My IRC Experience 2024 – Maddie Brandon
Each year we ask a number of our youngsters to report back on their SW IRC experience, today we focus on Maddie Brandon, SW Number 5, from our U17 Squad.
This was my first year going to the Inter Regional Championships, with the previous year I was named as a reserve for the squad. This was my last year playing for the under 17s, so I knew I had to make the squad to be able to play in Inter Regional Championships.
The weekend started around 2pm on the Friday where floe our assistant coach picked me up from subway, where I met Molly, Heidi and Katie who were already in the car. We all grabbed some cookies from subway before our very long journey ahead. The journey consisted of great music from Floe and a fair amount of stand still traffic. Eventually we made to Kettering, thankfully we were all still friends
Once we got there, we met the rest of the team and had a team meeting, Floe then announced who we would be sharing a room with. In mine I had Katie and Tilly. We then all headed out, along with the under 15 squad to Pizza hut. It was just the Southwest team in Pizza hut, everyone was ravenous and excited for the tough games ahead. We consumed many refillable drinks and many refills of the endless salad bar before I tucked into a large BBQ pizza.
Once back to hotel with bellies full of pizza we had an official team meeting in which we were presented with our very smart kit and a photo of the team for everyone to cherish and remember this special time. We were encouraged to get an early night although everyone was so excited about the next day it took a while to get to sleep.
Then the excitement came when we woke up and came down to a lovely hotel breakfast which fuelled us for the long day of volleyball we had coming up. Our first game was against Yorkshire at 10am in which Yorkshire took the first set 25-23. Then in the second set I came on from the bench and the team won 25-22. Therefore, leaving it to the final set where we won 15-11, and so we won our first game sending us off in good spirits for the rest of the day.
Our second game, we faced Northeast where I played all of the game and we won 25-13 in the first set, 25-17 in the second and therefore winning our second game against Northeast. Now we faced the tough opponents, London. Unfortunately, London won that game where they took the first set 25-20 and the second 25-18 in a close game. I came on towards the end of the first and the whole second set.
Straight after this we faced Southeast in our last match of the Saturday. We won the first set 25-21 and the second set I came off the bench and played, we managed to win 25-21 confirming our win and putting us in a comfortable position for the Sunday.
After a long day of volleyball, the Southwest team headed to the pub near our hotel and feasted on gammon steak and chips then a very chocolatey cake with ice cream. Later that evening we had a team debrief then everyone managed to fall asleep very quickly all exhausted from the hard work the whole team put in today.
Sunday was semifinal day. Our alarms went off, and we were all eager to play and with making the final set in our mind. In the semi we faced East in a very tough match. East managed to take the first set 25-20 but the team had more fight in them. The second set Southwest stole the set 25-19 meaning all was at stake in the third and final set. The Southwest proved everything in this final set showing everyone drive to win, all the hours of training paid off and the whole teams’ strengths were used in this game enabling us to reaching success. The Southwest won the match, 15-5 in the final set.
Now all that sat between us and victory was London in the final. Having already faced London previously on the Saturday we knew how tough this match would be. Everyone was nervous but ready to go. After a long exhausting match, London unfortunately were the better team on the day, with a very well-trained team. London took the first set 25-17 and the second set 25-18. Finally, we had a final team meeting then the presentations took place where we collected our runners up medals.
Although sad from our defeat in the final we were all proud of how far we had come and what we achieved. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone, but I am so grateful of the opportunity to represent the Southwest and play with such a fantastic group of people.
Although I cannot continue in the team next year the past two years have been such a fantastic opportunity for me where I have grown as a volleyball player and left me with so many great memories for which I am so grateful to the whole team. I would like to give a special mention to Dave Gunter and Floe who made this possible for me, providing me the opportunity to play at internationals. I also want to thank Dave Reece for all the support and hard work he puts in behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Thank you to the whole team including those who did not make the final 12 you have created such a special memory for me, and I am sure I will get to play alongside or against you all one day. Good luck next year you all will smash it!
Maddie Brandon
