Registration dilemma holds up volleyball league
THE Limpopo Volleyball Association (LVA) has confirmed April 25 as the date for the commencement of its provincial leagues, against the backdrop of uncertainty as teams have not registered for their participation.
LIMPOPO – THE Limpopo Volleyball Association (LVA) has confirmed April 25 as the date for the commencement of its provincial leagues, against the backdrop of uncertainty as teams have not registered for their participation.
The association’s tournaments director Masipa ‘Mass’ Mailula said the teams have so far failed to meet their deadlines for submission of their rosters.
According to Mailula, LVA has 12 teams in the elite league, 10 in its development structures and 14 in the women’s category.
They include defending champions Bela Bela Kamplits, Botlokwa Evergreen, Steiloop Bull Dogs, Masokolara, Seshego Spikers, University of Limpopo (UL), University of Venda, Nkowa-Nkowa Diesel and Dust, Makhado Fighters, Mphaila, Marapong Eagles and Polokwane volleyball club.
The late registration of these teams has left Mailula in a jittery state of mind as he is pressed for deadline to draft the fixture programme for the year.
Ironically, this hindrance in registration comes after the association had already staged a successful opening tournament earlier this year at the Seshego outdoor courts.
Although Mailula is stressed out by the late registration of teams, he is still adamant that the league will blast off on the envisaged date at the Ngoako Ramathlodi Indoor Sports Complex in Seshego.
Mailula said the late registration of teams in their domestic league was happening for the first in the history of the association.
Explaining why this is happening this year, the Botlokwa Evergreen mentor said “At the end of the previous league season, clubs took a unanimous decision that respective teams should make their registration processes at district level, yet they will play against each other at provincial level. The games would be played at various venues across the province, with Seshego township in the Capricorn district the preferred venue because of the standardised courts at the stadium and the indoor sports complex.”
Several teams, though, have already indicated that they are already eager to play.
UL coach Jacob Thamago confirmed that: “We have been long prepared for to participate in the domestic league. We have being playing friendly matches over the weekends. What is left from us is a go ahead from the association and we will start immediately.”
