Mitchell makes his mark at beach volleyball event

It was not so long ago that Connor Boyle and Mitchell Brown started with Kinross Volleyball Club.

Time has witnessed the pair mature into talented players and move on to play at a higher level, both having represented the men’s national team.

This year’s schedule was interrupted by the COVID pandemic but they have now competed in their first domestic beach volleyball competition since September last year.

The pairing has not had much practice but they did not disappoint at the Lothian and Borders Beach Volleyball competition.

Having worked through to the semi-final, Boyle and Brown - the latter who is from Kinross - were pitched in against top seeds McKelvie and Stewart.

Defeat meant a third and fourth place play-off match against established beach players Soberiacki and Krawczyk, a tussle which certainly did not disappoint.

Long rallies, big points and a three-set thriller gave onlookers more than they could have wished for as Boyle and Brown finished in the bronze medal position.

Dave Munro watched the pair rise through the ranks at Kinross Volleyball Club and is proud to see them continue to show signs of improvement.

He said: “The well organised event run by Lothian and Borders Volleyball in accordance with government and sport

Scotland guidelines showed the former Kinross boys that they need to get together more often to train together on sand so that they can boost their chances of reaching the play off places, up for grabs, for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

“The fact that the inland beach courts at Darnhall are currently being refurbished in the hope of starting Scotland’s first ever inland beach volleyball club in Perth, should give the boys the opportunity of realising their dreams of future success.

“Perth Beach Volleyball Club is becoming a reality, the only things preventing it taking off is COVID and a lack of further funding.”