’Up Close … with Bessie Miranda Volcy, player/coach of Breakaway volleyball team |05 September 2017
‘I hope to be a coach and trainer of a female volleyball team one day’
By Marylene Julie
Women’s volleyball team Breakaway has just been promoted to the first division league for next year after their victory over Bel Ombre on Friday August 25. Bessie Miranda Volcy is both player and coach of the team. Her dream is to become a coach and trainer of a women’s volleyball team one day. And also be a volleyball coach in future. After their August 25 victory, Bessie says the team will need to get more players if they are to stay in the top division after the next season, emphasising on the need for more powerful attackers. Members of the Breakaway women’s volleyball team are Bessie (coach/player), Cindy, Carol, Annie, Marthe, Jean, Tania, Lisette, Angelique, Audrey and Antoinette.
Up Close recently met up with Bessie, who lives at Anse Royale where she also did her primary education. She then went to the then National Youth Service at both Ste Anne and Cap Ternay, where she spent two years.
Bessie is currently single and has a 22-year-old daughter.
Bessie works at the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) building materials section as a chief cashier. She loves her job though there are lots of challenges. She says dealing with customers and subordinates is no easy feat.
Ups and downs
“There are lots of ups and downs at my work place as sometimes I have to step in when cashiers have to deal with a difficult customer and also have to assist them in sorting out their personal problems.
“To do that job you have to be patient, committed, reliable and trustworthy and have self confidence. Honesty plays an important role as you are working with lots of cash every day,” says Bessie.
Breakaway volleyball team
Bessie says the name Breakaway volleyball team came about because all of the players come from different districts and different clubs they used to play for.
“So we all decided to ‘break away’ and form a new team, hence Breakaway. We currently have 16 players registered with the team and as stated earlier, we are currently first in the division two women’s volleyball league. Anyone who wants to join Breakaway can contact any member of my team. And anyone who can play volleyball are welcome to join us,” Bessie says.
Bessie is planning ahead if she wants Breakaway to remain in the first division in future.
“As for first division we need to recruit more players as my teammates adapt to being first division players. There’s a lot of work to be done before starting playing at this level. As for me I’m actually helping in coaching the team, with the assistance of co-coach Gaetan Williams. I provide mentorship to my team members when they face tough times sometimes. And I am able to do that due to my past experience as a national team player and one of Anse Royale women’s volleyball team’s best players,” she says.
Hobbies, wishes and dislikes
Bessie says her hobbies are watching movies and sports on TV and of course she enjoys playing volleyball.
As for wishes, she would love to change people’s lives for the better if she could.
“Help people in need would be something I would love to change in life if I had the power and the means. I would give them shelter, clothes, food for them to live a better life,” Bessie says.
But there is also something that Bessie hates in life.
“What I hate the most in life is when people talk behind your back or gossip about things they don’t really know about or about you”.
Childhood days
Bessie says she does not have much to tell about her childhood. She was the oldest in her family and had to look after her two brothers and sister.
“When my mum had to go to work, I looked after my siblings. I really liked looking after my brothers and sister. When I was 13 years old I started to go play volleyball after school. I remember arriving home late to prepare food for my brothers and sister. It was very hard because I really loved my volleyball. What I really enjoyed the most was when I got a gold medal in one of the athletics events during the national school athletics championships on June 29. I was only 10 years old, and from that day on until I finished NYS, I did athletics and volleyball, two sports that I really like.”
Memorable and bad experiences
“Bad experiences is when I lose a competition that I had put so much effort in to win. Good and memorable ones are when I first played volleyball in the All African Championship in Cairo in 1991. It was my first experience in such international games. Another good time was when the national team which I formed part won the gold medal in the 1998 Indian Ocean Games. Winning IOCC with Anse Royale was also a memorable experience,” says Bessie.
Bessie says she has thoroughly enjoyed her volleyball career during all those years up till now.
Bessie’s achievements in volleyball:
(As a national team player)
• 1991 - All Africa Games (Egypt);
• 1993 - Bronze Medal – IOIG (Seychelles);
• 1998 - Gold Medal – IOIG (Reunion);
• 1999 – 7th All Africa Games (South Africa);
• 2001 - Champions of the 13th African Cup of Nations (Nigeria);
• 2002 – Silver Medal – 10th Anniversary International South Africa
• 2003 – 8th All Africa Games (Nigeria);
• 2003 - Gold Medal – IOIG (Mauritius);
• 2003 - African Cup of Nation (Kenya);
• 2004 - African Women Olympic qualification (Kenya).
(With ARSU volleyball club):
• 1992: Silver – CCCOI (Reunion);
• 1996: Gold – CCCOI (Reunion);
• 1998: Gold – CCCOI (Madagascar);
• 1999: Gold – CCCOI (Mauritius);
• 2001: Gold – CCCOI (Madagascar);
• 2002: CCCOI (Mauritius);
• 2003: CCCOI (Seychelles)
• 2004: Gold – CCCOI (Mauritius);
• 2005: 20th African Cup of club (Kenya).
