THE Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) is currently in the process of overhauling its modus operandi, as president of the federation, Lennox Shuffler, confessed he believes that 2009 was an abominable year for Guyana’s volleyball fraternity from all viewpoints. Shuffler said that the first landmark on the road to redemption for the GVF is for the federation to better organise all of the clubs and associations that fall under its jurisdiction.

He also revealed that he will be abdicating his position at the helm of the federation and as such the intended organisation of the federation will serve a double role in that it will also make it possible for an Annual General Meeting to be held where new leadership can be decided.

Shuffler however made it clear that his role will not end as an advocate for the GVF as he would stay on to share his 58 years worth of knowledge and experience in the world of volleyball.

Getting the schools’ programme running is another task that the GVF will be seeking to accomplish, and this revolves around the teachers’ training programme which was supported by the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) last year and the follow-up to that which is a schools’ tournament scheduled to take place later in the year.

This action will serve to kill two birds with one stone as it will bolster the progression of Guyana’s representation at the Inter-Guiana Games. On that note the male and female U-19 team will begin their preparations for this year’s staging of the games next week according to the GVF boss.

Shuffler stressed the benefits expected from the block development plan, which entails interaction with the GVF’s close geographical counterparts in Brazil, Suriname and even Venezuela, that is aimed at acquiring development through the sharing of experience and use of the facilities that would be made available to local volleyball players.

The 2009 season ended on a very low note for the local fraternity as their inability to compete in the Caribbean Region caused the GVF to suffer two heavy letdowns as they were barred from not only the Caribbean Championships but also the Caribbean Games, which was subsequently postponed to 2013.

The adverse action stemmed from complications with the GVF’s geographical affiliation due to the fact that they are attached to the Confederacion Sudamericana de Voleibol (Confederation of South American Volleyball) which does not see it fit for one of their members to be competing within the bounds of the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA). Shuffler disclosed that plans and talks are in train to rectify the situation.