Players play volleyball during the annual Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) Volleyball for All tournament in Windhoek, Namibia, Feb. 4, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)
Local volleyball tournament has ignited passion for the sport among non-volleyball players in Namibia.
WINDHOEK, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The annual Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) Volleyball for All, a highlight tournament on the Namibian sports calendar, took place here Saturday, igniting a passion for the game among locals.
The tournament resumes in full swing after skipping it in 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and was hosted on a smaller scale in 2022.
After its introduction in 1984, the event allowed non-volleyball players to immerse in the game in a supercharged environment.
Players play volleyball during the annual Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) Volleyball for All tournament in Windhoek, Namibia, Feb. 4, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)
The rules are simple yet the mainstay of the volleyball game. The player(s) ground the ball in the opponent's court and forced them to make errors to prevent them from grounding it in their court.
"But just with most official rules relaxed while others strictly enforced to accommodate amateur players," said Julia Gideon, chairperson of DTS Indoor Volleyball.
Participants were ecstatic. Tias Matias has participated in the tournament since 2016. Although his teams have yet to make it to finals this year, their confidence is high with motivation to secure a place in the knockout phase.
"With the fair practice of most non-volleyball players ahead of today, we hope our attack and serving strategy will lend us victory with points and wins," he said.
According to Matias, the tournament served as a team-building platform with colleagues. "A good platform to network and establish new contacts," he said.
A team poses for a photo during the annual Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) Volleyball for All tournament in Windhoek, Namibia, Feb. 4, 2023. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua)
Some participants reminisced about yesteryear sporting days. "It has been a long time since I played sports. Perhaps this inspired me to get back to exercising," said David Nawaseb, who once played volleyball on a small scale.
Meanwhile, revelers also embraced the diversity of participants and visitors. "Teams at all times consist of six players, with at least two ladies on the court. Look around; teams are inclusive of different ages. Others got a chance to be entrepreneurial and sell various goods," lauded Maria Jonas, a Windhoek resident.
This year, the tournament attracted more than 200 teams of corporate and individual groups.■
