500+ young volleyball talents gathered in Šempeter

Earlier this month, the Volleyball Club SIP Šempeter organised the 8th Open Championship in Mini Volleyball for U11 girls and boys born in 2014 and later. Held across as many as fourteen courts in Šempeter, Prebold, and Braslovče, the event featured 48 teams from Slovenia and Croatia, with over 500 young players actively participating. The competition was organised in cooperation with the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia and under the umbrella of the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’. 

All matches were played in the spirit of fair play, thereby fulfilling the tournament’s primary goal. In the girls’ competition, featuring 24 teams, OTP banka Branik from Maribor claimed first place, OK Prevalje secured second, and the home team, SIP Šempeter, finished third. In the boys’ category, with eight teams competing, KEKOOprema Žužemberk emerged victorious, followed by hosts SIP Šempeter and Šoštanj Topolšica.

This season, the organisers also included a competition for beginners by hosting a separate tournament specifically designed for this category. Among the 16 teams, KLS Ljubno took first place, HAOK Dubrava II from Zagreb was second, and the girls of KEKOOprema Žužemberk ranked third.

The local organisers from Šempeter once again demonstrated their skills in event delivery, always embracing ambitious projects with much confidence and dedication.