Former scribe gets behind rural volleyball comp

 By ELIAS LARI

A FORMER journalist is sponsoring a volleyball competition in his village outside Mt Hagen to keep the young people busy during the festive period.

Former Post Courier journalist David Muri, who left the newspaper as a features writer in 2014, is sponsoring the Timur Volleyball Competition.

A total of eight teams – men’s and women’s – are taking part.

The teams are Border Rangers, Koldom Sharks, Timur Reds and Bethel Stars.

Muri said as one of the area’s educated individuals, he felt a need to do something worthwhile in the community this Christmas as a way of uniting youths and holidaying students from surrounding hamlets during the festive season. 

Muri said this would create a platform to showcase raw talent for Team Western Highlands, who will take part in the PNG Games next year in Kimbe, West New Britain.

He said it would be good if selectors could look at using these kinds of seasonal competitions to identify new talent.

Muri said volleyball was the most widely played sport in the country and he was happy to back a sport that did not always get recognition.

“A recent survey conducted by PNG Sports Foundation found that neither rugby league nor soccer is our national sport. It’s volleyball. Therefore, I am happy to promote a game that is played and loved by everyone,” Muri said.

Muri said that there were many capable youngsters in the area and these youth needed to expose their talents.

He said after game three of the second round played on Sunday, the Koldom Sharks men’s team was leading the competition with eight points, while Timur Reds were on top of the women’s competition.

Muri said games were played on Sundays and Wednesdays.

He said the grand final would be played on December 30 so that teams could receive their cash prizes and enjoy the New Year.

Muri said he was impressed with the crowd attendance and player behaviour so far and believed that the competition would end on a high note.

“I’m impressed with the participating teams and believe that this competition will have a positive impact on the community.”

He appealed to players and spectators to end the games in a peaceful manner so as to attract sponsors for future games.

Muri said there were many individuals and corporate entities wishing to sponsor non-contact sports like volleyball if only communities demonstrated that they were ready to host games in a peaceful manner.

He said sport was a tool that could be used to change people’s lives.