Zunker says blueprint set for beach volleyball
BRONZE medal-winning Vanuatu coach Shanon Zunker will use the success of the Commonwealth Games beach volleyball competition to build the next generation of Gold Coast Games hopefuls.
Still riding high after steering the Vanuatu women’s team onto the podium, the Surfers Paradise resident is finalising plans with Gold Coast City Council to cash in on beach volleyball’s Games popularity.
A 20-year veteran of the sport and the organiser of the Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour, Zunker has created his own blueprint for developing the game on the Coast, beginning with the rollout of introductory programs in May and June.
“We’ll be throwing out some Come and Try Days and six-week courses to learn to play beach volleyball so as soon as that’s locked in and finalised, Council will be helping to promote those,” the former Australian representative said.
“I’m hoping that from what people have seen (at the Games), they will come and try it for themselves. That would be a good way to get some more people playing and then we have these social leagues set up that … we can roll them into that.
“It’s just trying to create a little bit of a pathway for someone who hasn’t played to get involved and have a go.
“I really want to try to work with the city in regards to getting beach volleyball more present and visible on the Gold Coast.”
The Vanuatu duo of Miller Pata and Linline Matauatu defied their fourth-placed ranking to beat Cyprus in the bronze medal match.
“It hasn’t been an easy road but it’s been really good. All that sort of stuff makes you really appreciate where (Pata and Matauatu) have gotten to,” Zunker said.