National women's team volleyballer Kelly-Anne Billingy became the first local woman to sign a professional contract when she inked a deal with Valencianas de Juncos of the Women's Super Volleyball League, a member of the Puerto Rico Volleyball Federation. Billingy is only the second T&T volleyballer to sign a pro-contract after men's player Marc-Anthony Honore who was snapped up by Germany's top Premeir Division club, Friedrichshafens since 2007. Valencianas, founded in 2004 and winners of the league three years later is coached by Puerto Rican, David Aleman and his assistant, Victor Vasquez. The team reached the semifinal round last year.
The 23-year-old Billingy is expected to leave T&T on Tuesday to join up with her new teammates ahead of the Puerto Rican season which spikes off from Saturday until May. Looking ahead stint in the league an elated Billingy, a two-time Caribbean senior and junior "Most Valuable Player" award recipient said, "It's a huge honour for me to have landed such a deal and also to be the first local women to sign a professional contract." The hard hitting outside-hitter while being anxious about going to Puerto Rico admitted it will be a new challenge for her also. "I know what I'm capable of on the court and I'm very excited to test my skills against some of the best players in the Norceca region. But at the same time I'm also a little nervous because I've never been on my own before.
She explained, "Ever since I began playing volleyball at school I always had team-mates around me who I knew for a long time and then at Marshall in the USA it was no different as fellow national player, Jalicia Ross was also on the team and made it very easy for me to fit in but in Puerto Rico it will be different." While none of her fellow national players will be with her in Puerto Rico, Billingy said she hopes fitting into the team would be made easier with the presence of Puerto Rican national players Sheila Ocasio and Eva Cruz in the squad. "I know both players from competing against Puerto Rico in the Norceca tournaments over the years.
Asked how fluent her spanish was Billingy replied, "I did spanish at Secondary School and University, so I feel it will help me in some way." Billingy, a former standout at Holy Name Convent (PoS) and Marshall University in the USA said the deal was made possible through her agents Kim Kelly and Nick Ptaschinski of Bring It Promotions. "I signed up with the agency as soon as I was finished with Marshall University which she led to the Conference-USA crown while being voted "Player of the Year". The top T&T women's spiker also credited her local club coaches at Glamorgan and Technocrats along with the national team coaches and at Marshall for helping her.
