News Roundup

Hi eveyone,

First of all, thank you for joining the club; I hope that you will be rewarded with good time and excitement!

Here is a little description of what is expecting you this year…

On the first place, trainings are going to take place every Tuesday and Thursday, from 8.30 to 10 pm in the Big Sports Hall (where Fairs Day was held). We also play every now and then on the week-ends, for those hanging around, generally meeting Saturday at 2 pm, same place.

At the moment, we are up to two rather important competitions:

1. The Colleges and Universities Sports Association of Ireland (CUSAI) League. For the last two years, (half-)coincidentally, our gentlemen’s team got silver, and our ladies’ team, gold! I hope we do even better this year, and bring back home both cups.
    
   The League goes in four rounds and one final, with proposed dates:
   Round 1: 5th – 9th November 2007
   Round 2: 26th – 30th November 2007
   Round 3: 11th – 15th February 2008
   Round 4: 25th – 29th February 2008
   Finals: 6th March 2008 – Venue: UCD (in Dublin)

    
   We have a chance to host one round of the tournament here, in NUIM. Four matches, maybe more, would be played in one of the chosen week’s day. I have been told by the Sports Office of the college, Paul Davis, that any Wednesday would do. As for which one, nothing is defined yet; we have to submit our preferences to the CUSAI, along with the application form. That has to be before Friday week, so let me know very soon if any of these did not suit you (on condition that you are willing to take part in the tournament, of course).

2. There are also the Volleyball Intervarsities 2007. This year, they take place in University of Ulster, Jordanstown (aka UUJ. 10 minutes North of Belfast) from Thursday 22nd to Saturday 24th of November, inclusive. The club will cover, of course, the tournament’s entry fees, but also should help players with a substantial part of the transport and accomodation costs.

Besides, other daily tournaments may be notified during the year. They can take place anywhere in the country, really, so they are often pleasant and fairly cheap occasions of visiting beautiful Ireland! We might also organize a few friendly matches against neighbouring teams, just for the craic…

One last thing: I know that many of you are very beginners, and might get frightened at the perspective of all these dreadfully serious-sounding tournaments. My word is: don’t wory. I can tell you that, among the ladies team that won the CUSAI League last year, there were some that had scarcely touched a volley ball a few months before. There exists higher-level leagues, organized by the Volleyball Association of Ireland (VAI), but these seem to be too high a standard for us at the moment (although I should get occasions of checking that soon enough by myself, refereeing a few matches). Anyway, attending the trainings does not bind you to take part in any tournament, this is up to you.

I hope I’ll see most of you tomorrow (Thursday the 4th).

Cheers,

Matthew