NVF marks milestone with first-ever beach volleyball referees

Beach volleyball
Mariud Ngula
  • 14 Hours Ago
Namibian Volleyball Federation (NVF) recently sent its first beach volleyball referees for the International Referee Candidate Course (IRCC) in Banjul, The Gambia.

Namibia was represented by Ndinelago Kasheeta and Simon Nakapanda at the IRCC, part of the African Volleyball Confederation’s (CAVB) ongoing strategy to strengthen officiating standards across the continent.

Kasheeta and Nakapanda were selected based on their commitment to officiating and their potential contribution to volleyball development nationally.

The course aimed to develop international-level referees capable of officiating African and global beach volleyball competitions.

It brought together referee candidates from multiple African countries, delivering sessions on International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) rules and regulations for beach volleyball, among others, complemented with assessments to determine readiness for certification as international referees.

Kasheeta and Nakapanda completed the course with group two and three rankings, respectively.

Speaking to this publication yesterday, NVF president Tobias Mwatelulo said the referees have now completed the theoretical part of the certification process.

“This is a historic milestone as we celebrate the country’s first-ever international referee candidates for beach volleyball. The next stage of certification is practical exposure by officiating at international competitions, after which they would then be awarded their certificates,” he said.

Funding for the course was made possible by the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC), NVF, Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) and individual sponsors Heiko Kesselmann, M. Krafft and A. Andreas.



Valuable experience at U18 Cup

The course coincided with the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) U18 Beach Volleyball Youth Development Cup held in the same city, where the country was represented by four young players.

Namibia fielded Nora Rogl and Isabel von Wietersheim (DTS) in the girls’ team, while Jura Krafft (U21 CAVB Continental Beach Volleyball champion) and Leander Mueller formed the boys’ team. The event also served as preparation for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Funded through Olympic Solidarity, FIVB and CAVB, the tournament provided 36 young African athletes from 12 countries with the opportunity to showcase their talent at an international level and gain valuable competitive exposure.

Accompanied by coach Antero Epifanio and team manager Simone von Wietersheim, Namibia’s athletes faced tough competition.

Epifanio and Von Wietersheim said the girls finished ninth overall, while the boys, who reached the quarterfinals, placed sixth.

“The tournament was a valuable experience that highlighted both the potential and the developmental needs of our young athletes. While results on the scoreboard were modest, the players displayed resilience, competitiveness and clear progress throughout the event.”

– mariud@nsh.com.na