For Char (Year 11), volleyball is more than a sport. It is a passion she is involved in both on and off the court. As an elite athlete studying at Haileybury Pangea online school, and an aspiring Olympian, Char is also building her expertise as a coach and a referee with Volleyball Australia.
Four years ago, Char’s volleyball journey began purely by chance. It was her Year 7 Physical Education teacher who saw her playing in a GSV footy game and told her she thought she would be great at volleyball. One volleyball match was all it took, and Char has not looked back.
Since then, Char has represented Victoria in both indoor and beach volleyball and secured a place in the National Pathways program, putting her on the road towards her ultimate goal of representing Australia at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
“I love that it is such a team focused sport, but at the same time there is so much individual responsibility,” says Char. “Every player has a role, and you have to trust the people around you while still being accountable for your own performance.”
Char’s involvement with the sport extends beyond participating. In 2023, a significant back injury temporarily sidelined her from competing for a while. She still wanted to be involved in volleyball, so she turned to refereeing to stay connected to the sport while she recovered.
“What started as a way to stay involved has become something I genuinely love,” she says. “Being on the other side of the whistle has completely changed the way I understand volleyball. It has made me look at the game from a completely different perspective and has helped me become a better player and coach as well.”
Char started by refereeing for Volleyball Victoria, before transitioning to Volleyball Australia a year later. Today she referees everything from social and club competitions through to State Championships, national events, and the Australian Schools Cup, where she recently officiated.
When asked to name her favourite achievement so far, Char says it is difficult to choose just one, as volleyball has given her so many memorable experiences.
“Representing Victoria in both indoor and beach volleyball has definitely been a highlight, because it showed me how far I had come since first picking up a volleyball in 2022.”
Another standout moment came from her coaching role. As coach of the Rowville Sports Academy’s Girls Junior team, Char guided her players to a gold medal at the 2024 Schools Cup, resulting in qualification for the Nationals Championships on the Gold Coast.
“Experiencing success from a coaching perspective was completely different from being an athlete, and it was incredibly rewarding to see the players I had worked with achieve something they were proud of.
“I’m also really proud of my refereeing journey. Going from starting to referee after an injury to working at major national competitions and Premier 1 Grand Finals has been something I never expected when I first picked up a whistle.”
Char chose to come to Haileybury Pangea because she wanted to challenge herself academically, while having the flexibility to balance her busy volleyball schedule, between training, games, tournaments, coaching and refereeing. “It has allowed me to pursue my academic goals without having to give up the other things that are important to me and has helped me develop a much better balance between school, volleyball, work and my life outside of sport,” she says.
Looking ahead to life after school, Char is hoping to combine her passion for sport with her academic goals by pursuing a volleyball scholarship at a NCAA college in the United States.
“Longer term, I’m hoping to join the Australian Army and study Aeronautical Engineering through ADFA. I’m really interested in the combination of engineering, aviation, leadership and service that this pathway could offer.”
For Char, what she loves most from volleyball is the continual opportunity to learn and grow.
“What I love most is how much there is to learn. Four years in, I’m still constantly developing my skills and understanding of the game. Volleyball has also given me opportunities I never expected, from representing Victoria and travelling for competitions to coaching, refereeing and meeting people from all over Australia.”
Well done, Char, we wish you all the best on your continued volleyball journey, both on and off the court.
