Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 02, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor,
When Lenox Shuffler voluntary stepped down as President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation on his 75th Birthday on 5th Feb 2014 he had given the sport of volleyball 62 years of his life in promoting and being part of this discipline.. He left a rich legacy of being an outstanding national player, national captain and President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation. Lennie as he is popularly called and “Mr Cool” on the international circuit, was first introduced to the game when he joined the First Georgetown Sea Scouts at age 13 and furthered his skills with the Atkinson Volleyball Club when he got his first job at age 16 with International Airadio at Atkinson Field, now Timehri.
In 1958 he was the youngest player selected to represent British Guiana in Trinidad. This was the first international tournament for British Guiana and travel to Trinidad was on the deck of a Bookers boat . Mohammed Khan of Skeldon was the Captain and Carl Xavier, Elson Briggs, Denny Yaralli, Mohammed Zalim and others were also on that team to Trinidad. 1960 when British Guiana and Trinidad were invited to play in Venezuela, Lennie was again selected to represent this country. In 1961 he replaced Mohammed Khan as captain of the national team when British Guiana and Venezuela were invited to play in Trinidad. His captaincy lasted for 16 years which made him the longest serving captain and the most successful at the international level. As Captain he won the then Caribbean Championships the Lighthouse trophy in 1964, in British Guiana, playing at Queens College with Clyde Walcott as manager and Gary Shuffler as president of the volleyball association. In 1965 British Guiana retained the Caribbean championships while playing in Jamaica after coming from two games down to win three-two.
In 1966 after Guyana’s Independence and currency restrictions, volleyball was confined to playing at home. Also in 1966 Guyana Volleyball Federation was accepted as a member of the World Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and placed in the South American Volleyball Confederation (CSV). Gary Shuffler was then President of GVF at that time. In 1969 Guyana participated for the first time in the South American Senior Volleyball Championships due to the tremendous effort of John DeFreitas of Central Garage who ensured that Guyana participated in the tournament. Lennie was selected to captain the Guyana team and got the experience of playing against several top ranking teams in world of volleyball. Apart from some overland trips to Suriname to play volleyball, Guyana’s next major international participation came when they were invited by the newly formed Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association ( CAZOVA) in 1976 to play in their tournament that was held in the Bahamas and was catered for the English speaking Caribbean countries. Guyana despite little international exposure reached the finals against Bahamas and lost in a closely contested match. Lennie was also captain of Guyana’s team.
Lennie, in 1977, after playing in a Goodwill series against China at the Guyana Sports Hall stepped down from international volleyball. Lennie , by this time, was travelling extensively through Guyana on work related matters was always ready to coach and share his knowledge to all who needed his guidance . In 1996 he was elected President of the Georgetown Volleyball Association and gave solid support to Reggie Bhagwandin who was then President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation.
In 2000 when Reggie Bhagwandin requested leave of absence from the GVF Lennie was asked to act in that position for the remainder of 2000. At the 2001 Guyana Volleyball Federation elections Lennie was unanimously elected as President and held that position until he stepped down in 2014. During his three terms of office as President he restructured the GVF along the lines of CSV and FIVB and represented Guyana with distinction at several CSV and FIVB congresses. Lennie received approval from CSV and FIVB for a Bloc Development Plan that encouraged the Federations of Macapa( Brazil), French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Roraima ( Brazil), Venezuela and Trinidad to engage in exchange visits in order to develop the game at affordable cost and to share their experiences.
Several awards were bestowed on Lennie for his efforts in promoting volleyball and peace and unity through sport. In 2005 he was named Male Sports Personality by Guyana’s National Sports Commission and in 2006 through to efforts of the Guyana Olympic Association he received the International Olympic Committee Award for “Promoting Sport and Olympianism”.
Lennie is a Chartered Member of the Rotary Club of Stabroek, Patron of the Buxton Youth Developers and is presently working along with Robin Phillips Founder/General Administrator of BYD in developing a Beach Games Facility at the Vigilance Community Centre Playground that can accommodate Beach Volleyball, Beach Football, Beach Rugby and other beach games. Lennie continues to work closely with John Flores, President of the GVF as a Special Advisor.
Ann Geer
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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