Posted by The following was written by Walter Lebedew in 1978, presumably to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the then Australian Volleyball Federation. As he was present at most, if not all the important events described this can be considered the definitive history.
The beginnings of volleyball in Australia can be traced back vaguely to the 1920’s and more clearly to the 1930’s. At that stage, it was not regarded as a competitive sport but rather more on the lines originally intended for it by its American inventor, William G. Morgan as an entertaining and not over-strenuous recreational activity. It is most likely that volleyball was initially introduced into Australia by First World War servicemen who learned the game through contact with their American counterparts in France and the U.K. The game found its way into the armed services, Y.M.C.A. and kindred organisations, youth clubs and colleges, always as part of a physical education program, attracting little notice or following.
The influx of post war migrants, brought into Australia a large number of people from European countries, particularly Eastern Europe, U.S.S.R., Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Baltic countries, where the sport was well developed and popular before the Second World War. For people who, after many hardships and privations, found themselves in a foreign, and in many respects, strange land. The familiar game, along with other sporting and social activities, became a bridge spanning a familiar past, a bewildering present and an unknown but ever brightening future.
Played mostly outdoors under conditions little better than cow paddocks from the early 1950’s, the game slowly began to regain its hold on enthusiasts and attract a sprinkling of native born Australians. The prospect for future development was not very inspiring as Australia in those days was virtually devoid of indoor sporting facilities and volleyball is not really an outdoor sport. However, progress continued and by the mid 1950’s organised Associations were controlling the sport in Sydney and Adelaide, followed soon after by Melbourne. By the late 1950’s, there was a certain amount of communication among the three centres, although travelling difficulties precluded actual meeting.
Eventually in 1961, a Sydney enthusiast, J. Engel, came to the conclusion that a contest involving the three centres, was a viable proposition. Communication with friends ensued and finally on June 2nd, 1962, the three teams met in Melbourne for the long awaited trial of strength. Since hardly anyone of those present had seen a top class volleyball match during the past decade, coaching, refereeing and playing had to be done from memory which was dimmed by time. Despite the inevitable disagreements, the show went on and was all over in one afternoon. In a somewhat inconclusive contest, South Australia beat Victoria, who beat New South Wales, who in turn beat South Australia, with the home side taking out the tournament on percentage. Agreement was reached to repeat the function in Adelaide during the following year, extended over two days, and a few pounds were pooled to purchase a trophy which became known initially as the “Interstate Cup”.
The second tournament played in Adelaide during the Easter weekend, 1963, was a far better organised affair, with two and one matches being played on consecutive afternoons, giving players and officials the opportunity for social contact, which resulted in interminable post mortems, nevertheless achieving solutions to many problems. For the first time, an All-Australian Six was selected at the completion of the official matches, consisting of A. Suchowiercha (Captain), L. Maklary, G. Dencis, V. Beresny (all S.A.), G. Silis, J. Zuititis (N.S.W.). The selection was purely honorary, although the team was given the opportunity to thrash the Rest of Australia in a well received exhibition match. Awards for “Best Player”, from each State were also made and these went to L. Maklary (S.A.), G. Silis (N.S.W.) and G. Cox (Victoria). In the tournament proper, South Australia won both its matches to come out on top, whilst New South Wales narrowly defeated Victoria for second place. The total number of competitive volleyballers in the country at that stage would be estimated at no more than 200-250, The next significant step forward was taken when officials from participating States met in a private house to form the Australian Volleyball Federation. Some primitive guidelines were put forward and it was left to the elected office bearers, J. Versteegh (President), W. Lebedew (Secretary) and E. Kolodoczka (Treasurer), all from S.A. to carry on until the next meeting twelve months hence.
During the ensuing year, some efforts were made to get a women’s tournament off the ground. However, although the women’s standard in South Australia and New South Wales was reasonably high among the few who played, there were no women players at all in Melbourne and the project was doomed to failure. Nevertheless, South Australia, travelling to Sydney by bus, did take a women’s team along, which played and won the first representative matches in Australia against a Sydney Latvian selection and New South Wales representative sides. This led to the decision to inaugurate an official Australian women’s title for the following year. The men’s tournament was won by New South Wales giving the three States one win each, indicating an evenness of competition, surprising in view of the lack of competitive experience. Other than that, it was for another year.
