Volleyball’s rise in popularity has been confirmed in recent results from a survey conducted by AusPlay, the Australian sport and physical activity participation survey. Volleyball has now established itself alongside the traditional main sports in Western Australia.
Volleyball Amongst the Leading Sports and Recreations
Volleyball moved up to 7th in terms of participation in organised sports in Western Australia after basketball, football (soccer), Australian rules football, golf, netball and cricket. Volleyball is also rapidly climbing the ranks of recreational pursuits!
Seeds Begin to Sprout
Volleyball’s rapid rise is the result of a concerted approach over many years. The volleyball family is offering more opportunities for people to play, with each of the four codes (Beach, Indoor, Indoor Beach and Park) offering something unique and valuable.
Each of the levels of competition in volleyball have also been strengthened, ensuring that people can enjoy everything from a social or recreational hit-out, right up to elite State and National level competitions.
The movement has enthusiastically embraced diversity. Whether it’s supporting Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) communities through initiatives like VWA’s Harmony Cup or Alcohol.Think Again Country of Origin, or better serving those with disabilities to engage with volleyball, we’ve shown significant growth.
Volleyball has become a common sight in many new spaces, an outcome achieved by collaboration between the movement and various local governments to develop parks, beaches and other locations. By moving beyond traditional courts, volleyball has capitalised on the boom in recreation and emerging expectations of exercise.
Credit Due to Many Partners
The rise of volleyball owes credit to everything that’s been done by the network of volleyball clubs and some generous and ongoing support from Healthway, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and committed sponsors of volleyball in Western Australia. The movement has some incredible partners too, including schools, local government and our many stakeholders in our CaLD programs. The staff of Volleyball WA are very proud of their role in facilitating the growth of the sport, in conjunction with the various committees and the Board.
Exciting Times for Members and Players
We’ll continue to push for the growth of the game in 2021. As a member, you can expect more team members, better competitions and more opportunities to play volleyball in the near future!
In fact, there has never been a better time to get involved in the movement. Volleyball WA are excited by the results in the latest AusPlay results and we are looking forward to future editions of the survey.