THE Nasinu Volleyball Alliance last kicked off a vibrant weekly tournament at the Vodafone Arena in Laucala Bay, Suva, injecting new life into Fiji’s indoor volleyball scene.
In a move to grow volleyball as a mainstream sport in Fiji, organisers have waived entry fees, making it easy for teams to join in the action.
The tournament follows international standards signalling the association’s intent to raise the standard of the game locally to global heights.
“In all of our tournaments we are using a different score sheet compared to other tournaments, we are using the FIVB score sheet which is the standard adopted in international volleyball tournaments,” said tournament director Wilisoni Koroivueta.
Koroivueta says volleyball is already hugely popular across the country, with nearly every community boasting a court.
“The good thing about it is that women and girls can also play it competitively and have fan.”
Prize money stands at $5000 for the men’s teams and $2000 for the women’s, reflecting the difference in team numbers participating.
But it’s not just about the cash; it is about pride, passion, and pushing the sport forward to become mainstream in locally.
To keep things tight, organisers have introduced a ‘duty teams’ system.
Teams take turns managing on-court responsibilities like court set up officiating, umpiring, and scoring.
To raise the standard of the competition while fostering discipline and commitment to the sport organisers have imposed stringent policies particularly for duty teams.
“Late arrivals will not be tolerated especially for duty teams since they have to organise the courts before competing teams arrives,” Koroivueta explained.
“Teams will be penalised via points deductions, fines and disqualifications if they keep disregarding the tournament standards.”
This tournament is more than just a competition; it’s a statement of intent by the Nasinu Volleyball Alliance who are determined to see volleyball become a household name in Fiji.
