FIVE Glasshouse Christian College students are attending the Australian Youth Volleyball Championships, including 14-year-old Cooper Maddrell.
GC&M News spoke to Cooper’s mum, Emma, who said that although he had only been playing since year 7, he already had big aspirations in the sport.
“He heard last year from the states, a lot of the U15 boys got invited to Auscamp which is a national volleyball camp, that’s his new goal, he really wants to be selected for that,” she said.
“Cooper also wants to join a Brisbane volleyball club in the junior volleyball league after nationals.”
Emma said Cooper loves the friendship and physicality that comes with the sport and plays both beach and indoor volleyball.
“Cooper loves he’s in a great group of friends because all of his best mates do it, but even for states only one of his friends goes to it but he loves it,” she said.
“He loves improving after every training session he’ll come back and tell me what he did really well this week.”
Cooper is ready to play in Bendigo for Queensland from September 17-22, especially because he made the team last year as a shadow player, but will definitely be playing in the squad this year.
“Cooper never got to compete at nationals when he made the team last year, so it was his goal this year to make the team and go down to Bendigo, he’s worked really hard and done well,” she said.
“He’s very excited to be in the state team this year, he trains for states every Saturday, the team was picked last term, and a fortnight ago they narrowed it down to the 20 who are actually going.
“He’s proud that he’s achieved his goal, he wanted to get there this year and he’s done it, he just changed positions this year too, he was playing setter last year but is now a middle.”
The other four students attending include Thomas who plays alongside Cooper in the U15s team, Indigo who plays in the U14s team, Jye in the U14s and Olivia in the U17s.