My IRC Experience 2022 – Derin Canbulat
Each year we ask a number of our youngsters to report back on their SW IRC experience, today we focus on Derin Canbulat (SW Number 4) from our U15 Boys Squad.
I represented the South West at the Inter Regional Championships in Leicester, competing in the U15 boys category. We were picked up by a minibus to take us up to Leicester, where we would be playing. Halfway through the journey we switched players with the other minibus who had picked up a mix of U15 and U17 players. When everyone was on the right bus, we resumed our journey with music being played and enthusiastic singing all the way up.
When we arrived at the hotel we were allocated our rooms, but we all pooled together in one room to chat and have fun. We were called down for dinner at eight, and afterwards the kit was allocated, so as to not waste any time in the morning sorting it out. Everyone then went to bed, excited for the next day.
The next day we energetically woke up at around eight, straight away putting on our kit before heading down for breakfast. After breakfast we collected our bags and headed to the venue in which we were going to be playing. Our team had been put into Pool B, with North west, East, and East Midlands. As we were going to be playing the first match of our pool, we got warmed up promptly after the game before us ended. We were going to be playing North West first.
In the first set against them we lost the set 20-25 due to frequently occurring errors such as service mistakes or net touches. In the second set we improved but still lost 23-25. Considering this had been the first match our team had played together I thought it was a good result. We then played East, managing to steal the first set from them 25-18 . We lost the second set but fought fiercely for the third, losing it only by 2 points. Upon our return to the hotel , I saw a lot of tired and disheartened faces at dinner and in the evening.
On Monday morning, we reluctantly woke up at six so that we could get an early start on the matches because our team had been scheduled to play 4 that day. Our first match that day we played a tough and close game against East Midlands with a similar result to the game against East, losing the first set but winning the second and losing the third. We had already lost three games since we arrived, and we were finding it hard to stay motivated. It was now time for the Knockout phase. As we had lost all our games, we were bottom of our pool and were playing the top of Pool A: London, a team notorious for hard attacks.
Everyone expected us to lose, which we did but only did so by a few points in both sets. The whole team agreed that although we lost, the flow was better, and it was a lot of fun playing them. We then heartbreakingly lost a playoff against East for 5th place. At this point in the day we were quite mentally defeated, but I still tried to have hope in the last game.
After a motivational talk from our coach, we proceeded into the first set of the playoff for 7th place against East Midlands. This was the last game that we would play so we needed to put everything into this game. Although I didn’t play in the first set, I led the cheering and the chanting from the side. We swiftly won the first set 25-18. We were halfway there. The second set begins and the cheering and chanting continues. The tension rises as we take the lead at 19-17. The coach then subs me in. I switch with the other outside hitter and walk onto the court receiving high fives from each side. A few mistakes from both sides lead the score to 24-21 to us. A great hit from the middle wins us the game, securing us 7th place.
Although we might not have won, the atmosphere was amazing, and it was great playing people on different skill levels and I will certainly be using this experience for future games. A big thanks to the coaches for preparing us and advising us. This was certainly a great experience where I got to meet a lot of new people and bond with my teammates.
Derin Canbulat