Whilst sitting volleyball is often regarded as the ‘Paralympic version’ of volleyball, the Paralympic Games is not the only place you can find international sitting volleyball competition. The Invictus Games, held since 2014, is an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and ill servicemen and women; and sitting volleyball was one of the ten sports included in the 2023 Dusseldorf Invictus Games, the event’s most recent edition. The VWA Sitting Volleyball Team, which competed in the Australian Sitting Volleyball Championships last weekend, was very fortunate to have the experience of Adam Slot, who also competed for Team Australia at the Dusseldorf Invictus Games, just over a year ago!
Adam, a veteran, who served in the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy for the best part of 30 years, was introduced to sitting volleyball at an Invictus Australia selection camp, before the Games in 2023. Adam simultaneously represented Team Australia in wheelchair basketball and indoor rowing in Dusseldorf Germany. Despite little prior knowledge of volleyball, he became “instantly hooked” on sitting volleyball, which became his favourite event he competed in. “Fun, laughter, and a keen sense of sportsmanship were the constant themes from the matches we played. Some members of the squad had played sitting volleyball at previous Invictus Games, but most of us were new to the sport, it was amazing to see how the sport could bring everyone together, regardless of experience, ability, or disability, we all became equals.”
Following the Invictus Games, Adam wondered if there were more opportunities to be involved in sitting volleyball. “Having felt a bit empty post my amazing Games experience, I jumped at the chance to go along to the Volleyball WA Come and Try Sitting Volleyball sessions, which I first heard about through the Invictus Australia Regional Manager, Hannah Laws”, Adam said.
Whilst the Invictus Games allows for veterans to compete in sports on a global scale, locally, Invictus Australia is focused on community reintegration for veterans and the role that sport and recreation can play in improved physical and mental well-being. Adam hopes that through his experience (at the Invictus Games and the Australian Sitting Volleyball Championships) “we can spread the word to other members of the veteran community and show them how awesome sitting volleyball is to be involved with.”
Adam is looking forward to the new and upcoming Volleyball WA Social Sitting Volleyball League and hopes to see more Western Australian veterans get involved in local, national, and international sitting volleyball events!
Volleyball WA acknowledges our 2024 Sitting Volleyball team sponsors APM and Orthotic Prosthetic Solutions for their generous contributions, which supported all athletes to participate in this event. We would also like to acknowledge the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and the Inclusive Participation grant program which enabled us to run “Have a Go” sessions to find new participants for sitting volleyball.
