12 Jul 2024
NVL newcomers part one – Nuneaton Inferno (men)
Year formed: 1995.
Club chair: Nick Mullin.
NVL coach: Richard Williams
Social media handles: @nuneatonvolley on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
Nuneaton is a club that has already developed significantly since its inception in 1995 – and with NVL status now returning to the club, the hope is that it will continue to grow in the future.
Set up at first to accommodate mixed adults recreational sessions, it was soon playing mixed matches against other local clubs.
The early 2000s saw an expansion into a men’s and women’s team, followed by the addition of a junior training session towards the end of the decade.
From there, interest grew to the point that, in 2012, the club was able to enter several national competitions and even had two girls represent England at Junior and Cadet level.
The same period from 2010 to 2018 also saw the steady growth of the adult section of the club, culminating in entering the National League for the first time, with a men’s team joining in 2015 at a time when two men’s teams and two women’s teams were operating overall.
For several reasons, this proved unsustainable, and the venture into the NVL only lasted one season before the club had to withdraw.
However, after two steady seasons before Covid-19 hit, a rebuild started in earnest in 2022 and the 2023-24 season saw the biggest progress of the club yet.
More than 30 members regularly attended two training sessions a week, and with two women’s teams, two men’s teams and participation in junior national competitions, it was a really busy 12 months.
A bid to increase coaching staff and volunteering numbers has also followed, meaning it is hoped that three men’s teams, two women’s teams and four junior national competition teams will take to the court in 2024-25.
“Our men (wh will compete in the NVL) were in West Midlands Division 2 last season and the main highlight was winning every one of our 12 league matches,” said Club Chair Nick Mullin.
“We put up a decent performance in the cup against the team that ended third in Division 1, and our game of the season was against Stourbridge near to the end of the season.
“Against a young squad that had drafted in a couple of players who play in NVL Division 1, we lost the first two sets closely, but battled back in the third, convincingly won the fourth and came out victorious in a tight fifth set.
“On rejoining the NVL, we are particularly looking forward to the level of competition. A few of our players have played at varying levels of NVL before so have some experience, but for the newbies, we know it will be tough on them with a steep learning curve.
“However, as a squad, we know we have each others’ backs and are always here to support each other.”
The club’s aforementioned resurgence in 2022 coincided with the launch of a three-year rolling plan around the club’s ethos of enabling anyone to play volleyball and giving back to those who commit most to the club.
Entering NVL for the 2024-25 season was part of that strategy and the club is thankful to have been accepted into the national ranks, helping them keep on track with their growth ambitions.
Nick added: “We have a committed squad of 12 players over the last two years, which we are adding to by developing players from within.
“We expect to lose our first few matches, just getting used to playing at the higher level. However, once we have got past that first bit of shock and realise we are plenty good enough to play among the big boys, we expect to battle hard and hopefully end up in mid-table.”
Among the talent the club can call on are two players with previous NVL experience who Nick believes will be important to the team’s chances.
“Ross Tebbitt, our captain, started his volleyball journey with us before going to uni in Leeds and playing for Leeds Gorse in Division 2, as well as a couple of Super League games as a libero,” he said.
“We are undecided as to whether he will be playing outside or libero (a decision for the coach!) but his enthusiasm for the sport, support for his team-mates and generally engaging demeaner mean he will be vital in those tough games.
“Sagar Gohil played in our original NVL squad back in 2015. He is our big middle blocker and all-round chilled out nice guy.
“He brings a level of calm to the team that is unparalleled and another vital squad member to keep the morale of the younger ones up, especially during those first few games that are sure to be difficult.”
With youth development vital to the club’s continued success in the future, the club is always welcoming of new players, no matter their age or experience.
Nick said: “The club has squads in West Midlands and East Midlands Leagues, and we have specific junior sessions and national junior competition entries.
“We are looking to put in a Tier 1 U18 girls squad this year, as well as girls U16, boys U18 and boys U16, so there is plenty of scope to play at various level.
“We run recreational sessions for anyone that wants to give volleyball a go, as well as a monthly tournament, so please contact us if you want to try it out.”
You can contact Nuneaton via nuneatonvolley@outlook.com.
