The Inter Regionals saw the culmination of a season of training and selection through all 9 regions. Spectators at All Saints School, Sheffield were treated to some excellent volleyball throughout all the age groups. The girls started off the weekend with the U14s making full use of the fully tensioned net across 4 courts with vast improvements in the skill levels on last season’s competition. Each team had the opportunity to test themselves against all the sides entered in the competition, then the second day’s play saw the top 3 and bottom 3 fight it out for positions. With all matches finishing 2-1 there were some close results. The North West came out champions overall with a 1st place in the A competition and a 2nd in the B tournament, with West Midlands close runners up. The U16 Girls were represented by all 9 regions. A tight semi final between the South East and South West saw the eastern team come out on top and enter into a battle for the title with the North West, who themselves beat the North in the other semi final. The North West turned it on for the final and were victorious once again.
Sunday saw the boys arrive with a chance to impress the national coaching staff and put all the training into competition. The pools in both the U15s and U17s were fiercely contested. The final of the U15s saw the best 2 teams on show battle it out. With the East containing many of the Boswells side, who won the U16 Boy’s National Title last week at EIS Sheffield and some of the Tendring players due to take on Siddal Moor at Loughborough on 20th May in the U18’s final, they came out winners against a strong South West set up.
In the U17 boys some close 3 setters were the main theme of the weekend’s play. This included both semi finals with the South West beating the West Midlands and the North beating the East. In the final the South West battled through to come out champions 15-13 in the final set.
Through the nominations of team coaches and national squad staff each competition saw the best 6 players rewarded as part of the Super 6. These players must be congratulated on producing some outstanding volleyball over the weekend.
Thanks must go to the coaches, referees and volunteers who gave up their time for a busy weekend of fixtures and All Saints School for what was a magnificent facility.
U14 GIRLS OVERALL
1st North West
2nd West Midlands
3rd North
4th South West
5th London
6th South East
U14 GIRLS SUPER 6:
Rosie Kirk (South West)
Rebekah Galacher (West Midlands)
Helena Lumley (South West)
Gemma Beddows (West Midlands)
Sophie Taylor (North West)
Isobel Fumagalli (South East)
U14 A GIRLS
1st North West
2nd North
3rd South West
4th West Midlands
5th South East
6th London
1st, 2nd & 3rd Playoffs
North West bt North 2-1 (15-8, 15-13, 15-17)
North bt South West 2-1 (15-8, 13-15, 15-3)
North West bt South West 2-1 (14-16, 15-9, 15-10)
4th, 5th & 6th Playoffs
West Midlands bt South East 2-1 (7-15, 15-10, 15-11)
South East bt London 2-1 (15-10, 15-7, 11-15)
West Midlands bt London 2-1 (7-15, 16-14, 15-13)
U14 B GIRLS
1st West Midlands
2nd North West
3rd North
4th London
5th South West
6th South East
1st, 2nd & 3rd Playoffs
West Midlands bt North West 2-1 (15-13, 15-17, 15-9)
North West bt North 3-0 (15-6, 15-12, 3-15)
West Midlands bt North 3-0 (15-7, 20-18, 15-6)
4th, 5th & 6th Playoffs
London bt South West 3-0 (15-12, 15-13, 16-14)
London bt South East 2-1 (15-9, 13-15, 17-15)
South West bt South East 3-0 (15-11, 15-13, 15-6)
U16 GIRLS
1st North West
2nd South East
3rd South West
4th North
5th West Midlands
6th East
7th London
8th Yorkshire
9th East Midlands
Final: North West bt South East 2-0 (25-18, 25-17)
3rd/4th Playoff: South West bt North 2-0 (25-18, 25-20)
Semi Final: North West bt North 2-0 (25-8, 25-10)
Semi Final: South East bt South West 2-0 (25-21, 25-19)
5th/6th Playoff: West Midlands bt East 2-0 (25-22, 25-21)
7th/8th Playoff: London bt Yorkshire 2-0 (25-12, 25-18)
9th Place Playoff: Yorkshire bt East Midlands 2-0 (25-22, 25-19)
U16 GIRLS SUPER 6:
Heather Packham (East)
Chantelle Bashford (South East)
Natalie Smith (South West)
Sarah Hallam (North West)
Rachel Copestake (West Midlands)
Faye Kennedy (North West)
U15 BOYS
1st East
2nd South West
3rd London
4th Yorkshire
5th North
6th West Midlands
7th North West
8th East Midlands
Final: East bt South West 2-0 (25-21, 25-23)
3rd/4th Playoff: London bt Yorkshire 2-0 (25-12, 25-19)
Semi Final: East bt Yorkshire 2-0 (25-10, 25-20)
Semi Final: South West bt London 2-0 (25-20, 25-16)
5th/6th Playoff: North bt West Midlands 2-0 (25-17, 25-19)
7th/8th Playoff: North West bt East Midlands 2-0 (25-19, 25-20)
U15 BOYS SUPER 6:
Aaron Robertson (South West)
Sam De-Allia (London)
Matthew Mills (East)
Jack Watson (East)
Jim Miller (North West)
Luke Bartlett (South West)
U17 BOYS
1st South West
2nd North
3rd West Midlands
4th East
5th South East
6th London
7th East Midlands
8th Yorkshire
Final: South West bt North 2-1 (25-16, 20-25, 15-13)
3rd/4th Playoff: West Midlands bt East 2-0 (25-23, 25-12)
Semi Final: South West bt West Midlands 2-1 (25-22, 23-25, 15-6)
Semi Final: East bt North 2-1 (25-21, 22-25, 15-12)
5th/6th Playoff: South East bt London 2-0 (25-19, 25-13)
7th/8th Playoff: East Midlands bt Yorkshire 2-1 (25-13, 15-25, 15-8)
U17 BOYS SUPER 6:
Nathan French (East)
Daniel Hunter (South West)
Adam Brewer (West Midlands)
Mark Garcia-Kidd (South West)
Isaac Grant (South West)
Tom Deacon (East)
