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On October 16, the Varsity Boys Volleyball team took off to Seoul, Korea for their season ending APAC tournament hosted by Seoul Foreign International School (SFS). This year was a Super APAC tournament where 12 schools competed. The schools consisted of the host Seoul Foreign School (SFS), American International School of Guangzhou (AISG), International School of Beijing (ISB), Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), Hong Kong International School (HKIS), Taejon Christian International School (TCIS), Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS), United Nations International School (UNIS), Brent International School, Canadian Academy (CA), Shanghai American International School Pudong (SAS PD), and Shanghai International School Puxi (SAS PX).
Ourr varsity team did well, as they not only demonstrated the best of their abilities but also supported each other. G11 Eddie L. said, “As the captain, we faced tough moments during APAC especially when we played against strong teams. We tend to doubt ourselves and frustration comes in. During these moments I encouraged my teammates by keeping the focus on each point rather than the overall score and maintaining high energy after each good play.”
Our team came in the tournament with clear goals, but were they able to accomplish them? G11 Eddie L. said, “Like every team we came in with the goal of winning the tournament. However, things turned out different, and we placed 10th. Despite this, the experience taught us a lot. the team became closer, we learned how to handle pressure, and identified areas for improvement to work on the coming year.”
Likewise, the G9 Aedan A. commented about a game they played very well and said, “Well, one game. The one against WAB. I wouldn’t say we stood out much, but that game stood out for one, it was our only win and 2, we beat WAB who beat AISG for 2 years in a row.”
AISG not only had fun on the court but also off the court as players enjoyed many moments through team activities in Seoul. G11 Tanner K. said that he enjoyed going out with the team to eat Korean food but also getting the opportunity to explore around town making the experience 10x better.
The players also think they have a lot to improve. For example, G9 Aedan A. said, “I honestly feel as though there were a lot of things I could do better. Such as blocking and getting my timing more consistent. I can do better next time by focusing on my weaknesses during our focused training sessions, continue to play off season, and every time I get subbed off for libero, instead of taking a seat and zoning out I should think about every little thing that will give me an edge in my performance and what I did wrong right before coming off and what I will do differently coming on.”
In addition to the players, the head coach Diego Buchheim praised the players for their hard work and the progress they made over the season. He said, “I believe the volleyball team has put in a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, and I am confident that they are prepared to meet the expectations next season. The boys positive attitude and awareness of the challenges ahead will play a crucial role in their success.”
Finally, out of all the schools in the tournament, the team finished 10th. That being said, the team heads toward the following season next year. Go rams!
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