Significant developments during 1964-65 were the acceptance of Tasmania into the competition. A small group of migrants, mostly Latvian origin, made efforts to get the sport moving and the well meant, but misguided attempt to boost the competition including a Victorian country team from Geelong. In the men’s tournament, the newcomers did very little to establish themselves and New South Wales repeated their success ahead of Victoria and S.A. The introduction of a new award for the outstanding players in the tournament created an administrative nightmare as no guidelines for such selection could be established at the time, the awards eventually going to: Outstanding Player – L. Maklary (S.A.): Best Spiker – A. Strauts (N.S.W.) and Best Setter – A. Waniarcha (S.A.) The women’s encounter went to South Australia from New South Wales in a fairly one sided affair with the best player awards gained by I. Prima, S.A. (Outstanding Player), I. Helmerand, N.S.W. (Best Spiker), R. Zvaigzne, S.A. (Best Setter). The women’s All Australian Six selected for the first time consisted of I. Prima, Captain, M. Sils, R. Zvaigzne (all S.A.), H. Kovalunas, K. Sumbak, I. Helmerand (all N.S.W.). The Australian Volleyball Federation Congress which by now had become a regular feature of the somewhat hectic two day event, on this particular occasion, convening at 1.00 a.m. after end of play, was attended by a small delegation led by Colonel Rowe, representing the volleyball fraternity of Canberra. They reported good progress in establishing regular competitions in the national capital, expressed desire to compete in the following year and conduct the tournament in 1968. All this was granted by delighted though weary delegates and the games were over for yet another year. Administrative activity at that stage, was gradually increasing, generated mostly by the Secretary in efforts to enlarge the competition and establish contact with world volleyball and Olympic authorities. Having four participating States and thus complying with the Australian Olympic Federation guidelines, a tentative invitation was secured to attend the annual congress of that body. Hoping to gain formal affiliation, W. Lebedew and L. Baltrunas (Victoria) set out to attend the congress. However, problems which arose from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games were too absorbing to permit any interference and the volleyball delegates achieved nothing after spending four hours in the ante room. Formal affiliation was eventually achieved the following year, as was affiliation with the International Volleyball Federation.
The 1966 titles in Adelaide showed little progress although the three top States staged a thrilling neck to neck struggle showing game honours. New South Wales finished in front of Victoria on fractional set percentage to record its third successive title win. South Australian women continued on their winning way ahead of New South Wales. Both Australian Capital Territory teams received volleyball object lessons and another well meaning administrative muddle resulted in the All Australian Six with only one local representative being thrashed in straight sets by the Rest, much to the delight of the partisan crowd. The Australian Volleyball Federation Congress introduced a significant change, deviating from the previously accepted principle of each year choosing a President from the host State, to elect R. Foot (A.C.T.), who served with distinction in that position until 1975.
In Sydney, the following year, there was no change to the format of the tournament. New South Wales continued its supremacy to win from South Australia with the national capital team recording its first ever win against Victoria, The women’s tournament saw the eclipse of South Australia with New South Wales winning the first and to date, only senior double from Victoria. Delegates from the reconstituted Tasmanian Association attended the Federation Congress pledging the Apple Isle’s participation in the following year and applying successfully for the right to stage the 1969 titles in Devonport. A significant expansion in volleyball activities, at least on paper, was achieved during that year with the introduction of the Australian Club Championships. After many possibilities were considered, hampered by distance problems and lack of funds, it was eventually agreed to form two zones, East – New South Wales and A.C.T. and South – South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. The concept was that the champion club teams from these States played in group preliminaries and the two top teams would then play off in the final. The venture proved a fiasco with all but two teams showing no interest to participate in their zone play-offs. Eventually, the Melbourne Finns Sisu travelled north to play Sydney Russians Vostok, with the latter winning a lack lustre title, by then devoid of all interest. This tournament was persevered with, but was continuously plagued by problems arising from lack of responsible approach shown by some Australian clubs. Teams either cancelled their appearances at the last minute, failed to arrive without explanation or disappeared from the scene after one or two matches. The tournament was eventually abandoned in 1977 to be resurrected at a later date.
At this stage, it must be said that the development of Australian Volleyball has followed the well established path taken by most sports since the Federation of Australia. The basic competitive unit on the national level is a State or Territory combined team representing that State or Territory in the Australian titles. This would appear strange in most parts of the world where the basic unit is a club team or at best a reinforced club team Although the advantages and disadvantages of either system may be open to debate, it is an indisputable fact, that in Australian sport, the State concept has become part of the national heritage.
