Jorge Pérez Vento, the Cuban coach of the Dominican volleyball team, said he rejected an offer of US$20,000 a month plus all expenses paid for himself and his family to train in Japan. He said he has a commitment to lead the Dominican women’s volleyball team to win a world championship, adding this is a long term commitment that might take 10 to 15 years. He told Hoy newspaper reporters says that money isn’t everything, and that he feels good in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican team aspires to win the silver medal in the Central American and Caribbean Games. Pérez Vento said, though, that if Cuba takes its B team to the Maracaibo, Venezuela games, the Dominicans could surprise and win the volleyball gold. His goal is that the Dominican Republic team place among the top 12 in the Tokyo World Volleyball Games scheduled for November. Pérez says that he had been assistant coach of the Cuban team at the World Games several times before, but that he is thrilled to be attending as a head coach. "Many people do not realize what it means to make it to a world tournament, where only the best 16 teams of the world go… and this small country will be there," he said.
