Number spike at volleyball skins comp

HIGH-level volleyball was on offer throughout the weekend as teams from across the state took to the court as part of Volleyball Ballarat’s annual skins competition.

Members from 43 teams across seven divisions took part in the tournament with women’s games played at Phoenix College and the men’s events at the Ballarat Minerdome.

This year’s competition was the second following the post-COVID return, which Volleyball Ballarat president Damon Minotti said is aimed at attracting more teams.

“This used to be in November but it was competing with other tournaments,” he said.

“We moved to this weekend last year to try to capture the teams that are about to enter the Victorian Volleyball League, the state league competition.

“We’re a bit beholden to Volleyball Victoria’s state league structure and hope we can push our way to 50-plus teams and hold this at Selkirk where there’s seven courts in the one venue.”

Prize money was up for grabs for the winning team able to beat their opponents by 25 to 12 or better, which would jackpot to the following round until claimed.

Mr Minotti said the tournament was transitioned to a skins format about 30 years ago, and the funding pool helps support their junior program.

“Other than our tournament there’s country championships and regional tournaments later in the year and we’re able to send teams to that,” he said.

“There’s also things like uniforms and transport which for a sport like volleyball are generally at cost to the player so the more we make out of this tournament the more we can support those players.”

The event drew in teams from throughout Victoria, including the regional state league team Phantoms Volleyball Club which includes players from Ballarat, Mildura, Bendigo and Horsham.

Georgie Hassell is one of the team’s local players as well as a Volleyball Ballarat committee member and she said the skins comp was a well-attended one.

“The vibe’s been really positive,” she said. “Ideally, it would have been good to have it under one venue but when there’s lots of games going on, the atmosphere’s really good.

“This definitely grows the sport here, and it gives particularly our juniors here an opportunity to play their first tournament experience.”