"The Fab Four", Amondora Creese, Aneek Peters, Tamisha Georges and Tyalia Nibbs pictured with Stephen Payne at the succesful conclusion of the BVIAVA Referee's Clinic. Photo: Cleave Farrington

The Legends are defending 2011 Champions, but with new teams to face in 2012 they will have to be on top of their game in 2012.

The three-day course, which was held at the offices of the BVI Olympic Committee at Prospect Reef covered all aspects of the game and also included an arduous examination which the four, all ladies and players, completed successfully.

Tamisha Georges, Aneek Peters, Amondora Creese and Tyalia Nibbs will now join Payne on the Referees’ panel.

Whilst the initial step qualifies them to officiate at domestic matches, it also represents the first step towards becoming a NORCECA Regional Referee and from there another step takes them to International Volleyball Federation qualifications.

The “Fab Four” will hardly have time to celebrate their achievement as the BVIAVA has already announced that the 2012 season will start on Saturday February 11, 2012 with an official opening ceremony at 4:30 p.m.

The first round of games will commence immediately after the ceremony with both events scheduled for the Multi Purpose Sports Complex.

This year’s league will feature 4 male and 5 female teams in the A division and such is the resurgence of the sport that the Association is able to re-introduce a B division league of 4 Secondary School teams.

Included in the men’s line up is 15-time Champion team the Terminators, who will also be defending their 2011 Title. Joining them are Just Dream, which is a new combination of players from Just bless and the Dream team. The Future is back and will be looking to improve upon their playoff appearance last year. Raw Power rounds off the entrants.

In the Women’s League there has been some interesting developments team wise.

The Legends is back as 2011 defending Champions as are last season’s Runners Up Raw Power. Then there are the new teams Phoenix Red, who were formerly known as the Volcanoes, Phoenix Black, formally the Tornadoes and new comers Phoenix Blue. The Blues will also be the youngest team in the league.

The “B” League will feature two teams from Elmore Stoutt High School, one team from the Seventh Day Adventist School and the other from Cedar International School.