Crisis is averted as roles are filled

VOLLEYBALL has been saved at the eleventh hour. The sport was in turmoil after seemingly no one was prepared to fill the vacant chairman and secretary posts.

There was a serious possibility of no leagues or competitive matches taking place in the island next season if no volunteers were found.

But at last night's EGM, Karen Archenoul was ratified as the new chairwoman while Donna Stacey and Sarah Biggins have jointly taken on the secretary's role.

'We are back onto a full committee, which is good,' said Archenoul. 'I always knew we would be.

'We've now got a young and enthusiastic committee so hopefully we will drive the sport forward from now on.'

At the recent annual meeting no one stood forward for the roles and this was the case again at a subsequent EGM.

The outgoing chairman, Richard Skipper, has moved on to the new job of development officer.

He is charged with developing, implementing and evaluating programmes to boost the quality and quantity of the sport in the island.

The 32-year-old Archenoul has been involved with the volleyball committee for the last 13 years.

During that time she has been secretary, fixtures secretary and media liaison officer.

'A couple of people asked me if I would do it,' she said.

'But I wouldn't do it without a secretary and if someone else wanted to do it. So old muggins does it again.'

There had been criticism from some corners about an article in the Guernsey Press last week highlighting the problem.

'I don't think it did any damage,' said Archenoul.

'People didn't realise the seriousness of the situation.

'I spoke to some island players and pointed out that without a committee and therefore an association, we couldn't affiliate with the Island Games Association.

'In turn, we then wouldn't be able to send a team to Rhodes next year. We did try and put the frighteners up people.

'We now have a committee. We are now catching up on what we missed and with team registrations for next season's leagues.

'Also I want to remind people that they should get their team registrations to Haley Bougourd as soon as possible.'