ACTUALITE |
26.03.2004
Volleyball : FAP Leaves for Algeria Tomorrow
The Armed Forces and Police team will be Cameroon’s flagbearer in the 23rd African Champion clubs competition.
The flagship of male volleyball in Cameroon, FAP Yaounde is poised to challenge, traditional heavyweights in the Continental arena. The 23rd edition of the African Champion clubs competition kicks off on Sunday with FAP on the front row. It will be the fourth attempt by the FAP male volleyball squad to lift a Continental trophy. Three previous forays into that territory consistently placed the Squad in the third position. This time around, according to the President of the club, Captain Didier Badjeck, "we have to break this monotony and win an African trophy". The twenty one man delegation is led by Colonel Cho Tilong Pascal Bonaventure, director of Sports in the Ministry of Defence. According to the programme, all delegations are expected to be in Algeria tomorrow. A technical meeting grouping officials of participating countries has been slated for tomorrow afternoon. It will be in this meeting that a definite calendar for the hurdles and other practical technical modalities will be endorsed. Competition days will stretch from Sunday March 28 to Monday April 5, 2004.
All male volleyball champion clubs in the Continent have been invited for the event. It is not clear how many will make the trip to Algeria, the technical meeting of tomorrow will however be the deadline for the final roll. Within the FAP male volleyball camp, both players and officials remain upbeat on their performance in this edition. Playing in Algeria in particular and in the Maghreb zone in general has always been an uphill task for the Cameroon flagbearer. The professional standards of volleyball in that part of the Continent set high standards for any event. The clubs have within their rang top notch professionals from some East European Countries. Captain Didier Badjeck, the FAP President has no illusions about the demands of the upcoming event. Said he : "We have always not done well in Algeria, but it is a challenge to overcome, we will fight like the Indomitable Lions". The High Command of the Army has left no stone unturned to ensure that FAP has what is required for a victory in Algeria. Since inception, the FAP male volleyball squad has never been absent from an international competition. The participation of the military team in civilian competitions endorses the view that soldiers are citizens who also participate in the cultural promotion of the country.
In the past twenty five years, no Cameroonians team has lifted the continental male champion clubs trophy. Sonel volleyball club hit this benchmark twenty five years ago and still holds the record. In the nation’s volleyball annals, FAP remains the current flagship. In the past two years, it has lifted double titles – both the Challenge Cup and Champion Club. The team is on the top row of the ongoing league placings. At the military competitions, the FAP male volleyball Squad is a Continental pace setter. In 2002, the team emerged Champion in the African military games and is currently the fourth in the World Military games. The strength of the team is in its cohesion, players and officials share the same aspirations, objectives and vision. A former player is today the head coach of the team. Faith and engagement are the creed of the Squad and in typical military tradition, FAP knows how best to serve as the nation’s volleyball flagship.
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Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
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