Horsham College has sent two teams and the school’s academy co-ordinator Paul Denson said it was part of a great education for the students.

“It was four hours in a screaming chook pen,” he said.

“It’s a humongous building, but when you put 5000 athletes and their support staff in it there is just a great atmosphere.”

Denson said it was not all about the results for his teams.

“The first match went as expected, because we we were overawed by the noise and the excitement.

“It’s a lot to take in for some kids from the bush.”

Greenwood College were just too good in the first match for the under-16 boys.

The end scoreline was 25-11, 25-19, 25-12.

Denson said as soon as the first match finished, the students were excited about the next match.

“We went outside and I just wanted to rest but they were full of energy, jumping around and practising straight away,” he said.

“Their more competitive edge came out in the second game and they just got pipped 25-23, 25-20, 25-15.

“I congratulated them saying ‘you thought you were going to come down and get whipped every game but you’re playing together as we need to’.

“Their skills are continuing to improve and it’s opened their eyes to the self-discipline needed to compete with the best.

“That’s just another element of their education they get here that they might not get elsewhere.”

The under-16 Horsham College girls side went down 25-12, 25-20, 25-16 against Loxton High School.

The St Brigid’s under-15 boys side made a winning start to its campaign on Monday’s first day.

The side beat Toowoomba Grammar 25-14, 25-4, 25-19 before another 3-0 win over Rossmoyne.

Coach David Berry said getting off to a winning start in the tournament was a must.

“There is nothing worse than chasing tail,” he said.

“It is a big ask for 14 year olds on their first trip away to play six days of volleyball.

“The good thing is there is still room for improvement and the boys know that.”

Berry said he was confident ahead of the side coming up against Eltham on Tuesday.

“It’s their third team and we weren’t far off their first side a couple of weeks back,” he said.

“It will then be a good match against Maffra Secondary College later in the day.

“They are trying to play a similar way to what our boys do.”