to see how The Bahamas fare against the rest of the region, particularly the women.

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