To the Essex Sports Arena!
…on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday afternoons are BALL GAME afternoons, right?
Erm yep, if that ball happens to be volleyball.
Gosh.
Time and tide - and fixture dates - kept me away from the Rebels volleyball teams for most of last season.
But here we had a rare Saturday double header as both women and men teams took on strong opposition from Durham.
The Rebs were not only in it to win it, but there was ambitious talk of SMASHING the UK crowd record for an indoor volleyball game.
The Rebels already hold the current record. Once everyone was inside the Arena, a final crowd tally of 653 confirmed that a new benchmark had been set.
It may not compete with Premier League crowds, but getting over 600 people into an Arena in Colchester on a Saturday afternoon is no mean feat.
It’s not just about record breaking, either. The Rebs are keen to push volleyball, leading the way domestically. They also offer a genuine pathway for some very talented young athletes to compete and study.
I arrived slightly fashionably late. The women were one set down in a first to three race.
This was a top of the table clash. The Rebs have won both their games so far. Durham are serious championship contenders.
The third set went to the Rebs, but Durham then pulled away with a 3-1 road victory.
Entertainment in-between matches included the ever enthusiastic (and rather good) University Dance Team, as well as an on court volleyball competition that involved wearing granny pants.
The Rebs know how to put on a game day.
The men followed, with most of the bumper crowd remaining. They lost the first set.
Steady the buffers, etc.
Some killer serves from the home team turned it around. Rebels walked away with a 3-1 home court win.
The organisation continues to grow - basketball, volleyball, and also women’s cricket at an elite level, all now added to the roster.
Up the Rebs, etc.
