We Had Team Australia Beaten... Almost

By Gavin Penny.

This is not the first time that I've told this story, and even as the events were happening, I could see myself telling it all to my grandchildren many years from now.

This fairytale begins on Sunday at the Warrnambool State Cup, but the mental preparation began a week before when we found out that we were playing the Australian team. Before the game, I knew that we were going to go a little crazy and our warm-up illustrated this. We could sense the tight knit team feeling and the great moments about to occur as we ran and screamed around the BMX track outside the stadium. We then collapsed half way round one lap, leaving the watching AIS team bewildered and confused (which surely must be in the same ballpark as scared).

As we began our spiking warm-up, the first ball from the other side that I collected read "VTAM" (Volleyball Team Australia Men) Wow...shivers went down my spine.

The game that was about to follow contained some of the greatest moments of all our lives. We played like men possessed - like volleyball poets - doing kills against the Australian team, shutting them out, picking up their spikes, receiving their serves. The crowd was going wild and the cheering made the moment even more memorable - it was champagne volleyball.

Who can forget Broomie's ace, Tung's six kills against those huge double blocks, and I'll always remember my joust with Dave Beard.

The score in the first set was 7-15 - the best of any of the other teams against Australia. The second was not quite as good at 3-15.

In the third, Tung played front court with a helmet on (the validity of which was questioned by the Australians) and I got to set. Australia just couldn't handle my Kew High School setting style or having to block a 5'5" spiker. We were 3-7 down and then fought back to 7-7. Dave Warwick at this point comes into our huddle with a look of shock and awe, and said, "This is potentially the greatest moment of our sporting lives!"

We won the next point and the score was 8-7 our way. An Australia guy slammed the ball down in frustration and the Australian coach was forced to call a time-out.

(just read that last sentence again and take it all in)

Australia came back after that to take to match, but I'd like to thank Dave, Tung, Sacha, Broomie, Chris, Allah, Dean and Jake for playing so well and making this epic tale come true...almost.