Schools Volleyball Championships underway in Malta

The first of a series of tournaments and festivals for schools around Malta run in conjunction with the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’ took place on two consecutive days this past December 14-15, 2022.

Year 11 boys and girls from nine different Secondary State and Church Schools gathered at the Cottonera Sports Complex for two mornings of Volleyball. Thirteen teams played in this qualifying round for a place in the Finals to be contested in January 2023. The competition saw eight boys’ teams and five girls’ teams participating. Four schools had both a boys’ and a girls’ team. Several players who already play with local clubs mixed with others who represented their schools for the first time in a volleyball tournament.

The qualifying round had two groups playing on the two days. The first two classified teams from each group qualified for the Finals. All games were played on a best out of three sets on 15 points.

On day 1, Savio College, SGPC Hamrun Secondary, STMC St Lucia Secondary and MRC Zokrija Mosta Secondary played it out in the boys’ group with the first two schools qualifying for the finals. These two schools were joined by MRC Zokrija Mosta and STMC St Lucia Secondary who had the better of SCC Pembroke Secondary in the girls’ group.

Day 2 saw another four boys’ teams from St Paul’s Missionary College, MRC Lily of the Valley Mosta Secondary, STMC Zejtun Secondary and Stella Maris College playing in the boys’ group, with the first two qualifying for the finals. These were joined in the finals by the girls from MRC Lily of the Valley Mosta Secondary and STMC Zejtun Secondary.

There was a great atmosphere on both days with hard-fought games played in a fair play context which augurs very well for the Finals in January.