NMIVA: We need a coach

Participants on a recent Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association clinic conducted by FIVB Level III certified coach and Oceania Sports Education master educator Mike Rabago pose for a group photo at the Agape Gymnasium along Middle Road. (Mark Rabago)

Fresh from a coaching clinic with FIVB Level III certified coach and Oceania Sports Education master educator Mike Rabago, the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association is now looking for a coach that would lead the CNMI national team in the 2022 Pacific Mini Games that the CNMI will be hosting for the first time ever.
“The first step is to get a coach and we hope to have a few come out of this partnership with Mike. Concurrently, we are starting to host island tournaments, hopefully starting with a 4×4 co-ed grass tournament in May,” said NMIVA president Somia Quan.
She added that the idea is just to get athletes out there again and playing volleyball.
“We’re hoping to have various tournaments for the rest of the year, shooting for at least one NMIVA-affiliated tournament per month. Once we get the coaches, it will be up to them to determine how they want to select their teams and NMIVA will be there to provide the support—both equipment-wise and logistically for them to get it done but usually beach volleyball teams are selected by hosting qualifying tournaments,” she said.

As far as selecting players to form the national team for the beach volleyball competition of the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, Quan said unlike other sports beach volleyball picks players based on teams and not individual players.

“The way a beach volleyball team is selected is a little different than your normal holding tryouts and cutting individuals and selecting individuals to form your official national team. Since a beach volleyball team requires a little more chemistry, it would be that the duo as a team is selected together, so we’d probably have a qualifying tournament,” she said.

Quan also said that the selection process for indoor volleyball diverts more back to the norm. “For the indoor teams, we would host multiple tryout sessions and individuals would be selected based on a number of items including skill, attendance, etc. but again up to the head coach to determine their team. Any athlete that would like to represent the CNMI in volleyball would have to meet the FIVB and [Northern Marianas Sports Association] eligibility requirements for the respective [Pacific Mini Games] or Micronesian Games.”

Aside from beach volleyball, also in the calendar for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games are tennis, weightlifting, va’a, athletics, baseball, badminton, golf, and triathlon.

Any individuals interested in coaching beach volleyball for the Pacific Mini Games and Micronesian Games or indoor volleyball for Micronesian Games, please contact NMIVA at nmivolleyball@gmail.com.