NVL newcomers part eight – Newmarket 2 

Year formed: 1987. 

NVL Coaches: Paul Day and Nathan Derbyshire. 

Social media handles: newmarketvc (Instagram), newmarketvc (X) and newmarketvc (YouTube). 

Website: Click here. 

Newmarket are currently the only Suffolk club playing in the NVL, but now their first team, which plays in Men’s Division 2, has a second team for company. 

As regular winners of both the Cambridge and Suffolk Leagues, the club are keen to push the development of their players at national level. 

The new side will join Division 3 South East where they will play the likes of Rhino Cambridge 2, London Lionhearts Leo, Essex Estonians, Onyx London, GNG Bedford, Tendring, Worthing and London Wildcats. 

Paul Day has been with the club for more than a decade as player and coach and will help establish the second team, while also developing Nathan Hampshire in the coaching role. 

The team is set to be made up of older, experienced first team players ready to drop down a division along with some newcomers, including a sprinkling of those who play for other local league clubs and young players. 

“We have been playing in the local leagues, but the challenge hasn’t always been as high and when playing in the National League, which means players don’t develop as much as they could do,” said Paul. 

“So what we have decided to do is to enter another team in the NVL, which we believe will be more beneficial. 

“We have had to look at how we can make it work in terms of venues and cost, but, overall, we believe there will a number of benefits and we hope it will help us blood more players for the first team.” 

Newmarket pride themselves in being a friendly club and are keen to have fun off the court, as well as on it. 

They recently took part in the Bristol Tournament, finishing ninth in Men’s Division 1, and regularly host social gatherings. 

Partners and families are welcome and Paul believes that is part of the appeal of playing for the club, who are nicknamed The Jockeys. 

Paul added: “We encourage everyone in the family to come along and enjoy it. Whie we always want to win when we play, it’s not just about the volleyball. 

 “Although we haven’t got a junior section at the moment, I did coach juniors when I was at Riga and it is something we would like to do in the future. 

“What we want to make sure is that we have everything in place to make a success of it before we do, though.” 

Newmarket have picked out two key players who they hope will help the new team bed in. 

The club’s Rob Dovaston said: “Guy Watts is our elite tier libero. He has been away for a few years, but the draw to play amongst legends was too strong to resist! 

“Joe Winter is an up-and-coming super spiker. He has an immense leap and incredible court coverage as well.”