Volleyball
30 July, 2025
Winter season hits off
Volleyball Horsham’s winter season hits off last night with competition in A grade and a new-look women’s A and women’s B.
Association vice-president Matt McLoughlin said there was an air of excitement heading into round one for all competitions.
“To ensure as even as competition as possible for A grade, a sub-committee gets together over the break between seasons to draft new players into the competition and reform the five A grade teams,” McLoughlin said.
“There is a general consensus among the A grade cohort that the sub-committee has come up with five pretty even and competitive teams, which will make it interesting from the get-go.”
Reigning premiers Hellenic Nuggets have the bye and will sit back and watch with great interest the first round of matches, which see Jack Hannan’s Rangers do battle with Nathan Berry’s Heidelberg, while Tyler Puls’ Phantoms square off against Tyler Snowden’s Tsunami.
Rangers welcome into their team of Haidyn Young, James Davidson and Alex Baker, which will give Hannan the extra support he needs.
Heidelberg look to be the big improvers with association veteran Tim Popple, the high-leaping Oscar Jackman and Laelah Robertson pulling on the black-and-white uniform.
Phantoms will be strengthened with the inclusion of Tim Carter and welcome back into A grade young gun Joey Nagorcka.
Their biggest weapon will be Bendigo player Ollie Harriott, who when available will pull on the purple uniform and bring great experience to the team.
Tsunami have the young guns of the competition in Logan and Jiedan Young together with James Johns on board this season as those youngsters get great tutelage from Snowden as they prepare for the junior country championships at the end of September.
The women’s A grade competition extends to eight teams with the young Bombers girls stepping up from women’s B.
Reigning premiers Nuggets welcome back Mikaela Wright and introduce Rhianna Williams into a team that is also preparing for the junior country championships.
They were undermanned this week due to a school camp but will bring exciting young juniors up in Eden Pumpa, Stella Angue and Drew Armstrong into their team to take on Phantoms.
Phantoms welcome Paige Millar back to the competition as well as veteran Larree Smith.
Lakers kicked off the night against Matilda Horvat’s Bombers, while the new look Vixens team, with Mercedes Arnott at the helm and the experienced Maddison Watts on board, did battle with WLC Thorns, who welcomed back Rachel Reichelt who is using all her experience from playing in Ballarat as she takes over the middle blocking role.
The final game saw Laelah Robertson’s Tsunami take on Serena Johns’ Heidelberg, who were stronger for the return of the athletic Molly Gawith.
All Volleyball Horsham members congratulate Tamikah Dockrill on reaching the 100-game milestone for Phantoms.
Dockrill has been playing since 2017 and is only the second Volleyball Horsham female to join the 100-game club behind Kara Johnson.
All under-15 members are reminded that the final selection trial for boys and girls’ country championship teams will be on Sunday at St Brigid’s College stadium from 8.45am.