HYDERABAD: Who said India is all and only about cricket? Badminton, hockey, tennis, kabaddi, and more recently, volleyball too have been reaching unbelievable heights. In some good news for fans of the sport, India will be hosting its first-ever Prime Volleyball League. The tournament which was earlier scheduled to be held in Kochi has been moved to Hyderabad, owing to the Covid pandemic.
The increasingly popular league is all set to kick off on February 5, this Saturday, at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. As our home team Hyderabad Black Hawks is all set to take on the mighty Kochi Blue Spikers in the opening fixture, its players and coach share how they’re gearing up for the month-long tournament.
One of the star players of the team has to be Rohit Kumar, a brilliant attacker in the game. The energetic player says, “I’m looking forward to representing Hyderabad. The city, its people, the team — right from the players, the coach to the hospitality team and owners — everybody has been warm and great to work with. I’m giving it my all, our team has landed the best setters like Hari (Hariharan V) and Vipul (Kumar). Setters are the ones who make or break the game. So it’s one of our biggest strengths that we’re looking forward to using to the fullest.” On Tuesday, Vipul Kumar from Uttar Pradesh was announced team Hyderabad’s captain for the season.
Black Hawks’ head coach Ruben Wolochin is more of a mother hen to his boys and is proud of their game. He says, “The team looks well-prepared and is in good shape. The boys surprised me with their potential. They are always eager to learn. I use the opportunity to try and teach something new every day and they’re like a sponge, ever-ready to take it all in.” About his expectations from the team, he says, “I’m looking forward to building a good team and good performance. How big the result would be is not something I have much control over. There are many people and factors involved. The players are giving their 100 percent and can’t wait to get to the stadium!”
Luis Antonio Arias Guzman from Venezuela is excited to be playing for the Black Hawks. An elated Luis says, “It’s a joy to be part of such a young group, because the boys are very energetic and I get to learn a lot from them. I am looking forward to giving my best to the team and helping them in whatever way I can. I am devoting all my time, energy and discipline while training as I hope to stay more focused. It’s a young team with a lot of talent. It’s an interesting opportunity and I’m grateful to be part of such a league. I sincerely pray and hope that Indian players strike gold at the global level too.”
Seven franchises — the Calicut Heroes, Kochi Blue Spikers, Ahmedabad Defenders, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Chennai Blitz, Bengaluru Torpedoes and the Kolkata Thunderbolts will battle it out on the field to clinch the trophy.
Hyderabad is gearing up to host the country’s first-ever Prime Volleyball League. Ahead of the opening match with Kochi, home team Hyderabad Black Hawks and its coach share how they’re gearing up to put their best foot forward