The Seventh Championships in Canberra, 1968, which brought the introduction of play-off finals at the end of the round robin series was easy for Victoria and South Australia which took out the men’s and women’s titles respectively although Victoria’s final opponent, New South Wales, had to be resolved on percentage from a three way tie for second place. With five States now competing, volleyball was obviously on the upsurge. The Federation Congress which endorsed the inauguration of an Australian Junior Championship for the following year was attended by delsgates from Papua, New Guinea, then an Australian Territory, but the expected affiliation failed to materialise.
The first titles conducted outside a State or National Capital were conducted in Devonport the following year with the same protagonists facing each other. This time, it was the Australian Capital Territory led brilliantly by Canadian Coach, Bob Vosbergh and the Victorian women’s team, which gained the upper hand over the New South Wales sides in each case. Prior to this tournament, Australian referees for the first time ever received formal instructions. Toshikiko Okura from Japan attended to give a group of candidates a series of lectures extending over three days with six graduating as Australian national referees. These were R. Hayes, J. Kostas (N.S.W.), W. Lebedew, E. Kolodoczka (s.A.), R. Frost (Vic.) and R. Foot (A.C.T.). The Federation Congress developed into political and administrative wrangles among the senior States, which required several adjournments, a total of 26 hours of sittings and was only grudgingly resolved six months later. The Junior (under 18 years) Championships held in Canberra in August was a bright and breezy affair showing great promise for the future. With five boys’ teams and four girls’ teams competing, the titles were won by Victoria, from Tasmania and South Australia from New South Wales.
In Melbourne, 1970, five States gathered again to battle for the prestigious honour of Australian Champion. The game at this stage was becoming more professional and training orientated each year, requiring a high degree of fitness and dedication at the top level. It had slowly begun to spread out, away from capital cities to country centres, with Geelong, Mount Gambier, Port Pirie and Bendigo establishing rudimentary competitions and in most cases braving the cold and the treacherous ground conditions on windswept outdoor tennis courts. In Tasmania, this was not so apparent, as the game was virtually introduced in the initial stages in the country centres along the north coast.
This time, New South Wales men reasserted their superiority to demolish title holder A.C.T, in the final and Victoria scored its second consecutive victory in downing the young South Australian team, The boys and girls junior titles in Adelaide were won by Victoria and South Australia from A.C.T. and Victoria respectively.
For the Tenth Titles in 1971, Adelaide, it happened at long last. Men’s and women’s teams from all six States, plus the Australian Capital Territory were represented to complete the numerical progress in Australian Volleyball. To make matters even more exciting, the New Zealand women’s national team was participating by invitation, inaugurating the first ever international contest for Australia. After the official opening ceremony performed by the Hon. Hugh Hudson, Minister for Education, the first Australian International was played between New Zealand and the Australian women’s team which had been selected twelve months before, following the 1970 titles. The line-up of that historic team was: A. Karner, Captain, S. Carambelas, N. Horiachko, J. Stoll (all Victoria), A. Briedis, D. Biebrick, S. Dansie, M. Kirss (all S.A.), K. Sumbak (N.S.W.), Coach, Alfred Strauts (N.S.W.). The result was a 15:10, 15:6, 15:4 victory to Australia. After the completion of the tournament, the newly selected Australian team again played New Zealand for another straight sets win. The line-up this time being: Anna Karner, Captain, Jan Stoll, Lyn Newman (all Victoria), Aija Briedis, Diane Biebrick, Sue Dansie, Aime Lomp, Mari-Ann Kirss, Aldona Morkunas (South Australia), Marta Ostermayer, Kaie Sumbak, Chris Massepp (New South Wales), Coach Alfred Strauts (N.S.W.). In those days there was no such luxury as training together and playing together, which is so essential in modern volleyball, yet the mere fact that international matches have been staged was jubilantly accepted as a major breakthrough for volleyball in this, up until then, very neglected part of the world, devoid of any support for amateur sport financial or moral from government sources or commercial enterprise. The satisfaction expressed by players, officials and supporters made the occasion appear like an Olympic final rather than the first ever international contest between two emerging volleyball nations.
