Annual General Meeting
14 December 2025 • St. Kitts & Nevis
The 2025 season stands as one of the most productive and ambitious years in the modern history of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association.
ECVA delivered a complete calendar of competitions across both beach and indoor disciplines, expanded its development programming, and deepened engagement with National Federations through structured governance initiatives. A total of eight major activities were successfully delivered across Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Antigua & Barbuda, with participation from twelve National Federations.
The year also featured comprehensive one-on-one consultations with member federations and significant progress toward integrating ECVA members into the FIVB Empowerment Platform as the pilot zone for this global initiative.
ECVA's achievements in 2025 were made possible through critical support from NORCECA, the International Olympic Committee through Olympic Solidarity, the FIVB Knowledge Transfer Programme, and regional National Olympic Committees. The dedicated work of ECVA's technical, administrative, and volunteer teams ensured the delivery of professional standards across all events.
| Event | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| ECVA Senior Beach Championships (M&W) | 2–4 May 2025 | Saint Lucia |
| Beach Volleyball Coaches Course | 1–6 June 2025 | Saint Kitts & Nevis |
| Beach Volleyball Referees Course | 4–5 June 2025 | Saint Kitts & Nevis |
| U21 ECVA Beach Championships (M&W) | 6–8 June 2025 | Saint Kitts & Nevis |
| ECVA Men's Final 4 | 19–21 September 2025 | Antigua & Barbuda |
| ECVA Women's Final 4 | 26–28 September 2025 | Antigua & Barbuda |
| Indoor Referee Seminar | 12 October 2025 | Antigua & Barbuda |
| ECVA U23 Men's Indoor Championship | 12–16 October 2025 | Antigua & Barbuda |
| One-on-One NF Consultations | Late Oct – Early Nov 2025 | Virtual |
4th Place: Grenada
4th Place: Grenada
4th: Saint Lucia • 5th: St. Vincent & Grenadines • 6th: Anguilla
The Final 4 events featured a competitive format with matches on Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday medal rounds. Teams were accommodated at Cortsland Hotel with centralized food service to improve logistics. ECVA covered three rooms per team, with additional accommodations at team expense.
For the U23 Championship, ECVA provided comprehensive support including six airline tickets per participating NF, US$15,000 in host support, and full coverage of airfare, per diem, and accommodation for the Technical Team and Control Committee. The registration fee was set at US$1,000 per team.
Dates: 1–6 June 2025
Location: Saint Kitts & Nevis
Instructor: Rick Bevis (CAN)
Funded through Olympic Solidarity (facilitated by SKNOC) and the FIVB Knowledge Transfer Programme, this comprehensive course provided participants from across ECVA with technical instruction combining classroom theory with practical on-court sessions, strengthening the regional coaching capacity for beach volleyball development.
Dates: 4–5 June 2025
Location: Saint Kitts & Nevis
Instructors: Kenneth Waugh (JAM) and Lead Instructor Brian Hiebert (CAN)
This intensive course included classroom instruction, rule interpretation, match protocols, and FIVB examination components. The program was delivered in conjunction with FIVB and NORCECA development programming, contributing to the expansion and standardization of the regional officiating pool.
Date: 12 October 2025
Location: Antigua & Barbuda
Facilitators: Brian Charles (FIVB International Referee - TTO) and ECVA Referee Coordinator and International Referee (retired) Reginald Willemsberg (SXM)
Conducted one day before the start of the ECVA U23 Men's Championship, with referees arriving on 11 October 2025. This full-day session covered rule updates, match protocols, mechanics, positioning, communication standards, and administrative procedures. The seminar strengthened the regional indoor referee pathway and ensured consistent officiating standards for the championship.
Dates: Late October – Early November 2025
Format: Virtual
Comprehensive consultations were held with all ECVA National Federations except Montserrat and French Saint Martin. These structured sessions focused on governance maturity, administrative capacity, compliance frameworks, strategic planning, financial management structures, and organizational readiness for the December 2025 NF Development Workshop. Each NF received tailored recommendations and actionable follow-up plans.
ECVA gratefully acknowledges the essential financial and organizational support of its funding partners, without whom the 2025 season would not have been possible.
ECVA's commitment to accessibility and transparency was demonstrated through the live streaming of every match of every event throughout the 2025 season.
This achievement represents a significant milestone in regional volleyball broadcasting and ensures that athletes, families, and volleyball enthusiasts across the diaspora can engage with ECVA competitions in real time.
However, a significant setback occurred when ECVA's official YouTube channels were unexpectedly blocked, resulting in the devastating loss of over three years of archived match footage. Multiple appeals were submitted to YouTube but all have been unsuccessful, and no explanation has been provided by the platform regarding the blockage or content removal.
Despite this challenge, ECVA continues to rebuild its digital media presence and is actively evaluating alternative archival solutions and streaming platforms to prevent future losses and ensure long-term preservation of competition footage.
All tournament results, official standings, and event photographs remain accessible at: www.ecvolleyball.com
ECVA's technical team delivered professional-grade operations across all 2025 events, including multi-camera video production, live scoring systems, real-time statistical reporting, and broadcast-quality commentary. Starlink satellite units were deployed to provide reliable backup connectivity, ensuring broadcast continuity and operational stability throughout the season, particularly in venues with challenging internet infrastructure.
