By Sasha Pei-Silovo – EM TV Online
The Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association has announced the national beach volleyball team travelling to Port Moresby for the 2015 Pacific Games.
The men’s team is comprised of Andrew Johnson partnering with Clay McCullough-Stearns; and the women’s team will be Toni Kasilyn Yamada and Charnessa “Chenny” Lizama. The team’s head coach is Jeff Carlucci, with assistant coaches in Codie Sayles and Darcy Wylie.
Carlucci said that the athletes will spend the majority of their time cross-training and Plyometrics, also known as “jump training” or “plyos” to improve strength and endurance levels. This will also enable athletes to enhance their overall fitness and health. Other important components of athletes training will focus on communications, sportsmanship, strategy and honing position-specific skills.
The beach volleyball team will be engaged in intense training programs three days a week, and are being encouraged to remain disciplined with their personal health habits.
The head coach revealed that former representative players will take part in practice sessions and informal games, with the aim of preparing the current team for competition. Assistant coaches are tasked to conduct one-on-one training with the athletes.
Secretary/board member of the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association, Amie McRoberts stated that a new model of athlete selections was used to pick the team. The approach taken by the NMIVA used a combination of athletic ability, commitment, sportsmanship and athletes’ experience.
