Schwartz: Volleyball coaches not equipped, players locked in comfort zone

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Former volleyball player and coach, Frank Schwartz (right) is seen here with members of a former senior men’s team. (Social media photo)
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By Neto Baptiste

Former national volleyball player and coach, Frank Schwartz, believes the current crop of coaches on the island are not properly equipped to push the players and the game to the next level.

Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Schwartz pointed to the inconsistency of the country’s national teams and its players over the years as a prime example for his argument.

“We have some of us who have very good skills and very good talent but from what I have seen, a lot of us need a refresher on the basics. As a coach, I think I have a very analytical eye and I can see the flaws in a lot of our players why our play and our success in getting points is not consistent so from that perspective alone, I would say a lot of us are not good enough,” he said.

A former vice president of the Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Volleyball Association (ABAVA), Schwartz went on to add that players are not driven and are also not dedicated to improving their standard.

“I think that what you preach is what you are going to practice. A lot of us are not into training, a lot of us are into going down to the YMCA and jumping on the court and we have a comfort zone so we stick in that comfort zone but in terms of challenging ourselves to improve and to fix problems that we have or that might have been identified to us, I don’t see the dedication,” he said.

In 2017, Schwartz challenged longstanding president Wilbur Harrigan for the association’s top spot but lost in the election by a vote of 7-4.

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