Young volleyballers soar to new heights

Nayland College is celebrating a rare double at the South Island senior girls’ volleyball championships in Christchurch.

The ‘A’ team beat defending champions St Margaret’s College 3-2 in their final.
The Canterbury side had edged Nayland by that same score in pool play, but the roles were reversed, with Nayland saving a match point on its way to taking out the title.

It was the first time in 11 years that a Nelson college had achieved the feat.
To complete a memorable tournament, Nayland’s ‘B’ team also won the  girls’ division 2 crown.

Those were some feats, given more than 50 teams were competing in Canterbury.

With Nayland already the current junior champions, it has become just the second school to hold both titles at the same time in the past 32 years.

Nayland A coach Brendan Crichton is adamant the success comes from preparation, with training literally their strength.

“We train three times a week and also do strength and conditioning work.”
It also helps that one of the player’s parents is a nutritionist.

Brendan’s passion and international coaching experience is undoubtedly a huge factor as well.

Nayland has three under-19 New Zealand age grade players in their ranks – Briana Barber, Lucia Banks and Nev Neho.

“Emelia Ainley would be there too, but she is only 15 and so is too young to be selected yet,” explains Brendan.

St Margaret’s also fielded three national age grade stars which ensured a worthy final.

Brendan is sharing the coaching credit with former Nayland player Sophie Young, who has returned from her volleyball scholarship at Long Island University in the United States.

“The girls can relate to Sophie as she has been there, done that. She is a second voice for them as well,” says Brendan of his assistant coach.

Completing a family double at the South Island champs, Brendan’s daughter Brooklynn coached the girl’s B team.

Both sides are now preparing to go to the national secondary school volleyball champs in Palmerston North later this month.

Nayland A finished thirteenth at the nationals last year, but Brendan is targeting the top four this time.

With his Volleyball Tasman hat on, the Nayland College director of sport enthuses over the popularity of the sport locally and nationally.

“We are the second fastest growing sport in the country but continue to fly under the radar,” he says.

“In this region alone, we have 78 high school teams and 60 intermediate sides,” declares the Volleyball Tasman President.