The National School of volleyballl (ENV), located in Havana, currently shows considerable deterioration, mainly in the roof, the boards and the gyms, which threaten the good preparation of the island’s national teams.
In a report published by the state weekly workersplayers and coaches narrated the mishaps they face every day to train in the place, while directors of the National Institute of Sports Physical Education and Recreation (Inder) they recognize the need for a capital repair that, depending on the work, will take some time to materialize.
“Going into the facility, born in the 2001-2002 academic year (…) and a stronghold of this sport in our country, is to appreciate its evident level of deterioration,” the publication exposes.
Gretell Moreno, a passer for the island’s women’s team, told the outlet that “unfortunately the facility has been deteriorating” and that “there are rotten boards” on the courts. The player added that after so much time of use, the taraflex no longer has the quality it used to and that she “needs to stick to the board so that there are no divisions that can cause ankle injuries.”
Meanwhile, the men’s team player Liván Taboada considered that the installation “could be better” and believes that it is not “so difficult” to improve the lighting and the playing fields, among other elements. “In other leagues there are better conditions to train, something that motivates preparation, which is noticeable in sports results,” he valued, according to the report.
“In the various meetings that were held about the situation, I explained that it had been leaking for years about the male area. That led to all the boards on the ground starting to rot. It seeped everywhere, but there it fell like a waterfall,” said Regla Torres, a star former Cuban player, and now a coach for the women’s team.
Considered the Best Player of the 20th Century, she explained that “the president of the country knew about it, because everything was explained to him” (during a visit to the facility).
“Immediately he became concerned and had it checked, it was verified, and even later another leader came thinking that this was advanced and it was not so. The roof has been fixed somewhat, but it continues to leak, two of the three women’s fields have holes, covered with boards and plastic, “she explained.
“We are currently in a period of repair after a visit by President Miguel Díaz Canel, in which the problems were raised with him. We need a gym with better conditions, the one we have today is very small”, commented the coach of the women’s teams, Luis Gabriel Oviedo.
Faced with this situation, sports directors in Cuba recognized workers that “at this time it can be seen that the center has a degree of progressive deterioration due to overuse”.
Yoel Pérez, in charge of the “Cerro Pelado” Higher Training School for High-Performance Athletes, confirmed that the Cuban government indicated giving “special attention” to a group of sports facilities, including the ENV, in which, he said , “priority was given to working in the gym and with the wood on the floor”.
In addition, he explained that work will also be done to repair the roof, an “action not completed, since the intense rains show that it continues to leak. We are managing some roof blankets with a company, and we hope they will serve to waterproof with the required quality. Also included in the project is the repair of some interior bathrooms and the design of a block of bedrooms”, explained the director.
The publication points out that it is expected to solve the problem of the lights with the money provided by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
Nevertheless, workers underlines that the ENV still has many hours of constructive actions left to guarantee the optimal conditions to which the athletes, coaches and federations of this sport on the Island aspire, a discipline that seeks to recover the international results that have historically distinguished it.
In the palmares of cuban volleyball titles stand out in world championships, world cups and regional multi-sports competitions, as well as World Leagues and Grand Prix, both among men and women. Special mention deserves the mythical Morenas del Caribe, who established a dynasty by successively conquering the Olympic titles in the events of Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sidney 2000.
