Murtoa duo step up game
Astrong performance at an end-of-year camp could put two Volleyball Horsham members in line for higher honors in the future.
Cleo and Lloyd Baker will head to Churchill and Bendigo respectively next month as part of Volleyball $XVWUDOLD¶V WDOHQW LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ MX nior pathway program.
The pair impressed national scouts at the recent Australian Junior Volleyball Championships on Queensland’s Gold Coast to be selected for the program.
The Murtoa College students have embraced the challenge of improving their game by taking opportunities presented to them, including playing at tournaments and being members of Volleyball Horsham’s academy program.
It’s a ringing endorsement of our academy program to have two members attend an Australian camp. Full credit to coaches Tim Popple and Kara Johnson for the work they have done to help both Cleo and Lloyd improve their skills.
Cleo has been in the state system for three years and I distinctly remember her standing out right from WKH ¿UVW WLPH , WRRN D FOLQLF DW 0XU toa College.
I couldn’t believe how this left- KDQGHU MXVW ZDQWHG WR KLW WKH EDOO and hit it hard all the time.
It didn’t matter whether it was serving or spiking, I don’t know KRZ PDQ\ RI KHU WHDP PDWHV¶ ¿Q gers she nearly broke when we were doing drills involving both skills.
In Lloyd’s case he wasn’t quite sure of himself early and it has WDNHQ WKDW OLWWOH ELW H[WUD WLPH WR ¿QG his feet.
Lloyd was more reserved and quiet compared with Cleo, and it was PRUH RI D JDPH WKDW KH HQMR\HG ZLWK his mates.
Then all of a sudden he woke up one morning as a six footer and towered above his mates, which made it easier for him to dominate the game.”
The Aus Camp will see some of the elite talent from across Australia DWWHQG WKH ¿YH GD\ FDPS IURP 'H cember 14 to 19.
This is the stuff of dreams because both Cleo and Lloyd will be training with the very best talent in their age group, under the best coaches in Australia.
We know how much they have improved after being part of the state V\VWHP MXVW LPDJLQH KRZ WKH\ ZLOO JR DIWHU ¿YH GD\V ZLWK WKH EHVW IURP around the country – it’s mind boggling, and we look forward to seeing them when they return to academy training next year.
,¶P VXUH WKH\ ZLOO ERWK HQMR\ WKHLU time on camp and hopefully they impress enough again to put themselves in contention for green and gold honors over the next two years. ,W¶V VR H[FLWLQJ QRW MXVW IRU &OHR DQG Lloyd but also for volleyball in the Wimmera.