Victorian Country Championship Commission
2015 VICTORIAN COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT
Executive Summary:
Bendigo Volleyball Association Inc hosted the 2015 Victorian Country Volleyball Championships over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, 6th – 8th June 2015. The organisation and execution of the event went very well. The Bendigo Stadium was used and is an excellent facility for all involved especially for the competitors. All amenities are contained within the complex. The organising committee met only once to assess the progress of the event. The meeting was opportune to highlight some of the more granular aspects of the events execution. Six of the seven courts available were used . The seventh was setup as a contingency and/or a warm up court. The equipment was up to regulation standard and serviceable thus mitigating any issues arising relating to poorly maintained equipment.
The official website was used to control the entry process. Again it proved a worthy tool allowing for the smooth registration of associations and competitors. Also the subsequent creation of scoresheets with competitor information is made easy with the current system. The system has been maintained over the years by Murray Mansfield and myself. My position as TD this year exposed me at the receiving end of the system, from a user’s point of view. The competition scoring system could not be used this year due to security constraints. The overall competition management system needs to be reviewed. This sentiment has been expressed in many prior TD reports.
The officiating at this year’s event was governed by David Rosamilia. He did an exceptional job and this was reflected in the positive feedback received by me and also there were no adverse observations made by competitors or team officials.
The available jury members did a splendid job and reported no major issues outside of what would be considered injuries within the confines of acceptable risk of the sport. The presentation was well executed. The detail for all presenters was well prepared by Bronwyn James. This effort allowed for a consistent delivery of the ceremony where all concerned were aware of their requirements. Most teams were encouraged to remain although the finals were slightly later than other years. Two teams from the Gippsland region were awarded their bronze medals at a special presentation due to the distance of travel.
The outcomes from matches and the competition were consistent given the skill levels although Bendigo Men Division 1 proved very strong. This division only had 4 entries and it could be assumed that the strength and experience of this team may have made other entries re-consider an upgrade. All the other divisions were strongly contested where finals positions were decided very late in the competition. The number of teams in this years event are the same as the past 2 years albeit with different participation numbers in Men Division 1.
The championships are scheduled at Latrobe Valley for 2016.