Member of the Canadian Sitting Volleyball team, Felicia Voss will be officiating during the Nadi International Airport Volleyball Tournament next week. Fijian born Voss arrived into the country last night with the aim to use the platform to encourage young people to take up the sport despite the situation they faced.

The tournament is into its 13 year with 146 teams from 67 organisations making it one of the biggest volleyball tournaments in the country. It will be held at Prince Charles Park, Nadi with the theme “Spreading the Bula Spirit”.

Voss left for Canada when she was 12 –years-old.

“I was born and raised in Fiji so it’s grateful to be back  I am so excited about the tournament,” she said.

Voss was accorded the  traditional ceremony by Sabeto villagers.

She lost her legs to septicemia due to pneumococcal pneumonia and streptococcus in the blood stream.

Voss now has carbon fiber and titanium legs which enable her to walk.

“However after I got sick I realized that I wasn’t able to play volleyball at least not  standing traditional volleyball that I used to play and then I found an adaptive version of volleyball that probably saved my life,” she said.

Voss advised young people to be passionate about volleyball and that nothing should stop them from playing the sport.

“It doesn’t matter how old or young you are it’s never too late to take up the sport like volleyball.

“It builds a community and social network and it doesn’t which sport it is just by staying positive and working hard.

“There is never a bad time to start a sport just go out and play it and have fun and stay healthy,” she added.

Voss also plans to visit her family and friends here in Fiji.

“I have a lot family here that I haven’t seen in a very long time and I’m really looking forward to the tournament and meeting everyone,” she added.

Voss was part of the Canadian sitting volleyball team that won bronze at the 2015 Para Panam Games and also qualified a spot in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, Brazil.

Edited by  Osea Bola

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