PHANTOMS Volleyball Club premier women’s coach David Berry is confident his side has only scratched the surface in terms of its upside.
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Two months on from the end of the 2018 state league season, Berry has had ample time to reflect on the team’s progress following its first foray into the top division.
He views a debut season finals appearance – albeit it a first round loss to Yarra Ranges – as vindication of the decision to step up in grade.
“It was a bold move from the club’s perspective to push all the girls up (a grade) – we had reserves, div two and div three in 2017 – but I felt the time was right for our girls to step up into the premier competition,” he said.
“It meant all our teams and players stepped up a grade, but they were more than competitive, especially the younger girls we got into division three.
“The bonus was obviously the premier girls made the finals.”
Horsham-based Berry branded the 3-0 finals loss as a great learning curve.
“The top three teams were very experienced and were far and above the rest … we got a lesson, but we would have learnt from that going forward,” he said.
“We weren’t disappointed, or anything like that, we knew exactly where we stood in the overall scheme of things.
“It was going to be a massive win if we were to get over Yarra in that semi-final, but we can hold our heads high from the point of view we gave girls an opportunity at the elite level and we weren’t too far.
“With another 12 months development into the girls, that gap – from a premier perspective - will close and that gap will close for the reserves, div twos and div threes.
“We are confident, going forward, that we have a good, solid pathway program for all western Victoria athletes wanting to play in the premier competition in the state.”
Attention for Phantoms players will now swing to the tournament season, starting in Bendigo next weekend, followed by Ballarat and Horsham.
The club will enter two top division men’s and women’s teams as Phantoms, with some club players released back to the play with their home associations, including Bendigo, Sunraysia and Horsham.
Berry, who was named premier division coach of the year, said it would be a chance to track players’ progress and identify potential recruits.
