Volleyball is popular

by Russell Fairbrother

Volleyball is fast gaining: popularity throughout the country. On the last weekend in July tournaments will be held in both the North and South Islands. In August a National Volleyball coaching school will be held at Tren-tham and plans are underway for a National Tournament at Victoria over Labour weekend.

The North Island Tournament will be held at Tokoroa. Ten teams have been entered and these include two from Wellington, one of which will be made up solely of students from the victoria club.

Canterbury University will be the venue for the South Island Tournament in which approximately seven teams are entered. Besides teams from Canterbury University, Otago will be sending a men s and a women's team. Christ-church which has three or four clubs is also reported to be running a small league competition.

These are ambitious ventures for a new sport. It is hoped to be able to form a National Volleyball Council at the Labour weekend tourna-ment and that tournaments will become annual fixtures. With a National body this volleyball could develop into a major winter sport.