The Barbados Volleyball Association has been thrown into mourning once again after the longest serving president John Griffith passed away on Sunday after a lengthy illness.

Griffith, 66, held the BVA’s top post from 1996 until ill health saw him retiring in 2018. He also served as the Treasurer of the Barbados Olympic Association from 2004 to 2017. The former vice-president of CAZOVA and Norceca’s Treasurer also held the position of FIVB’s Internal Auditor.

Griffith, a Fellow of Chartered General Accountants functioned as the Financial Controller of the Barbados National Bank for over two decades and he worked as the Director of Finance in Bermuda for three years prior to retirement.

John oversaw a golden era of Barbados volleyball where the men won 10 successive Caribbean titles and the women clinched six with Barbados’ national teams taking part in Norceca championships, CAC and Pan American Games as well as World Championship Qualifiers. In 2001 Barbados became the first English speaking Caribbean nation to host a Norceca senior men’s finals.

Current president of the BVA Kenmore Bynoe indicated that Griffith’s financial acumen and his style of management led to the significant maturation of the Association and Barbados’ volleyball.

“John allowed his council members to grow into their respective roles which empowered the individuals and fashioned the BVA into a very competent and stronger unit. His drive to guarantee the successful future of volleyball saw John placing the greatest of emphasis on the development of our junior players.

“John’s declaration that the national players should focus on training and playing while leaving funds-raising to the BVA played a key role in Barbados’ tremendous regional success for over two decades,” said Bynoe.

John who would have celebrated another birthday on December 10 leaves to mourn his wife Carol and daughter Erica.