Teams prepared for seaside tournament

Volleyball Horsham members are well represented across all seven Phantoms teams participating in this weekend’s 45th annual Seaside Volleyball Tournament.

Sixty-seven teams from across Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania will compete in Warrnambool, playing across 11 courts at three different venues in the biggest tournament in country Victoria.

The Phantoms will be represented in all four men’s divisions and three of the four women’s divisions.

Phantoms division-two men’s coach Tim Popple said the tournament served as the official start to the volleyball competition season.

“After this event is over, everyone knows state league is just around the corner,” he said.

Volleyball Horsham’s Matthew Berry, Nick Adamson and Cam Robinson will be out to spoil the party of the big two in Southern Cross Cobras and Melbourne Uni Renegades in the honors men’s division. They will also face strong opposition from South Australian clubs Mt Lofty, Austral and South Adelaide.

Nathan Berry and Jack Hannan will be key members of the Phantoms’ division-one team, while Popple will bring Will Saligari and Shaun Bray up from division three to continue with their development in the Phantoms division-two team.

Stepping up

From a Volleyball Horsham perspective, all eyes will be on the Phantoms’ division-three men’s team, with Lloyd Baker making his debut in the purple and black along with Tyler Puls, who will join the team after cricket on Saturday.

“It’s so exciting to see Lloyd and Tyler having a go with Phantoms because they have been improving out of sight over the course of the past 12 months,” Popple said.

On the women’s side there is also plenty of excitement ahead of the weekend, with Tamikah Dockrill stepping up into the women’s premier team for the first time.

She will join Kara Johnson in the team, which will face stiff opposition from Yarra and Monash, while it will fancy its chances against Southern Cross Cobras and South Australian teams Austral and South Adelaide.

Laelah Robertson, Cleo Baker, Rebecca Allan, Emily Hannan and Delaney Wills will be key members in the division one team, while Jade Saligari and Kimberley Crabtree will step up into the Phantoms division-two team.

“It all points to a big weekend of volleyball for our members, one that should set them up nicely for a huge tilt at state league in 2019,” Popple said.

“Apart from that, Warrnambool is always a great weekend to catch up with friends and enjoy being a part of the biggest country volleyball event on the calendar.”

Anyone interested in playing volleyball in Horsham in the upcoming season should contact info@ volleyballhorsham.com.au.