HNHS Magazine Text 2020 lr | Page 90

AUSTRALIAN VOLLEYBALL SCHOOLS CUP

In early December last year the Havelock North High School Senior A Girls volleyball team attended the 2019 Australian Volleyball Schools Cup . We came home champions . The competition was held on the Gold Coast at both the Coomera and Carrara Stadium . The team consisted of captains Grace Brebner and Phoebe Leake , Maddy Clarke , Laura Garrick , Sally Cottrell , Felicity Keane , Jorja Pollock and Molly Lee . Coached by Ian Johnson and managed by Sue Brebner , the trip was two years in the making with the girls playing many regional and national tournaments leading up to the trip and coming away with promising results .
The girls not only trained to prepare for the trip , but also , with outstanding parent support , spent the two years fundraising in the lead up to the tournament . Not only did the girls put immense effort into this trip , but the parent helpers , manager and coach were really what made this trip possible . The ‘ volleyball mums ’ were the true drivers for the fundraising . When ���� ���� ������� ����� ���� ��� ���� ����� ��� ���� ��� ���� plane , Nicky Johnson , Debbie Allanson , Greer Lee and Karlee Allanson , were vital helpers that supported the girls throughout the entire trip . The house we stayed in was on the bank of a canal where the girls took up ������������������������������������������������������� the court . However , we couldn ’ t swim in the canal as the neighbours warned us that the water was infested with bull sharks .
We were put in Year 12 Division 2 with 12 other teams from Australia , including Concordia , Westminster , Willunga , Pulteney , Mandurah , Craigslea , Emmanuel , Canterbury , Redeemer , Rooty Hill , Lake Ginn and Redlands , all of whom played excellent volleyball . The ��������������������������������������������������� squeeze in some training . We got a taste of what it was going to be like playing in this new environment .
The games were three sets long , or best of three , and were a struggle in heat that we were just not used to in New Zealand . We played two games a day with one duty , usually having both games and duty in the morning or afternoon . The games were tough , and we were very unsure about what the teams were going to be like . Volleyball rules in Australia were played slightly differently to New Zealand which is something we needed to adapt to , not only for our games , but for our refereeing of games as well . After a strong start against Concordia with a 2-0 win and an even better win of 3-0 against Westminster , we were ecstatic going home to call our parents . The next day ������������������������������������������������������ set 20-25 , but managed to still secure the win coming back in the following two sets with a great serving run from Sally in the second set . The following four games in the days to come were solid wins without us dropping a single set . The team from over the ditch was surprising everyone .
��� ���� ���� ��� ���� ���� ��������� ����� ���� �������� ������������������������������������������������������� knew we had to take the next set if we wanted to keep ���������������������������������������������������� run of nine from Maddy . We won the second set
������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������ our parents watching anxiously on the livestream , we once again managed to take the win . We had to win ��������������������������������������������������������� day was the last day of the tourney , and we played our gold medal match against Canterbury . Having played them before and watched some of their games , we had a good idea of how they played and did our best to counter their strengths and capitalise on their weaknesses . With an early night before the big day , we were raring and ready to go .
We had our New Zealand supporters on the sidelines with other Australian teams cheering us on as well . Our friends and family were all gathered at home with the livestream playing on the big screen . This was by far the most important game the girls have ever played and would be the last game that we would get to play as a team . We fought hard through the ��������������������������������������������������� start we needed . With the pressures of being the only undefeated team , the girls kept their cool , and ������������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������������� the second set knowing that if we won it would win us the competition . However , we still took a humble and cautious approach as this was one of Queensland ’ s best teams .
��������������������������������������������������������� game and competition . The girls won gold . Neither the girls , our coach or parents could believe it . The hard work leading up to the trip was worth it for the experience we had over in Australia , but winning the competition was the icing on the cake and made for ��������������������������������������������������������� the girls ended up playing and winning 13 games . We played 35 sets in total and dropped only three . That afternoon we spent time at the beach , in the pool and ended the day with a celebratory dinner . Now that the ���������������������������������������������������� days in Australia exploring the Gold Coast . This trip was truly an opportunity of a lifetime for everyone involved and is an experience that we will never forget .
Maddy Clarke
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