Hundreds of young players have joined the mini volleyball World Championship organised ahead of the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship Italy 2014
Bari, Italy, September 12, 2014 - A mini volley competition involving hundreds of young players was organised in the region of Apulia based on the formula adopted for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship Italy 2014. The finals of the competition will be held on Sunday, September 14, at Palaflorio, the arena which will open its doors to a good share of the world’s volleyball elite from September 23.
The provincial committees of Apulia were involved in the mini volley competition, whose primary goal is to create a bridge between volleyball players in the making and today’s stars of the sport. The teams participating were each associated with one of the 24 countries which are set to compete at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship Italy 2014.
The event started on May 11 with 24 teams divided into four groups of six each, playing a total of 15 matches per pool. The preliminary rounds were held in the home towns of the four provincial committees: Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce and Taranto – and in each venue, six mini volleyball courts were set up - two for boys, two for girls, and another two for the mixed event. The second stage of the competition started on May 25, with the 16 teams (representing countries) divided into two pools.
This initiative follows in the footsteps of a similar action launched in conjunction with the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship held in Italy four years ago, and which stopped in each of the cities playing host to the world’s premier volleyball competition. The 2014 edition aims to involve as many children as possible in the sport, thereby also creating a link among kids, their families and local volleyball clubs ahead of the much anticipated World Championships.