Bermuda’s shifting sand

It’s tempting to think the sport of beach volleyball relies, as it would suggest, somewhat heavily on the use of an actual beach.

But try telling that to the frugal minds organizing the 2013 Island Games here in Bermuda.

While acknowledging Horseshoe Bay as a top venue, women’s indoor head coach Juanita Blee says it’s actually cheaper and logistically easier to hold the event at the National Sports Centre.

That will involve moving sand from Warwick Long Bay — Parks would not allow sand at Horseshoe to be removed — up to the stadium where two temporary match courts and one practice court are to be constructed on the western side of the north field, near the pavilion.

Blee told the Bermuda Sun: “It’s a shame because Horseshoe is a great venue but in these economic times we have to watch our pennies.

“It’s easier for security and transport, and people that are there watching the swimming, football and athletics can get to see the beach volleyball as well.”

The grade of sand can’t be too fine for beach volleyball and Blee, who is also general secretary of the Games, said the Warwick Long Bay product had passed the test.

She’s now looking forward to creating a top environment for an event that is bound to catch the public’s attention.

“It will be exciting,” she said. “The only problem is the noise. Beach volleyball is noisy, it’s a party atmosphere with music between points. We still have to work that out with the other sports  — but we’ll do it and get it all together.”

Both the indoor, at Berkeley and CedarBridge, and beach volleyball events promise to be fiercely contested. Eight teams are entered into the men’s indoor tournament, with nine battling it out in the women’s. For the beach volleyball, eight men’s pairs will contest the medals, while six are entered into the women’s section.

Bermuda will be represented with a men’s and women’s team in the indoor event, while the host island will send out two men’s and two women’s teams to compete on the sand.

Faroe Island, Guernsey, Gotland, Aland, Greenland and Saaremaa are all represented well across the board, while Jersey, Isle of Man, Minorca and Hitra are also entering teams.

Blee believes the stature of the sport in Europe adds to its competitive value.

She said: “Volleyball isn’t a big sport here but it’s big in Europe so there’s healthy competition. We’ve got media coming from Europe to send footage back.”

She added: “The Bermuda men’s indoor team is really looking good. They won a silver medal last time they played in Shetland.

“They’ve been rebuilding the team since then, so we have high hopes for them to do well.

“For the women’s indoor team we are very excited. This is a great opportunity to do well. We have a great team. Saaremaa is our greatest competition — they are favourites for gold. Aland and Faroe are the other countries that we are looking to beat for a medal.”

Among the players representing Bermuda in the indoor competition are Melissa Fiddick, 17, David Fiddick, 18, and Khianda Pearman-Watson, 19 — young talent that shows the future of Bermuda volleyball is in tip-top shape.

Blee said: “We’re excited to see these young Bermudian competing – that’s what we’re ecstatic about.”