A visionary chief could make all of the distinction in a sport, the place ardour and perseverance usually intersect. Enter Lori Okimura, who was newly promoted to tackle the place of President of World ParaVolley (WPV) and whose observe file in revolutionising the enterprise of volleyball and seaside volleyball in her nation and the worldwide scene heralds a promising period for paravolley on the worldwide stage.
With a wealthy, storied historical past in USA Volleyball and a wealth of expertise in each the athletic and administrative spheres, Okimura’s ascent to the presidency of WPV brings with a recent breeze of innovation and inclusivity.
Her imaginative and prescient extends far past mere competitors, it encompasses a holistic strategy geared toward professionalising the organisation, increasing alternatives for athletes and fostering a tradition of empowerment.
Central to Okimura’s technique is the revitalisation of sitting volleyball and seaside paravolley – two disciplines poised to captivate audiences worldwide. Recognising its transformative energy in uniting communities, she envisions a future the place these disciplines usually are not solely celebrated but additionally built-in into the material of worldwide sporting occasions.
Drawing on her success in cultivating seaside volleyball within the USA, and her enterprise background and expertise in managing and advertising and marketing main sporting occasions, Okimura is pioneering a mannequin that merges worldwide competitions with native partnerships, and likewise getting the assistance of consultants and professionals from the able-bodied self-discipline to provide international seaside paravolley and sitting volleyball skilled alternatives for the longer term.
This revolutionary strategy not solely guarantees to raise the profile of seaside paravolley specifically but additionally create a blueprint for sustainable progress and engagement for all disciplines.
In discussing the seaside self-discipline, she highlighted its distinctive enchantment, emphasising its potential to offer athletes with new avenues for participation and growth. The compact staff format makes it notably accessible to nations with rising Para sport programmes, providing a pathway to high-performance competitors and group integration.
Okimura underscores the significance of youth engagement, citing initiatives just like the Youth Parapan Am Video games as catalysts for nurturing the subsequent era of Para athletes. Following that mannequin, she views youth involvement as a method of instilling life-enriching values and fostering a tradition of inclusivity and empowerment.
Crucially, she champions gender fairness as a cornerstone of her imaginative and prescient, striving to make sure that ladies have equal alternatives to excel each on and off the courtroom. By amplifying the voices of feminine athletes and leaders, she goals to encourage future generations and problem societal norms throughout the sporting panorama.
For Okimura, true success lies not solely within the medals gained but additionally within the lives remodeled by the game. Her dedication to fairness, innovation and inclusivity underscores a future-forward imaginative and prescient for World ParaVolley – one which transcends boundaries and empowers athletes to succeed in their fullest potential.
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@world.paravolleyPresident Lori Okimura’s imaginative and prescient for a future-forward World ParaVolley ♬ unique sound – World ParaVolley
