Tri State Tournament
Posted by devo on October 28, 2007
Mildura Grand 2007 Tri State Championships
UPDATE 5: Original posted 26/10/07 - 21:29
My correspondent tells me: The Clinics seemed to be the biggest winner for the weekend. Some of our Junior Athletes that got to have a hit this morning with the teams and our juniors who line Ref’d, I am sure will not forget the experience!!
UPDATE 4:
Today (Sunday) the AIS defeated the team that is going to Korea 3-0
All of my spies are telling me that the weekend was a fantastic experience. Of course, the talk is already turning to next year. The players want to experience the Mildura hospitality again. The question is what form should next year’s tournament take. I hope that Mildura looks to go bigger and even better (if that is possible!). Perhaps it’s time to see the return of Men’s Nationals? Or a competition between the winners of each states’ state league? I guess it all comes down to what the AVF do with the Australian Volleyball League. I know that the competitors at this week’s tournament will need no encouragement to head to Mildura again. Well done to all those who organised the weekend!
UPDATE 3:
The Mildura Grand 2007 Tri State Championships were won by the AIS. Tournament MVP was Tom Bawden. Tomorrow the overseas touring team will play the AIS in a exhibition game.
Match 3 - AIS def Falcons 3-0. The AIS were dominant in the first set. The second set, Falcons were able to keep it close, but the AIS ran away with it in the third. Best players were Tom Bawden, Adam White and Dave Delaland.
UPDATE 2:
Match 2 - Mt Lofty def Falcons 3-2. Falcons took the first 2 sets in this mornings game before Mt Lofty began a winning streak of 3 sets. My spies have nominated Stu Maycock and Dave Delaland as best players.
The first match at the Mildura Grand 2007 Tri State Championships is over. See also here.
The AIS def Mt Lofty 3-1 (25-15, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21). Devo’s spies have nominated the best players as Adam White and Tom Bawden.
A good crowd was in to watch the match. Mildura Volleyball is putting on a great show: qualified first and second refs and right on down to the great job being done by the floor wipers. Those country associations know how to put on a show. The Falcons boys tell me that the accommodation at The Quality Hotel Mildura Grand in Mildura is absolutely fantastic. I wonder if they’re getting to taste any of Stephano’s food?
Tomorrow Falcons gets to play Mt Lofty first up, and the AIS tomorrow night.
October 27, 2007 at 3:41 am
Country associations do put on a good show. I always think it is a pity that the current system of National Juniors doesn’t allow young players to experience that. I have great memories from a whole bunch of country towns who put on great National Juniors back in the day…
October 29, 2007 at 10:37 am
Devo,
I played in the Tri State Tournament on the weekend and it was fantastic. The organisation that that went into this weekend was amazing, the players were treated like elite athletes!!!! I know that every single player and official who attended were very impressed and would all return next year. I really hope that the tournament will continue in the future as they have really set a precedent now as one of the best tournaments on the program. Not only did the players play in a great stadium, they got to involve themselves with young players from the Sunraysia Volleyball which was invaluable to their Volleyball Community. Well done Sunraysia Volleyball, I think that this can evolve into something huge!!!!
YORKY
October 29, 2007 at 11:44 am
As you can read in my post Yorky, other people I have spoken to support what you say. Must say I am disappointed that I didn’t get to see the weekend myself. Will certainly be making the effort to get there next year - I will be retired, and a man of leisure then!
October 29, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Couldn’t agree more with all the comments - it was a brilliant event where the hospitality was very warm with a professionally run event. With more time to organise and raise the profile, maybe there could be more spectators which truely would create one of the best events around.
This model may be worth State Associations and the AVF to consider expanding and further support regional associations in promoting our sport - with some clever marketing plans this may be well worth it for all.
October 31, 2007 at 8:36 am
Sounds a great competition at Mildura….
With AVL going down this year it is great to see the top 3 clubs in the country battling it out in Vic.
Look forward to see more of the same in future competitions….like Good Neighbour…. hope to see Aus Volleyball establishing itself like European Volleyball because the country centres are obviously where it is at.
Missing Australia but French volleyball is crazy!, be back in a couple of years..
J.