21 March, 2025
The Vanuatu Volleyball Federation will take the next major steps on its Athletes Performance Pathway, with the participation of two Youth Girls teams in regional U18 Youth Championships over the coming weeks.
The Oceania Zonal Beach Volleyball U18 Championships will take place in the Honiara, Solomon Islands (6 to 9 April), while the Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championship kick off next week (24-27 March) at Coolangatta Beach in Queensland, as part of Volleyball Australiaâs VolleySlam with 655 teams competing across four tournaments over 10 days, including the FIVB Futures Pro Beach Tour event (27 to 30 March), in which Vanuatuâs senior team Majabelle Lawac and Sherysyn Toko will compete.
Vanuatuâs national coach, and former champion player, Miller Pata, will not only be overseeing Team Vanuatu in their FIVB Futures hit-out, but will also be taking Jennifer Tom and Monick John to Australia for the Youth Championships, while assistant coach Manu Maki, with Team Manager Pelagie Maho, will be taking  Karol Suvtekmag and Rahanna Taribakeo to the Oceania U18 Championship, with all the teens competing at their first regional tournaments.
Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships
SCHEDULE: Pool Rounds â POOL F
Monday 24 March
Tom / John (VAN) v Dowler / Wilson (AUS-ACT) @ 11.50am AEST (12.50pm Van & AEDT)
Tom / John (VAN) v Shimada / Thie (AUS-QLD) @ 1.30pm AEST (2.30pm (Van & AEDT)
Tuesday 25 March
Tom / John (VAN) v Clarke / Willoughby (AUS-NSW) @ 9.10am AEST (10.10am Van & AEDT)
Tom / John (VAN) v Griffith / Kotzakozidis (AUS-VIC) @ 11.50am AEST (12.50pm Van & AEDT)
The Oceania Zonal U18 Youth Championships will release the tournament scheduling information closer to the date.
These four young athletes were selected from the youth training camp which was held in January in Port Vila, and have since been training three days a week, under the supervision of VVFs senior coaches, with Miller Pata having taken a keen interest in the development of Vanuatuâs young athletes for several years, recognising the importance of identifying and nurturing the sporting potential of Vanuatuâs young people.
VVF has always placed importance on the development of young players through to senior ranks, but last year it made the Athlete Performance Program a high priority, identifying the need for depth in the player pool ahead of a very busy competition calendar over the next 7 years, in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
These events are a major promotion of youth development in the sport regionally, supported by international governing sports bodies, with the Oceania Champs also being noted as an historic occasion for the Solomon Islands Volleyball Federation (SIVF) – its first time hosting a regional BV tournament in the country.
This event, organised by the Oceania Zonal Volleyball Associations (OZVA), in collaboration with SIVF, will showcase the talents of young beach volleyball athletes from across the region.
OZVA has 20 full national federation members and 4 associate members.
The Oceania event is being supported by the FIVB, with the IOC, in partnership with Olympic Solidarity, having jointly launched a pilot project aimed at fostering the growth of youth beach volleyball teams in the Oceania Zone.
The participation of VVF players has been made possible with funding through Olympic Solidarity grants, provided by the IOC, ensuring a high-profile platform for the young athletes.
There will also be a Referee Training course delivered as part of the Oceania Championships week, with VVF sending both Stanley Toa and Sharon Toto to participate, as part of the ongoing focus around capacity building of our staff and volunteers.
*Coverage of all these events, including match fixtures and results for both tournaments, will be posted on the Vanuatu Beach Facebook page over the course of the events.
Vanuatu Volleyball would also like to acknowledge its major sponsor Titan FX Vanuatu, whose ongoing support of the national team and the athlete development program is very much appreciated.
ENDS
