Perfect start to volleyball season
Seven new additions to a Hall of Fame was the perfect way to kickstart Volleyball Horsham’s summer season.
John Mibus, Katrina Jolley, Donna Dunmore, Darren Gemmola, Kara Johnson, Nathan and Joanne Berry all received thunderous applause for their contributions to volleyball in Horsham when they won recognition at a season launch on Saturday night.
Mibus was the first inducted for his contribution as one of the best and most watchable players back when he started his career in the early ’70s.
Mibus got tongues wagging from the younger members of the audience when he recalled how his Horsham Technical School team of the mid-70s used to train on asphalt, without kneepads, with their mantra being to hurt the opposition as best they could, even if that meant aiming for their heads.
They used to travel to school tournaments by train.
Jolley was one of the association’s best female players of the 1980s and early ’90s, renowned for her booming serve and strong hitting.
She was a key member of all Horsham teams that competed successfully at tournaments across the state.
Dunmore started her career in Ararat and was instrumental in forming relationships between both Ararat and Horsham girl players, which enabled strong teams to enter tournaments.
Wiith her husband Geoff, she traveled from Ararat to play when the association reformed in the early ’90s and then encouraged other Ararat players to get on board with Horsham teams. Gemmola also started his career in Ararat and was a member of the Ararat team that won a Horsham A Grade title in 1985.
Gemmola came to the fore when the association reformed in the early ’90s, both on and off the court, and will always be remembered for his leading role in the men’s division-two country championship victory.
Johnson is the association’s leading female player and has been for more than 12 years.
She has a list of credits that took more than two minutes to read out, highlighted by her three country championship gold medals and her state league gold medal.
Johnson has contributed off the court as well giving time as the association’s treasurer, academy coach and state team assistant coach.
Nathan Berry has done it tough throughout his career, following in the footsteps of his brother Matthew.
Nathan has had to bide his time and in doing so has won a country championship division-two gold medal and been an all-star-seven team selection on two occasions.
Nathan is a foundation Phantoms member where he has won a division-two gold medal and a division-one silver medal and is now in the premier team.
Joanne Berry was caught completely by surprise when association stalwart Tim Popple presented her with her induction plaque.
Popple remembered the times when Joanne would cook tea for him when he attended a committee meeting at the Berry household, citing Joanne as ‘like a mum’ to him and all the boys and girls involved with Volleyball Horsham over the journey.
All in attendance had an enjoyable evening and everyone is looking forward to another season of volleyball in Horsham.