For the first time in more than 15 years, the Aoraki region will be represented at the New Zealand Inter-Provincial Volleyball Championships.
The Aoraki under-17 boys’ team are looking to stretch their abilities in Wellington over King’s Birthday weekend by playing at an elite national competition.
Secondary school volleyball in the Aoraki region has grown 30% annually for the past three years, matching the national trend that has seen the sport become one of the top three most-participated sports (with football and basketball) by secondary school students.
In a statement, Aoraki Volleyball Association chairman and U17 boys’ team coach Andrew Jones said that with more and more primary school students being exposed to the sport, the association was at present facing the enviable headache of trying to find the gym space to accommodate the growth in numbers.
‘‘The stadium redevelopment has come just in time as the association eagerly looks forward to the improved facilities and number of courts potentially available.
‘‘Stimulated by this fact, the association has looked to grow its pathways for those talented and interested players, beyond school specific attendance at regional and national tournaments that relies on the interest and commitment of parents and teaching staff within specific schools.’’
This year’s lower South Island tournament was held in Invercargill and featured an Aoraki girls’ and boys’ team in the U17 and U19 grades.
Both the U19 girls’ and U17 boys’ team made their respective finals with the U17 boys’ causing major panic in the Otago ranks by winning the first two sets of a best-of-five match.
Recognising the potential and gaining commitment from the players, the association looked to attack the momentous task and cost of attending the national tournament.
Jones said they were grateful for support from Trust Aoraki, Pub Charities, Plunket Electrical and The Ruby Marris Charitable Trust (Oamaru) in helping the team get to the tournament.
The team was selected from the Aoraki region which stretches from Oamaru to Fairlie and Geraldine to Ashburton, with schools competing in the Aoraki League that is played in Timaru on Friday nights during terms one and four.
Jones said assembling a team from such a vast area was just one of the complications a small region must overcome to compete against larger centres with a more centralised population.
‘‘The other, is that volleyball is in fact a winter sport, moved to the summer months for secondary schools to avoid competition with netball, rugby, football and basketball with the same pool of players.
‘‘The larger centres have the benefit of offering leagues in the winter to develop keen players, whereas this Aoraki team have had to balance commitments to the TBHS first XV, St Kevin’s first XI football and Roncalli senior A basketball and first XI hockey teams.
‘‘With the goal of providing provincial experience to this group of young players at this pinnacle event, the association hope to increase the skill level of the players and convert them into the coaches of the future.’’
Anyone interested in getting involved with volleyball in the Aoraki region can find more information on the Aoraki Volleyball Association Facebook page. —APL
