Transplant Team Compete in Tynedale Volleyball Tournament
A transplant team – comprising members who have all undergone major organ transplants - were among the 130 competitors who took part in a two day major volleyball tournament in Hexham.
The event which attracted entrants from across the North East was laid on to increase the popularity and profile of the game. It is regarded as a relatively minor sport in Britain yet surprisingly it is the second most popular sport worldwide – exceeded only by football.
From 10 am on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd June, teams battled it out on the field outside the Wentworth Leisure Centre in Hexham.
The Transplants, as they’ve named their team comprised 8 members who have all undergone kidney or liver replacements and know more than most the importance of keeping in good health.
Dave Lee, a member of the team said “I used to play football, but volleyball is better as it is a non contact game. Through the sport I’ve been fortunate enough to travel across the world and meet some amazing people. Over the past decade I’ve competed in The World Transplant Games in Australia, Budapest and Japan. It’s a great way of keeping fit, meeting new people and has provided us with a real sense of enjoyment and achievement.”
Steve Betts Community Volleyball Coach for the Tynedale Schools Sports Partnership helped to oraganise this event with the help of the Tynedale Volleyball Club.
“The beauty of this sport is that it is equally popular with men and women, with many mixed teams.” said Steve, “practically anyone can give it a go. It can be played purely for recreational fun or as a highly skilled competitive sport.”
The event was sponsored by Northumberland Sport. Doug Lowery, is the Executive Director: “We want to encourage people to get out and about and get active and there are some fantastic opportunities in Northumberland to do this.
“Volleyball is a great team sport but in Northumberland there are only a few clubs and we’d like to see that change. It is a versatile game that can be played almost anywhere – in school or village halls, on the beach or on playing fields - so there is plenty of scope to take this sport out into the smaller communities and get more people involved. It’s great to see Tynedale Volleyball Club taking this initiative.”
Anyone wanting to find out about volleyball in the Northumberland should contact Steve Betts : steve.betts554@btinternet.com
