CNMI v-ball teams busy with fundraising events

The CNMI Under-19 boys’ and girls’ All-Star volleyball teams are busy doing various fundraising activities to raise money that will shoulder their airfare and accommodation in three off-island competitions.

Some members of the CNMI Under-19 boys’ All-Star team join coach Darcy Wylie, standing third left, and Mili Saiki, standing second right, for a group photo after their carwash fundraising event last Sunday at Shell Chalan Kanoa. (Jon Perez)

The boys team will be seeing action in a Guam tournament from May 28 to June 1, while a separate girls competition will be held in October. Both teams will travel to Yap in another event from July 18 to 31.

Both teams held a carwash fundraiser last Sunday at the Shell stations in Chalan Kanoa and Puerto Rico where they collected $1,304.71. The boys team had sold 98 $5 tickets and raised $526 with some people donating money.

Coach Darcy Wylie, in an email to the Saipan Tribune, said their fundraising goal for the boys’ team’s Guam trip later this month is $5,700. “This will cover airfare, lodging, food, transportation, and uniforms.”

Wylie added that the boys team is still $4,000 short, while the girls squad are saving what they have collected that’s why they had lined up other fundraising activities.
“The Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association is a non-profit organization that’s whey we’re still looking for sponsorships and we’ll be doing a lot of fundraising events as much as we can,” Wylie said in a separate interview.

NMIVA held a 4-on-4 beach volleyball tournament last April, while a co-ed indoor volleyball league is ongoing at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. Both teams are also planning to hold an end of school year dance in June.

“We’re looking to hold that event. We’re still thinking of other ways to raise money just to pay for their trip,” added Wylie, who is NMIVA’s youth development head for indoor programs.
“The current fundraiser that we’re promoting is called ‘Athletes 4 Hire’ where the athletes are available to do jobs like baby sitting, house work or cleaning, yard work, and tutoring. All money collected will go directly to their fundraising account,” said Wylie, who is joined by fellow coaches Codie Sayle and TJSHS’ Jonathan San Nicolas.

For more information or if you wish to hire one of their student athletes, email Wylie at indoor.programs@nmivolleyball.org or call her at 989-8114.

Grace Christian Academy’s Jonathan Libut and William Hinson; Won Woo Choi, Jae Hyun Lee, and Toshio Takayama of Marianas Baptist Academy; Marianas High School’s Riczi Cano and Karlo De Leon; Quinn Amog and Seokjun Yun of Mt. Carmel School; Saipan International School’s William Fong and Andrew Johnson; Frederick Encabo and James Kintaro of Saipan Southern High School; and Tinian Junior Senior High School’s Elvin Borja, Dachelbai Cruz, and Steven Mahilum are the members of the boys’ team.

Eleven of the 18 players from the girls squad are from MHS led by Knohlynn Gechig, Janlane Imperial, Marcy Ann Ermitanio, Noemy Pamintuan, Jenny Lee, Russell Javan, Beryl Kohnen, Sabrina Pangelinan, Emily Jones, Negahr Rastguiy, and Zarinae Sapong.

SIS’ Jennifer Tan, Adele Hudkins, and Julia Ishikawa, SSHS’ Narleen Siech and Serafina Rogoyawa, GCA’s Danica Canedo, and Mt. Carmel’s Claire Calage are the other members of the girls’ team.