The women’s tournament on that occasion became something of a landmark in Australian volleyball. It was won by a brilliant South Australian team, captained by Mara Mastins and coached by the late Eugene Kolodoczka, with the loss of only one set in the final against Victoria. This success initiated an unbroken string of victories extending over eight years to date. During this period the S.A. State team suffered only one defeat, a five set thriller against Victoria in 1975, which was not enough to deprive it of its title win and a nasty shock faced the same team in 1977 when after trailing badly 0:2, it showed its real championship qualities to rally for a five set win with the loss of only ten more points.
During this period, the team supplied four Australian Captains – Aija Briedis, 1st Oceania Championships, Sydney; Marta Ostermayer, China – South-East Asia Tour, 1975; Sue Dansie, 1st Asian Championships, Melbourne and Diane Biebrick, 2nd Oceania Championships, Nelson, New Zealand. Other members of the team to achieve international honours at senior level were – Aldona Morkunas, Mari-Ann Kirss, Aime Lomp, Ingrid Randra, Mirra Koshonen, Mirka Hofr and Julie Kelaher as well as several junior internationals. Under the brilliant alternating coaching leadership of shrewd tactician, Eugene Kolodoczka and strict disciplinarian, skills expert Juhan Olesk, both of whom have served as Australian coaches, the team has been as close to invincible as a combined team is likely to be. Whilst winners often get the lion share of glory, at the expense of the “alsonoms” and this situation is normal for what is currently known as “elite sport”, this review cannot be complete without a close look at what is undoubtedly the unluckiest team in Australian volleyball – not in terms of luck as in “lucky breaks”, but in having the bad luck of consistently striking a superior team to come second on seven of the past eight occasions. There has been no lack of talent in the Victorian teams which included internationals: Anna Karner, Natalia Horiachko, Jan Stoll, Sandy Carambelas, Lyn Newman, Sue Fisher, Mandy Ridgeway, Kathy Parker as well as players such as Shirley Firebrace, one of the most brilliant volleyballers in Australia, who never fulfilled her potential or played for Australia. Other teams had little say when it came to the distribution of top honours although Sue Fnglish, Ann Wilson and Nola Murray (N.S.W.) achieved Australian honours, as did Janelle Fllis, Anne Riordan and Denise Evans (Queensland)
The men’s division of the tournament produced some of the best volleyball seen in Australia up to that time. The highlights undoubtedly being the clashes between New South Wales and Victoria. There seemed to be no doubt at the time that the brilliant Victorian combination would carry everything before it and so it did, right up to the dying stages of the final against New South Wales. Having won the first two sets in champion fashion, conceding only nine points, the team began to flounder under the onslaught of Sydney’s experienced veterans who produced perhaps the most brilliant victory in Australian volleyball history by clinching the match on advantage points in the final set.
Support for volleyball from any organisations, private or government, at the time was nil. Although the Australian Volleyball Federation put a lot of effort into devising fund raising schemes to enable the exploding volleyball population of Australia to achieve some of the modest advances which seemed reasonable at the time, it was to no avail. Efforts to have an Australian team participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ceylon, later known as Sri Lanka, achiaved little practical purpose as the event was eventually cancelled. Using their own means, Joe Hiller (Vic) and Jeff Kostas (N.S.W.) attended the International Referees Course in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia passing out near the top of the class and graduating as the first Australian International Referee Candidates.
The Australian Junior Championships that year were held in Sydney involving four boys and five girls teams won by Victoria and South Australia respectively.
A highlight of the year was Australia’s first overseas jaunt. The women travelled to New Caledonia to record three wins against the local combination. At this stage, there would have been an estimated 3000 volleyball players in Australia, an increase which many sports would envy and some would never dream about.
