Chair’s Report 2020
During 36-year life of our volleyball club, or the even longer life of your ancient club chairman, we have never before experienced a total shutdown of all social and volleyball activity. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic our club acted responsibly to slow the spread of the disease, initially through reduced personal contact before stopping our club sessions altogether, though this difficult decision was soon overtaken by government’s enforced ‘lockdown’.
In some ways we were fortunate to lose only the last six weeks of the indoor season, with little financial consequence – though sadly we lost the big end-of-season tournaments (senior and junior; national, regional and local), the Dave Kinder Cup final (our first since 2009) and our summer outdoor programme.
Looking back across the season until mid-March, I am pleased to report that our club was healthy in 2019-20:
- We had more people leading, coaching and helping to run sessions than in previous seasons.
- Player numbers were stable (men), growing slightly (women) or exploding (juniors).
- We welcomed players across a wide range of ages and abilities, and we provided enjoyable volleyball.
- All our teams have maintained consistent performance (league positions) over the last three seasons.
We have learned to be effective and efficient in using limited time and space to cater for mixed ability groups, to keep most of our members happy most of the time, and to maintain a comfortable and consistent level of competitiveness.
Looking forward as a club, perhaps the biggest challenges lie at either end of our comfort zone: without losing our happy majority in the middle, how can we develop beginners and young players into our adult teams, and at the same time raise performance levels for more ambitious players? Our club committee and coaches are thinking about these challenges, and will offer suggestions for our members to consider.
Thank you to our coaches and team organisers
It takes a lot of planning and hard work to run our club training sessions and teams, so I’d like to say a ‘big thank you’ to all our volunteer coaches, team organisers and helpers:
- Men: Carl, Pablo, James, Dave, Laura.
- Women: Cliff, Kat, Helen, Laura, Carl.
- Juniors: Phil, Julie (welfare/admin), Pablo, Hayden, Kat, Hanka, Donna, Cliff, Anna G, Laura, James, Ed.
Congratulations to our star players
- Laura Kulmala topped the SW League player of the match awards table (again!).
- Hayden Daniell was selected for the SW U19 squad, and was a last-18 triallist for England U19.
- Anna Bulman, Gabriela Lara Moreno and Hannah Davis were invited to SW U15 squad training, and Hannah was selected for the final squad.
Planning ahead
Due to Covid-19 we have postponed our annual club meeting until September. Until then your current committee have kindly agreed to continue planning for the season ahead, including 2020-21 league entries. We will consult with members if changes are likely, including any implications for player commitment and cost.
- We will let you know if it is possible to play some outdoor volleyball later in the summer.
- We will plan to resume indoors as usual on the first Sunday in September (6th September).
Head Coach Report 2020
My job as Head Coach is to plan the whole-season schedule, including our Sunday evening programme, and to coordinate our team of coaches. I also have the privilege of coaching the juniors (age 8-15).
2019-20 was our second season of providing separate 1.5 hour training sessions for women and men every week (except match days), plus a separate junior space at the end of the hall, and running two men/mixed league teams instead of one.
This season player attendance has been maintained (men) or increased (women up 10%, juniors up 60%).
Provision – Sunday night club sessions at Lime Kiln LC
|
Dedicated hours
|
Men/Mixed
home matches
|
Men/Mixed training
|
Women
training
|
Junior
training
|
|
2019-20 season
|
12 (15)
|
31 (34)
|
24 (27)
|
42 (49)
|
|
2018-19 season
|
18
|
45
|
35
|
48
|
|
2017-18 season
|
14
|
28
|
30
|
23
|
|
2016-17 season
|
14
|
32
|
27
|
16
|
- Bold shows actual hours when season ended early due to Covid-19; (Brackets) show planned hours for full season.
- Women also completed 15 SWL games on 8 Sundays (home games at Lavington School) and more were scheduled.
