Source:
https://scmp.com/article/180180/volleyball-tourney-success

Volleyball tourney 'success'

Island School students learned how exciting volleyball was through a tournament.

The Mendoza Kings of the Concrete was a volleyball tournament organised with the aim of spreading the popularity of the sport among the territory's young people.

It was the fourth time the Island School had organised a large-scale competition.

According to tournament organiser Derek Bailey, who is head of physical education at the school, volleyball is a team sport that could teach players perfect timing, co-operation and cohesion - and could also be a lot of fun.

He highlighted the fun aspect of volleyball and said he believed it was a game suitable for either sex and any age.

'Due to physical constraints, our school has no grass field or space provided for playing soccer, so volleyball is more suitable in this situation. It can make students physically fit as well,' he said.

For the tournament, a handicap system was introduced to make it more popular and easy to play.

'Under the system, the total ages of team members are added together and then the figure is subtracted from 76.

'For every two years below 76, the team will receive a one point positive handicap for the start of every set,' he said.

Twenty schools, including international and Chinese ones, were invited to join the competition.

Twelve eventually entered the tournament.

The clash with the examination period of the Chinese secondary schools' calendar was blamed for the lower turn-out.

Mr Bailey said the standard of Chinese students was higher than those at international schools.

'I think the former committed themselves to only one or two sports, while the latter usually cover a range of games,' he said.

Island students seem to have enjoyed the tournament, according to their coach.

'I train them twice a week. They drill on blocking, setting and spiking the ball,' Mr Bailey said.

RESULTS Champions: King's College; runner-up: Island School; third: Clementi Secondary School. Player of the Tournament: Ian Carroll (Island School). Sports Roundup will appear in tomorrow's Young Post.