The Eleventh Australian Championships in Sydney in 1972, produced some more results which have made their mark on Australian Volleyball ever since. The Victorian men’s team won the title after a three year drought. The achievement was not so much that the title was won,but the manner in which it was won. The Victorian youngsters, many of whom would go on to form the nucleus of the future Australian teams were facing a formidable New South Wales combination including stars such as Stewart Uher, Nick Kimoff, Juris Lubimoff and Albert Khacy, yet the disjointed N.S.W. system on this occasion was matched by Victoria’s new found discipline, strictly controlled by coach, Joe Hiller. The finals system had been abolished on Victoria’s insistence and although the team lost the N.S.W. match 14:16 in the final set, the superior percentage supplied for the coveted gold medal. This victory became the starting point of an unprecedented winning sequence of seven consecutive titles without defeat. Unlike the women’s combinations, there was no definite “bridesmaid”. New South Wales had the dubious honour being second four times in succession before fading from the scene for South Australia and Queensland to resume that position. During this period Victoria produced some of the greatest players in Australian volleyball, who dominated the national teams as well as the interstate scene. Players of the calibre of Ilke Veijalainen, George Mraz, Sakkari Ryopponen, Tony Naar, John Kruk, Andrew Burns, John Hiller, Jack Atkins and Russell Newman. Under the inspiring leadership of Joe Hiller the team continued to excel in local and international company. That year saw several other landmarks in Australian Volleyball. An International Referees’ Course was held in Sydney under the direction of Japanese expert Kyuzo Ikeda which gave four Australians, Dick Hayes (N.S.W.), Bob Foot (A.C.T.), Harry Lozenicins (Victoria) and Eugene Kolodoczka (S.A.) the opportunity to acquire International Candidates’ qualifications. Juhan Olesk attended the International Coaches Course in Tokyo to become the first Australian to graduate. New Zealand again participated in the Australian Championships, this time with men’s and women’s teams to give Australian men the opportunity to play their first international in Australia. All in all an eventful year.
Volleyball was finally established as a top line sport, although this does not at all mean that it had gained universal acceptance. Times were changing; Government assistance, puny as it may be, was becoming available for the first time, enabling a certain amount of planning and the introduction of support schemes for players, coaches, referees and other officials. Australian delegates attended international congresses to become acquainted with overseas procedures and establish ties with kindred organisations.
The highly successful First Oceania Championships were conducted in Sydney in 1973. Both Australian teams won the tournament against New Zealand, French Polynesia, Fiji, Guam and American Samoa. Australia became the undisputed leader of the South Pacific region and headquarters of the Oceania sub zone of the Asian Volleyball Confederation. The following year brought the popular tour of Australia by one of the top Japanese men’s teams, Asahi Kasai. Playing in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, the Japanese stars gave Australian players and spectators a taste of real volleyball, Australia lost all six matches but learnt a lot in the process.
Out of the blue at the beginning of 1975, came a Government sponsored tour of China ani South East Asia. Playing in five Chinese cities, Hong Kong, Djakarta and Bali, the Australian teams emerged with a creditable score of eight victories for men and six for women out of total fifteen matches played. The same year, Australia hosted the First Asian Volleyball Championships in Melbourne, with Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Philippines and New Zealand as participants. Both Australian teams did well to finish fourth to world beaters, from Japan, Korea and China.
The Second Oceania Championships in Nelson, New Zealand, against Fiji and New Zealand broughtmore gold medals for our teams, but probably spelled the end of the Oceania Zone as Australia moved into the more powerful Central Zone of the Asian Confederation which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and others.
At home, progress in numbers and standard of play continued un-abated. The age competitions were extended in 1976 replacing the Junior Under 18 years tournament with Junior Under 17 years and Youth Under 20 years Australian Championships, the latter being an international standard. Winners of the inaugural tournaments were Queensland, Victoria and Victoria and South Australia respectively. Country associations depending for support and technical advice on the city based controlling bodies have been multiplying rapidly and at this stage would number between 40 and 50 in all Australian States. The expansion and associated progress has been creating nightmares for the honorary officials faced with the mammoth task of coping with the situation. A reasonably accurate estimate of total competitive players in Australia would put the number at 25 – 30,000, which is a lot of people to be looked after without one single full time administrator.
The most recent extension of junior volleyball on the national level was the introduction in 1978 of the Australian Under 15 years Championships won by Victorian boys and A.C.T. girls and the Australian Schools Championships organised by the Secondary Schools Sports Associations and conducted with the assistance of local volleyball ladies. Queensland boys and New South Wales girls won the inaugural titles in Sydney.
The Grand Finale for volleyball in 1978 was the International Coaches Course in Adelaide conducted by Canada’s Lorne Sawula and Japan’s Daisen Shimazu. More than thirty candidates from five countries achieved the required standard and the Australian participants should provide a tremendous new impact to the sport.
There is only one way to conclude this review — VOLLEYBALL IS GREAT
