THE region’s talented crop of volleyball players were put through their paces on Monday as the Sunraysia Academy of Sport held a high performance clinic at Chaffey Secondary College.
The event was led by Melbourne Vipers head coach Josh Cowan and the session drew 12 athletes from a variety of Sunraysia clubs.
“It’s been really good,” Cowan said. “To have different players around the traps coming along, really focused on some passing and setting.
“And then we’ve done a little bit of attack, but real focus on those fundamentals early.”
The clinic provided a welcome opportunity for some players that just fell short at state selection.
“So, I was talking to a couple of the boys that went to state team trials and unfortunately missed out, but these are the opportunities that hopefully allow them to succeed,” said Cowan.
“And one of the girls who narrowly also missed out.
“But she’s been really good as well.”
Cowan pointed out the importance of bringing high level coaching to regional communities, reducing the burden of those long-distance trips for families.
“Instead of them travelling eight hours to Melbourne to have these opportunities, I travel this way, and it just makes it accessible,” he said.
“I know that parents give up a lot of time and effort to get their kids to sporting events, so anything we can do to support that, to allow them to succeed probably goes a long way.”
Member of Cowan’s 2025 Vipers team in the Australian Volleyball League and Sunraysia representative Adrian Fox played an integral role in bringing Cowan northwest.
“The great man on the left here, Foxy, one of our AVL superstars, shout out to him,” he said.
“We’ll see him in the AVL a bit later in the year, but he’s been the driver.
“I think Dylan Lucchesi (Another Vipers player from Sunraysia) ran a camp a while ago and then sort of handed over to me and it’s been a really good experience.
Fox and Lucchesi have both been running clinics for the Sunraysia Academy of Sport.
Cowan also said he has been impressed with how Sunraysia matches up with other regions in terms of volleyball quality despite geographical disadvantages while highlighting local Academy of Sport product Will Price as one to watch for the future.
“I think they’re all doing a fantastic job and it’s a challenge because you’re so far away from Melbourne or Adelaide,” he said.
“Will Price is going along really well, he’s tall, athletic, he’s like a sponge and unfortunately he missed out on state tam, but I think that his journey is probably on the right trajectory considering where he’s come from over the last couple of years.
“We’ve got two AVL players from the Sunraysia area, I think that’s pretty good and Kade Zrna narrowly missed out as a setter, so three out of 21 players isn’t too bad to have from this area that come back into Melbourne and help our Vipers team.”
Cowan’s Vipers team featuring Fox and Lucchesi will begin their season Saturday, September 20, against NSW Phoenix at MSAC, Albert Park.
“We’ve had a bit of turnover, which is good, so we’ve got a lot of younger guys,” said Cowan.
“I think it’s exciting, with the young group you never know what can happen and I’m looking forward to round one versus NSW to see where we’re at.”
