SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, March 13, 2013 - Sixteen women took part in the national course for referees, line judges, scorers and electronic sheet organized by the Dominican Republic Volleyball Federation in collaboration with the NORCECA/FIVB Regional Development Center.

The number of female participants hailing from the 32 provinces of the country was judged as a positive step by the DR Federation President, Ramon A. Garcia.

"It is very refreshing to see the big number of women taking part in the course as we continue to work in line of the FIVB policy of equal opportunities for both genders," Garcia said at the closing ceremony where the participants received their certificates.

One of the female participants, Ana Marlenis Rodriguez of Santo Domingo, obtained the best grades at the end of the three-day course which covered 30 hours of theoretical and practical instructions.

"I am very happy about taking part in the course," Rodriguez commented. "It has been a great experience for all of us, not only the female participants. Now we want to continue learning and someday become national and then international referees."

The instructors of the course were Salvador Bautista, former referee and current president of the refereeing commission of the DR Volleyball Federation, Juvenal Collado, current international referee, and Bienvenido Mateo, member of NORCECA VIS Commission.