2 March 2011
Volleyball club named Sport Dundee Club of the Year
Dundee University Volleyball Club has added yet another title to its impressive collection after being named Club of the Year at the Dundee Sports Awards 2010.
The club was represented by Cecile Waersted (president), Elena Velten (secretary), Sharon Versteeg (women’s captain) and Paul McPate (coach) at the award ceremony in the Invercarse Hotel.
Last year saw the men's team completed a first-ever League and Cup double, winning the Scottish Universities 1st Division and Scottish Universities Cup without losing a match. This was the first time in the club’s history that the Scottish Universities Cup has been won by the men's team.
The team then progressed to the British Universities Championship Finals where they finished a very creditable eight position - the highest finish by a Scottish team in 2010. The women’s team won the British Universities Trophy in Sheffield, to claim Gold at that level for the first time - an outstanding achievement.
The quality of Dundee players was recognised with six of the men’s team and three of the women’s team being selected for the Scottish Universities Select team to play the Senior Scottish National Team.
Coach Paul McPate, who is also assistant director of the University’s Institute of Sports and Exercise congratulated everyone involved in the club.
'2010 saw DUVC expand on its outstanding success of the previous season,' he said. 'This was entirely down to the hard work and dedication of the student organising committee and the willingness of members to support all club activities
'The club is not just about what happens on the court, however. Membership of DUVC rose to 92 last year, meaning it’s now the largest volleyball club in Scotland. As well as the top men's and women's team, DUVC fields another four teams in the local leagues. This helps to keep all members engaged, as do social nights and fundraising events.
'A club tour saw 22 members travel to Munich to play, and we’ve worked hard to form lifelong connections with our members. An Alumni event organised last year brought back former club members, some from over 25 years ago, to meet current club members and celebrate the club’s progress and success.'
DUVC actively promotes its fixtures, both within the university community and beyond, and match programmes and information sheets provided to help spectators engage with the teams.
The club is a major supporter of local volleyball activity and, in 2009/10, DUVC raised over £1000 through various fundraising initiatives to support its extensive volunteer development programme. This has enabled the club to qualify seven members as Grade 4 referees. These individuals often assist other local clubs in this important role.
Additionally, DUVC has committed to supporting local junior development through its development plan, and has now assisted five members in gaining their UKCC coaching qualification. These members deliver weekly volleyball coaching sessions to local schoolchildren, and a recent primary school festival managed by these coaches involved more than 80 youngsters.
More information about the club is available by contacting secretary Elena Velten on e.velten@dundee.ac.uk.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
