For the third consecutive year, a crew of the best young VBVA talent (Nick, Laura, Lucia, Blake, Evie, Ella, Linus, Joah, Imogen, Arki, Joey – unfortunately injured in the weeks prior, but traveled to support the crew – and coach Bam) headed up to Sydney for a three day training camp.
From scaling sand dunes in Palm Beach, to intensive training at Manly and an inter-crew tournament known as the Newport Beach Classic. It gets harder each year, and this was no exception.
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A relaxing session on Manly beach kicked off the long weekend, before heading into the local promenade for some pizza… with the plan to work it off the next day.
PALM BEACH SAND DUNES… AND A LITTLE HUSTLE!
When it comes to ‘hard training’, the second day of the Sydney camp is know to be the hardest on the calendar. For 2018, we took it up a few notches. It started with sand dune runs at Palm beach; 377 in total. An average of 34 per athlete, and 50+ for both Blake and Joah. That was 101 more than 2017 (12 athletes, 23pp), and 201 more than 2016 (10 athletes, 18pp).
Those dunes would be the ‘warm-up’ for the next session, on Newport beach; two solid hours of hustle drills, followed by an hour of intensive game drills. Followed by some time in the water, and quite possibly the most chilled meal in camp history.
2018 NEWPORT BEACH CLASSIC!
Day three, and it was on… the Newport Beach Classic! Bragging rights that last right up to the next camp. With Joey injured, coach Bam sat this one out, leaving the remaining 10 crew members to battle it out. Sideout scoring, no antenna’s… and a net with a great big burn hole in the bottom corner.
It started with both King and Queen of the beach rounds. The top female from the KQOTB rounds would then be paired with the top male, second with second, right down to fifth with fifth. The top pair took their place in the final, as the rest battled it out to take the remaining place. That pair would be Lucia and Joah, with Imy and Blake, Laura and Linus, Nick and Evie and Ella and Arki.
Second vs fifth saw Imy and Blake dispatch Ella and Arki, while third placed Laura and Linus scraped past Nick and Evie. Those results brought forward the closest match up till then, with Imy and Blake pipping Laura and Linus.
Lucia and Joah had spent the best part of two hours watching their potential rivals in the final, battle it out in the heat. The rest worked in their favour too… until Imy and Blake stepped it up and brought what was a 4 point deficit back to and single point lead.
A run of eleven straight side-out plays ended with Blake pounding a jump serve straight down Joah’s line. That breakthrough pushed open the doors and within three plays, Imy and Blake were crowned the 2018 Newport Beach Classic champions [Insert crowd applause].
SUSHI!
On the back of the Classic, and with one last night in Sydney, the crew headed to Sushi Train in Dee Why for ah… sushi! Followed by tubs of Connoisseur Cookies and Cream and a movie or three.
A final morning of training and video technique – which may still be on the camera – and a quick mission to the airport, thanks to some Sydney flavoured traffic gridlock, and the camp was complete.
2019 is already looking to be even bigger, as we plan to take our strongest crew yet.
Thanks to YHA Sydney Beachouse – yes, that is the correct spelling – in Collaroy, for yet another year of great accommodation, as well as the NBVA (Northern Beaches Volleyball Association) for maintaining the nets at both Newport and Manly.
Here’s a link to the images from the camp, More will be uploaded soon:
