SOUTH Gippsland Volleyball juniors brought home a glittering double at the 2025 Volleyball Victoria Junior Country Championships in Horsham, proving once again that Gippsland kids have serious grit and determination on the court.
It was a golden campaign for the U17 squads, with both the boys and girls standing tall on the podium and lifting the championship trophies.
The South Gippsland U17 girls arrived in Horsham with one mission – to defend the title they won in 2024.
From the opening whistle, they showed their intent with dominant wins over Geelong (3–0) and Warrnambool (3–2), before powering through day two with convincing victories against Warrnambool (3–0), Geelong (3–0) and Horsham (3–1).
That form carried them all the way to the grand final, where they faced a determined Geelong outfit.
The girls kept their cool in a thrilling four-set contest, sealing a back-to-back championship with a 3–1 victory (28–26, 25–20, 19–25, 25–12).
The team was guided by head coach Tamara Miller, assistant coach Jessica Sanders, manager Emmy-Lou Mills, and with nutrition and hydration expertly overseen by Anna Gloria, “strawberries for the win” became the rallying cry.
For the U17 boys, this year’s championship marked their first tournament together as a team, and they made it one to remember.
They opened strongly with a five-set battle against Sunraysia, clawing their way to a 3–2 win.
From there, confidence grew as they notched up a string of victories against Horsham (3–1), Sunraysia (3–1) and Horsham again (3–1).
On finals day, the boys delivered their best volleyball yet, crushing Sunraysia in the gold medal match with a commanding straight-sets win: 3–0 (25–14, 25–14, 25–17).
The squad was coached by Mark de Guzman, with assistant coach Jeffrin Mathew, and managed by Jonamae Kindom. Special thanks also went to first referee, Dave Fuller, whose consistency on the whistle was appreciated by all – great job officiating for both the girls’ and boys’ duties.
South Gippsland also celebrated individual brilliance, with Natalie Churchill, Yasmin Gloria, Christian Ringer and Ethan Findlay, named in the All Star Sevens.
Special congratulations to Natalie Churchill, who capped off the tournament with a richly deserved MVP award.
Off the court, the famous South Gippsland cheer squad lived up to their reputation – bongo drums, air horns, shakers and tambourines in tow – ensuring no point went uncelebrated.
Parents and supporters were once again the heartbeat of the team’s success.
It was a wonderful weekend of celebrating and cheering on the juniors, from rekindling annual friendships with other regional clubs to forming new ones.
Horsham’s hospitality was warmly received, and the memories made will carry long after the trophies are polished.
