For the first time in the history of the school, our Junior Girls A Volleyball team has made it to the final of the South Island Championships, coming runner up in the entire competition held in Invercargill earlier this week.

This comes on the heels of the team winning the Blythe trophy last weekend by beating Nelson girls at the Tasman Secondary School teams competition.

Although well seeded going into the South Island competition, according to co-coach Brendan Crichton, the team 'over-achieved' making it into the final, especially beating the more heavily favoured Cashmere High School team in the semi-finals to make the final.

As well as beating Cashmere, the team also beat teams such as Otago Girls, Riccarton High School and Nelson Girls in their run to the final. They went down to Saint Andrews College to come runners up in the competition.

Mr Crichton described the semi-final as 'the game of the tournament', a nailbiter that everyone in the stadium watched, with Nayland coming from behind to win.

Mr Crichton, who along with co-coach Brennan Geddes took the team down to Invercargill, was full of praise for the way the girls handled themselves throughout the week.

"I am super proud. It was an epic performance because there was lots of adversity throughout the week. Tuesday we went down to seven players for several games because of sickness in the team. It is such a long way to go, but they handled it really well," Mr Crichton said.

Trophy comes home to Nayland

When the Junior A team beat Nelson Girls in the Tasman Championships final last weekend, they not only won the competition, but they brought a little piece of Nayland history back to us.

The winning team is awarded the Blythe trophy. This trophy is named after an ex-Nayland teacher, and a long time supporter of Tasman Volleyball, Treena Blythe. It is the first time a Nayland team has actually won this trophy.

Ms Blythe was happy to hear that the trophy was back with Nayland.

"I am over the moon that Nayland has won this trophy. I had 17 years of coaching volleyball at Nayland and many fond memories of some amazing students and teachers, many of whom I keep in touch with still. I think when I left Nelson, they were kind enough to have a little ceremony to thank me for my years of volunteer service and that was likely when the trophy was started," she said.

"I have so many fond memories of Nayland, and the teachers there who were my mentors and inspiration. Nayland is such a special place! "