A big thank you to Sue and her helpers for organizing the Berkshire leg of the SEVA U-14 Grand Prix Sunday afternoon. Berkshire is one of the more progressive counties when it comes to getting youth involvement in our sport, and Sue’s club, as well at the folks at South Bucks, have made substantial contributions to the effort. Several other Berkshire clubs have active youth sections which have not yet been present at this series. It would be wonderful to see them also become involved in the regional programme, share their ideas about youth programmes, and display the talent they are developing.
The Berkshire leg went smoothly, we saw some new participants in the series, and learned a bit more about how to make it a permanent part of the volleyball scene in the South East Region next year and beyond. One idea already shared with Lewis Howell (whose Kent team continued to improve its performance, and also to bring in new players) is that a notice board of announcements for youth events in SEVA counties and clubs could be posted at each leg. These events are proving a great vehicle for getting word out about volleyball activities in the region, and it’s becoming clear that better public communications will help our regional efforts considerably.
One definitely, and hopefully two, more legs in the SEVA U-14 series will be held this season. Kent hosts its leg in late April, and an announcement should be forthcoming soon to provide details. We are awaiting formal confirmation from Sussex as to whether it will host an event, and will make an announcement as soon as that is received.
Regards,
Bob Pickens