Attendance
|
Average (low-high)
|
Men/Mixed
|
Women
|
Juniors U15
|
|
training
|
match A
|
match B
|
training
|
SWL match
|
training
|
|
2019-20 season
|
10 (5-14)
|
7 (6-8)
|
8 (6-11)
|
10 (6-13)
|
9 (6-11)
|
13 (5-24)
|
|
2018-19 season
|
10 (5-14)
|
8 (6-9)
|
8 (6-10)
|
9 (6-13)
|
8 (7-10)
|
8 (4-10)
|
|
2017-18 season
|
8 (73%)
9 (69%)
|
9 (60%)
|
5 (83%)
|
|
2016-17 season
|
9 (56%)
|
6 (66%)
|
Team Performance 2019-20
South West League (Women)
From Kat: After a slightly slow start to the season we finished on a real high winning our last 3 matches. If you look closely at the table (next page) you will see that we need to work on winning matches rather than points (especially the ones which go to five sets). We were joined by a number of new players this season including Harriet Adams who made a great contribution to the team and will be sorely missed as she is off to university. Thank you to Cliff for coaching us and Helen and Debbie for captaining. Laura won 6 PoM awards (top of league again!) plus Vicky Cooper 4 and Harriet 3. Sadly the Exeter Ladies Challenge and SW Championships were cancelled, but we are looking forward to next season.
Wiltshire Mixed League
From Pablo: Led by Carl, we took a step forward in terms of team play, positions on court, intensity and anticipation. Our Team B started with a couple of defeats but by the end of this shortened season, we were playing good rallies and good matches, taking some victories against teams that are above us in the league. The team in general (and a few players in particular) deserve commendation for their effort and consistency this year attending training sessions. By chance, sadly, we played fewer matches than any other team!
Team A, just the opposite, played more matches than any other team in Prem Div. Where last season we were lucky against strong teams, this year we have lost some very close matches against FS and Hurricanes. Maybe we have missed a key player from last year but on the other hand we have one of the players with the most potential in the SW, and next year we’ll be back even stronger. Having qualified for the Dave Kinder Cup Final by beating Calne, we’re hoping the final will be rescheduled to September.
|
South West League Ladies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P
|
W
|
L
|
Pts
F
|
Pts
A
|
Sets
F
|
Sets
A
|
Pts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Torexe
|
18
|
16
|
2
|
1514
|
1119
|
51
|
13
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taunton Kidz
|
14
|
14
|
0
|
1220
|
910
|
42
|
9
|
42
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cheltenham & Glos
|
17
|
12
|
5
|
1391
|
1159
|
39
|
22
|
41
|
|
|
|
|
|
Polonia Plymouth
|
15
|
10
|
5
|
1106
|
949
|
33
|
16
|
35
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bedminster Volleyball
|
16
|
6
|
10
|
1160
|
1268
|
24
|
34
|
28
|
|
|
|
|
|
Royal Wootton Bassett
|
15
|
6
|
9
|
1169
|
1200
|
28
|
29
|
27
|
|
|
|
|
|
PMVC Ladies
|
13
|
5
|
8
|
914
|
1021
|
18
|
28
|
23
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bristol Ladies 3
|
14
|
4
|
10
|
968
|
1195
|
18
|
35
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cardiff Jets
|
16
|
2
|
14
|
1050
|
1273
|
11
|
43
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wessex 3
|
16
|
2
|
14
|
925
|
1323
|
10
|
45
|
20
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wiltshire Mixed
Premier Div
|
Played
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Sets Won
|
Sets Lost
|
Points For
