Niverka Marte has had a key role with the Dominican Republic national team as their starting setter over the last decade. She is now, however, taking on even more responsibility with Las Reinas del Caribe (The Queens of the Caribbean, in Spanish) in the Volleyball Nations League 2022.
VNL 2022
New captain Marte excited about Dominican future
The experienced setter inherits outside hitter Prisilla Rivera's role
Published 08:00, 14 Jun 2022
The experienced setter is leading a young Dominican squad in this year's VNL
· Watch all VNL 2022 matches live on Volleyball TV.
Following the international retirement of outside hitter Prisilla Rivera at the end of 2021, the Dominicans entered this season looking for a new captain. Head Coach Marcos Kwiek had no doubts about selecting the 31-year-old Marte for the role.
The experienced setter, who has been with the team for over a decade, and has played professionally in her country, Azerbaijan, France, Peru, Turkey and Indonesia, was the team’s captain in the absence of Rivera in the past, but is now tasked with the role on a permanent basis.
“I feel good as the team’s captain,” she told Volleyball World. “For me, it just means that I need to be even more committed every day and give my best to help the team and the other players. I was the captain in age-group national teams and also when Prisilla wasn’t available, so it wasn’t a total surprise when the coach told me.”
Marte is likely to resemble Rivera as a captain. The two are usually very calm and relaxed on the court and players who inspire their teammates more by their actions than by their words.
The setter also plans to use valuable help from the other veterans on the team as she leads the Dominican Republic at the VNL and beyond.
“Prisilla was an excellent captain and I learned a lot from her,” she explained. “I don’t think any kind of transition will be necessary. It’s more about figuring out what else I can do to help the team even more. We’re very fortunate to have other players who are great leaders in our roster, like Bethania de la Cruz, Brenda Castillo and Brayelin Martinez, and they will for sure be by my side, helping the team be the best it can be.”
Captains are always important players in a team, but that’s even more true this year with a Dominican team that lost some important veterans after last year, saw De La Cruz and Castillo sit out of the start of the VNL and welcomed some new faces to their squad.
As one of the seven Tokyo Olympians to be with the team at the start of the VNL, Marte is trying to make sure the newcomers all feel comfortable in the team, but that they also understand what it takes to remain for as long as she and others have.
“Most of our squad right now is formed of younger players, who need guidance on and off the court,” she added. “They’re from a different generation and we’re trying to connect with them and share the discipline that’s needed and the responsibility that comes with being part of a national team.”
Marte in action against Canada during the opening week of the VNL
With several new players on the court, the Dominicans struggled in the first week of the VNL, losing their four matches and winning just two sets in Shreveport-Bossier City, USA. Improvement is expected in the second week, when the Caribbeans will face Korea, Italy, the Netherlands and Serbia in Brasilia, Brazil, but according to Marte, the team is focused on the long term right now.
“Of course, we’d love to win the gold medal at the VNL, but what we’re really focused on is improving. It’s great that we can use the matches as a way to measure our progress,” she reflected. “I hope we can strengthen our team and earn more confidence and experience so we can win matches and qualify for the VNL Finals. But I’m very confident that, even if that doesn’t happen, this team will have a bright future.”
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