20 complete v’ball referee course

Fédération Internationale de Volleyball instructor Avelino Azevedo, standing right, and NMIVA president Laurie Peterka, standing left, pose with the participants of the FIVB volleyball cooperation program referee course that concluded last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The five-day FIVB volleyball cooperation program referee course Fédération Internationale de Volleyball instructor Avelino Azevedo conducted on Saipan wrapped up last Saturday with 20 individuals receiving certificates of completion.
Azevedo handed the certificates to participants at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium after the practical session of the course last Saturday afternoon. Making the grade in the indoor volleyball referee course were Wilton Laniyo, Gabriel White, J.R. Gechig, Quintin Ramsey, Nakashima Nakashima, Christina Kim, Brianna Fajardo, Kadi Camacho, Terson Lisua, Rena Reftang, Joe Taijeron, Bonnie Bayless, Andrew Johnson, Jeane Bracken, Zena Demapan, Knohlynn Gechig, Shanna Flores, Tony Yamada, Dominic Hideo, and Billy Hinson. They also attended the lecture session of the course held from March 11 to 14 at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

“They showed significant improvement after the first few days of the course and I am happy with the way they responded to my teachings. They asked so many questions to better understand the game and how to officiate. I clarified those doubts and now they are confident to make those calls,” Azevedo said.

Most of the participants in the course were youth and the former FC Porto (Portugal) player said having a young generation of referees is good news to the CNMI’s program.

“Laurie (Peterka), the president of NMIVA, was a bit worried that they are too young to join the course. However, I told her they are in a good age. They are young and have a lot of time to learn and improve. They are very interested and I could see that with the way they asked questions during the practical and lecture sessions,” the visiting instructor said.

He added that those who completed the course have to consolidate what they have learned and put them into practice.

J.R. Gechig agreed, saying he learned more about being a referee and the game itself and he will use these as he coaches in the private school league and officiates games in school competitions.

“I now have a better understanding of the game and refereeing and I can pass it on to my players,” Gechig said.

Demapan, who plays for Grace Christian Academy, said she never tried refereeing before because she is afraid she won’t make the right call, but now she can help out in school events and other games.

“I also earned an advantage as a player, as I now know what calls referees make when they see certain plays,” Demapan said.

Hideo, a nursing student at Northern Marianas College, played before and now that he is planning to get involved in the sport anew, he is leaning toward becoming a referee.

Quintin Ramsey has been refereeing youth soccer games and he loves to add volleyball to the list.
“It is very nice if I will be involved in a lot of sports whether as an official or as a player. I love the learning process, how you interpret and apply rules in certain situations,” Ramsey said.