Minister Watts pledges support for volleyball teams

Phillip Watts, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs has pledged his continued support to the T&T Volleyball Federation and its national teams in their quest for success.

Minister Watts was speaking at the VIP Lounge of the Piarco International Airport on Sunday night at a welcome reception for the returning women and men national senior teams from the 19th Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Senior Championship which ended at the Kendal GL Isaacs National Gymnasium in New Providence, Nassau, Bahamas on Saturday night.

In the women’s final, the Deon Hutchinson-coached “Calypso Spikers” captained by Delicia Pierre came from a set down to beat long-time rival and six-time tournament winners Barbados 23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 31-29 in one hour and 46 minutes to lift the title they relinquished two years ago to Jamaica in a five-set loss in Suriname.

With the win, T&T added to their previous triumphs in 1996, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018.

In the men’s competition, T&T captained by Daynte Stewart finished in the sixth spot following a 25-17, 25-22, 29-31, 25-20 win over Guadeloupe.

It was the second win for T&T, three-time tournament winners in 2010, 2014 and 2017, over Curacao in the tournament, having won their round-robin pool encounter 25-17, 25-17, 25-17.

By capturing the CAZOVA title, the T&T women qualified to North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Continental Championship 2026 Championship; FVB World Championship Women’s Second Round Qualifiers; Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games 2026 CAZOVA Final Four 2026 and the NORCECA Pan American Cup 2026.

Watts, in his welcome address to the T&T men and women teams first congratulated the women’s team on what he described was an outstanding achievement in capturing the regional title.

He said, ‘You have demonstrated discipline, excellent and true sporting spirit and you have made the people of T&T proud.

“Tonight (Sunday) we celebrate you as champions of the Caribbean and to the men’s team you all placed sixth, but we understand how difficult it is to go out there and compete with the best teams in the world.

“Your efforts have inspired us all and the youths in this country will look up to you all going forward.

Reflecting on his short time in office and interactions with the T&TVF led by president, Daymian Stewart, Watts said, “I could recall my first month in office I had to sign off on some payments for you all, and I didn’t hesitate, I did it inside the parliament after I asked my secretary to come into the parliament to sign off on it, and I have not denied any sporting team in this country since I have been in office in my three months of any funding.”

“So, on behalf of the government of T&T, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and our national sporting community I salute you all and I want you all to continue the hard work and continue to fly the T&T flag high, and we at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs will continue to you all that much needed support for you all to excel in the near future.

T&T women’s coach Deon Hutchinson, in his brief address expressed his optimism that the sport of volleyball will have its own home, which will help to bring better results from teams on a consistent level.

Hutchinson said, ‘For us to consistently to be able to get the results that the world class teams get, until then we are just going to be the Caribbean champions, and we are not going to go further.

“So, in order for us to really see sports, all sports really go to the next level each sport need a home where they can train consistently then you going to see the results and medals coming in.

‘Then we will have no excuse because we have the training facilities.

“I also have to acknowledge the ladies of the volleyball team and the support of the federation give to me and my coaching staff.

“Without that support we couldn’t be here today, because there were a lot of obstacles, and we being able to iron out the obstacles, and the athletes taking their personal funds, which was really hard for the management team to ask them to do to be able to pay for food and transport because we were running out of money, I really have to say to the ladies, thanks very much for investing in T&T, in themselves and the title as Caribbean volleyball champions.”

In reflecting on the title. Hutchinson said, “We would have achieved something that we set our mind out to do, over a year ago.”

Pierre, captain of the senior women’s team noted that the team had to overcome many obstacles in their quest for the title, which made the victory in the final, much more memorable.

She said, “All the trials that we received throughout this tournament, the ladies know all the trials and were able to push past it and I’m very grateful that we didn’t allow all the shortcomings affect us, so we were still able to remain focused and bring home the victory.”

Pierre also praised the efforts of her coach and fellow players in sticking together during the tough times to get the job done.

She said, “Deon (Hutchinson), thank you for everything. You know you have been in my life since I was 13 years old and now 15 years later, and we are still here Cheyenne Ching Choy, Destiny Leon, Kaylon Cruickshank, Alyssa Hutchinson, Aaliyah Alexis and all the other ladies who aren’t here right now, I really from the bottom of my heart Krystle Esdelle, Channon Thompson thank you for holding it together and putting aside all the noise and negativity and thanks for all the support.

The 41-year-old Esdelle who announced her retirement from the national team as well following their latest triumph said she was delighted to start her career with a win with the national women’s team at the 2006 CAZOVA Championship with a win over Barbados in the final, and now to do the same by ending her career with another win over Barbados, again, 19 years later in another final.

She added, “For every child out there in T&T who has a dream go for it. Nothing is impossible, because when I started with the national team, I was told I wasn’t good enough, and I fought past those comments to become the Krystle Esdelle that I’m today.”’

“I played internationally and in many countries all over the world because somebody said to me, I wasn’t good enough, so I want to say to everyone who has a dream fight for it.”.