UNITY Primary School of Westmoreland knocked off Irwin Primary of St James 15-10, 15-10 on Friday at the National Stadium to become new national champions of the Primary/Prep School Volleyball competition.

Unity’s Kaldane Channer sealed the President’s Madd Skills Award, while Jaihaina ‘Ras’ Rose of Irwin wrapped up the National Finals MVP Award for good leadership and having a fair grasp of volleyball skill sets.

The top three of the 12 teams in Friday’s National Finals at the National Volleyball Court were rewarded with medals, trophies and balls, with the winning team also earning a net.

The other nine teams were rewarded with balls, courtesy of the North America, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA).

Unity dealt with Lyssons Primary of St Thomas and Little London Primary from Westmoreland to bore into the national finals, while Irwin got by Port Morant Primary and defending national champions Greater Portmore Primary to earn their place.

Major Warrenton Dixon, who withdrew his resignation to resume duties as president of the Jamaica Volleyball Association (JaVA), said he was eager to see children wearing the national colours in regional and international competition.

“This is not far-fetched. It is being done by other countries. We are no worse than they are, we just lack opportunity.

“JaVA will do what we can to prepare you until we can get some substantial funding support to do more. Jamaica will be a major force in volleyball,” asserted Major Dixon.

The volleyball boss acknowledged Westmoreland-based coach Haile Mikael as the inspiration for the primary level competition, which just completed its second year.

In 2009, Mikael had organised a competition between five Westmoreland schools all of which he coached. “After seeing that competition I was convinced that if one little-known man could organise such a competition nothing should stop a national association from improving on the effort,” Major Dixon explained.

The final placement of the primary schools participating in the national finals are as follows: 1st – Unity, 2nd – Irwin, 3rd – Greater Portmore, 4th – Little London, 5th Anchovy, 6th Port Morant, 7th – Savanna-la-Mar, 8th – Lyssons, 9th – Holly Hill, 10th – Crescent, 11th – Steer Town, and 12th – St Ann’s Bay.