The appointment of Press Delegate Judy Lawrence Laroque significantly strengthened the Association's communication output and media capacity. Under the mentorship of Carolina Rivas, NORCECA Press Delegate, ECVA's media content became more structured, timely, professional, and aligned with NORCECA regional standards.
These improvements in technical and media operations reflect the high expectations for quality and professionalism set by NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, whose leadership, vision, and unwavering support continue to elevate ECVA's technical and administrative standards across all areas of operation.
The ECVA website (www.ecvolleyball.com) continues to serve as the primary channel for disseminating schedules, results, announcements, and event information to member federations, athletes, and the broader volleyball community.
ECVA was selected by the FIVB as the pilot zone for the global Empowerment Platform initiative, positioning the association at the forefront of international volleyball development and digital transformation. This platform is designed to integrate all zonal members into full FIVB membership while streamlining communication, athlete registration, funding applications, and development program access.
During the 11 September 2025 General Meeting, extensive training and guidance were provided to member federations on platform navigation, data requirements, and application processes. The system requests comprehensive data on registered athletes, coaches (both indoor and beach), and gender demographics.
Key Requirements:
Dates: 10–15 December 2025
Location: St. Kitts & Nevis
Schedule:
NFs were encouraged to send four core executive members: President, Vice President, Secretary General, and Treasurer. Workshop topics will include governance frameworks, organizational communication, financial management, strategic planning, compliance, and succession planning.
The workshop sessions will be co-facilitated with Mark Eckert, FIVB Board Member, whose expertise and international perspective will provide invaluable guidance to participating federations.
Following productive discussions at the September General Meeting, ECVA is implementing strategic initiatives to strengthen beach volleyball performance at the NORCECA level:
A comprehensive youth development strategy has been established with clear long-term objectives:
Target: Prepare ECVA athletes for qualification to the 2029 Junior Pan American Games (U23 category)
Dual-Pipeline Approach:
Additional strategic priorities include maintaining consistent youth competition schedules to sustain engagement, addressing the challenge of rapid aging-out in volleyball development, exploring partnerships with Pan Am Sports to expand outreach in OECS territories, and revival of funding mechanisms for underage championships.
Clarification was provided regarding beach volleyball participation in the 2026 Youth Olympic Games:
The ECVA acknowledges with deep appreciation the support of our regional partners whose collaboration made the 2025 season possible.
We express our sincere thanks to the SKNOC for their unwavering support throughout the year. In particular, we recognize their instrumental assistance in facilitating NF-SKN's successful application for Olympic Solidarity funding, which enabled the hosting of the 2025 Beach Volleyball Coaches Course in St. Kitts.
We record our gratitude to the SLOC for their meaningful support during the hosting of the ECVA Senior Beach Volleyball Championships in Saint Lucia. Their partnership strengthened the quality and delivery of the event and contributed to its positive regional impact.
We further acknowledge the important role played by other National Olympic Committees across the Eastern Caribbean and the wider region, whose steady collaboration, goodwill, and development-focused engagement continue to advance the sport of volleyball at all levels.
We extend special recognition to the National Federations of Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and St. Kitts & Nevis for their outstanding hosting throughout 2025. Antigua & Barbuda's delivery of three major competitions—the Men's Final 4, Women's Final 4, and U23 Men's Championship—was particularly exemplary and demonstrated exceptional organizational capacity and commitment.
ECVA recognizes the visionary leadership of President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz and the guidance of the NORCECA Press Commission, whose insistence on excellence, professionalism, and continuous improvement continues to strengthen volleyball development across the Zone and elevate regional standards.
The ECVA expresses profound appreciation to its technical, media, administrative, and volunteer teams for their professionalism, dedication, and reliability throughout the 2025 season. Their collective work in production, scoring, data management, officiating, and operational support has become an essential pillar of the Association's success and reputation for quality delivery.
The ECVA remains grateful for this collective commitment to the growth, empowerment, and advancement of our athletes, officials, and National Federations.
The 2025 calendar demonstrated the strength, growth, organizational maturity, and resilience of volleyball in the Eastern Caribbean. With expanded competitions, stronger athlete development pathways, enhanced governance initiatives, and increased development programming, ECVA continues to deliver high-impact opportunities for National Federations despite persistent economic and logistical challenges.
This season confirmed ECVA's evolution as a leading regional volleyball body with improved competitive structures, enhanced technical capacity, deeper NF engagement, and stronger international partnerships. The successful execution of eight major activities across four territories, the pioneering role as FIVB's Empowerment Platform pilot zone, and the strategic planning for long-term athlete development all position ECVA for continued growth and impact.
The Association acknowledges the exceptional collaboration of its funding partners, host countries, National Olympic Committees, officials, volunteers, technical staff, and most importantly, the athletes who continue to elevate the level of play and sportsmanship across the region.
As we look toward 2026 and beyond, ECVA remains firmly committed to raising standards, supporting National Federations, expanding competitive opportunities, strengthening governance frameworks, and delivering meaningful pathways for athletes, coaches, referees, and administrators throughout the Eastern Caribbean.