|
Points Against
|
Points Diff
|
League Points
|
Normalised
|
|
Devizes Spitfires
|
10
|
10
|
0
|
29
|
1
|
752
|
461
|
291
|
59
|
71
|
|
Swindon Reds A
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
19
|
8
|
658
|
576
|
82
|
40
|
53
|
|
Royal Wootton Bassett
A
|
11
|
4
|
7
|
14
|
19
|
724
|
670
|
54
|
33
|
36
(4th)
|
|
Devizes Hurricanes
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
12
|
12
|
491
|
551
|
-60
|
30
|
45
|
|
Fighter Squadron Swindon
|
9
|
3
|
6
|
9
|
18
|
561
|
633
|
-72
|
23
|
31
|
|
Swindon Reds B
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
9
|
15
|
395
|
560
|
-165
|
23
|
34
|
|
Calne Comets
|
9
|
0
|
9
|
4
|
23
|
538
|
668
|
-130
|
13
|
17
|
|
Wiltshire Mixed
Division 1
|
Played
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Sets Won
|
Sets Lost
|
Points For
|
Points Against
|
Points Diff
|
League Points
|
Normalised
|
|
Salisbury Pagans
|
10
|
10
|
0
|
30
|
0
|
750
|
335
|
415
|
60
|
84
|
|
Salisbury Warlocks
|
13
|
7
|
6
|
20
|
19
|
803
|
798
|
5
|
47
|
51
|
|
Calne Meteorites
|
13
|
6
|
7
|
18
|
21
|
816
|
840
|
-24
|
43
|
50
|
|
Erlestoke
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
17
|
13
|
645
|
644
|
1
|
39
|
55
|
|
Olympiad
|
13
|
5
|
8
|
15
|
24
|
787
|
866
|
-79
|
37
|
40
|
|
Devizes Lancasters
|
11
|
6
|
5
|
14
|
19
|
658
|
762
|
-104
|
37
|
47
|
|
Royal Wootton Bassett B
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
13
|
11
|
511
|
507
|
4
|
29
|
43
(6th)
|
|
Salisbury Celts
|
10
|
0
|
10
|
5
|
25
|
502
|
720
|
-218
|
15
|
21
|
South West JuVoTo (Junior Volleyball Tour)
5 of 6 monthly rounds completed, SW Mini-Volley Championships cancelled.
Very well played Ben (13), Nik (13), Alberto (11) who were strongly competitive in their first season together. Always closely matched with Taunton Tigers, just one bad day left us marginally behind them.
|
|
Place
|
U13 Boys
|
Points
|
Game Points
|
|
1
|
Taunton Tigers
|
44
|
56
|
|
2
|
Royal Wootton Bassett
|
42
|
51
|
|
3
|
Taunton Lions
|
15
|
29
|
|
4
|
Beach Academy Diggers
|
6
|
16
|
|
5
|
BS S.M.R.T.
|
6
|
12
|
|
6
|
BS Trinity Academy
|
5
|
6
|
Hannah (14), Millie (14) and Julia (12) were joined by debutants Gracie (14) and Lavinia (14). We developed strongly as a team as the season progressed, and it was a pleasure to watch.
|
|
Place
|
U14 Girls
|
Points
|
Game Points
|
|
1
|
Taunton Spikers
|
40
|
55
|
|
2
|
Wessex Sharks
|
31
|
58
|
|
3
|
RWB U14 Girls
|
24
|
50
|
|
4
|
BS Firebolts
|
19
|
36
|
|
5
|
BS Lightning Bolts
|
15
|
33
|
|
6
|
BS Thunderbolts
|
14
|
28
|
|
7
|
BS Wildfire
|
10
|
20
|
Anna, Gabi and Hannah (all now 15) continued to play excellent team volleyball, though couldn’t quite match the experience and power of PMVC1.
|
|
Place
|
U15 Girls
|
Points
|
Game Points
|
|
1
|
PMVC 1
|
50
|
49
|
|
2
|
Royal Wootton Bassett
|
40
|
31
|
|
3
|
Devizes
|
12
|
8
|
|
4
|
PMVC 2
|
6
|
6
|
Wiltshire Ladies & Junior League (5 of 6 monthly rounds completed, table not yet available)
Eight of our junior players (Anna B, Gabi, Hannah D, Lauren, Julia, Ben, Nik, Josh) gained their very first experience of 6-a-side volleyball, led by Anna G (16) and supported by one or two adult players at a time (variously: Debbie, Donna, Charlotte, Maisie). WLJ provides a safe and friendly, but competitive opportunity to develop younger players and gain match experience. By the fifth round we had expanded from one to two RWB teams, and improved so much we were beginning to win games against more experienced adult teams!