Report from the NORCECA Girls' Youth
Volleyball Championship
by Debbie Reed
Congratulations to Dixie Collins
on Receiving her International
Scorekeeper Certification!
It is not often that
international volleyball tournaments are held in the U.S., so I was pleased
to be asked to participate as a scorekeeper and rater at the NORCECA Girls’
Youth Volleyball Championship, held July 31 through August 5 in Salt Lake
City. I was even more pleased when learning that Dixie Collins would be
a candidate. Dixie is one of my oldest Chesapeake Region friends. We have
competed against each other, sat through never-ending Board meetings together,
roomed together at many a National Open tournament, even vacationed together
several times on pre-Nationals camping trips. Of all the people I have
met in my volleyball travels, Dixie has to be one of the most dedicated
people to the sport. She is involved in many aspects of the game as a referee,
scorekeeper, clinician, rater, juniors coach, GMU assistant coach, Paralympic
Men’s National team assistant coach, board member….
Prior to being chosen as a candidate for International
Scorekeeper, Dixie put in many years of dedicated service to the Scorekeeper
Commission, both at a Regional and National level. She has served as a
rater at both the Open and Junior National tournaments for over 10 years,
as well as a clinician and rater in the Chesapeake Region since before
I can remember. She participated as a scorekeeper in the World University
Games in 1993 in Buffalo, New York and at the Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia
in 1996.
In Salt Lake City this past week, Dixie was
successfully rated as the scorekeeper on three matches, as well as served
as the assistant scorekeeper for several other matches. She also helped
plan many of our “free time” activities that included white water rafting
(we saw a moose!), alpine sliding (ask Dixie to show you her scars), a
trip to hear the Morman Tabernacle Choir, and a trip to the Great Salt
Lake. The international referees and tournament staff really appreciated
the opportunity to have some fun in between matches, and I know all of
the U.S. officials and staff really enjoyed the time spent getting to know
them.
NORCECA is the Continental Volleyball Federation
consisting of countries in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
All participants in this tournament were 16 or younger. The winner earned
a trip to the World Youth Championship in Malaysia. Only four teams participated—the
U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic—with the U.S. easily
taking the Gold. The Dominican Republic finished second, followed by Puerto
Rico and Canada.
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