Picture: JAMES MURPHY
A TEAM of nine Mount Gambier volleyballers will put their skills to the test in Horsham this weekend, where they will be served tough competition from interstate rivals.
A men’s team of nine players will contest the two-day event against sides from across Victoria and South Australia, with association president Cambell Baker to captain the side.
Having played in the Warrnambool seaside tournament earlier in the year, Baker said players now have a better gauge on the level of competition and what it takes to be successful at such events.
“We went to Warrnambool not really knowing what the standard would be like,” he said.
“A few of our players had played in the tournament before in our younger years, but we were going in a little bit blind.
“We did not have much success – we only won one game – but it was really good for us to get a gauge for where we sit.
“We have a much stronger team this time.”
Playing at the Mount Gambier High School gym every Monday night in the weekly association competition, the team has trained hard in preparation for the trip to Horsham.
“We have had a lot of trainings and have people playing in specific positions,” Baker said.
“We are going away feeling pretty confident we should be competitive.”
The South East Volleyball Association was formed last year, with its first full season of competition currently in its winter finals.
“We ran a mini season in November/December last year, but this year was our first full year of volleyball,” Baker said.
“It sort of runs in the school term – the summer season is term 1 and term 2 and winter season term 3 and term 4.
“We have two seasons a year – this is the first year we have run it and it has worked really well.”
Currently run as a mixed competition across two divisions, Baker said numbers have been strong.
“There are lots of people playing which is good to see,” he said.
“We have Division 1 which has six teams and Division 2 which has seven teams.
“Teams differ between six to 10 players.
“I think we have had about 150 players throughout the season, which is really good to see.”
While the majority of players in the local competition are from Mount Gambier, Baker said there are some who travel down from Millicent and Penola to play each week.
However, Baker hopes to expand the competition further.
“We are looking at branching out and getting into the schools – which is a big focus of mine,” he said.
“I know there is a volleyball program at Naracoorte and some other schools are trying to do some really cool things.
“We are really trying to tap into the school system as best as we can.”
That is a long-term goal for the association, but right now focus is on the Horsham tournament.
While only a men’s team will hit the court this weekend, the aim is to take a women’s side to the event next year.
Regardless, to put a team together in itself is a solid achievement in the association’s first full year of competition.
“Coming from having nothing a year ago, to having a really competitive men’s team is really cool,” Baker said.
TEAM LIST
Cambell Baker (c), Ben Clark, Andrew Lock, Jack Opolski, Steven Speck, Chris Salter, Braydon Teakle, Alvin Tortosa, Mick Wilson.
