CSSC Indoor Inter Departmental 2005

The 10th Civil Service Inter Departmental Volleyball Championships were held in Loughborough on 4-6 September 2005.

A record 40 teams, from ten different Departments / Agencies competed in the men's, women's and mixed competitions. Over ninety competitive matches took place over the two days, on six volleyball courts.

Hectic and frenetic, some major logistical issues to manage, and lots of volleyball to be played!

Teams arrived Sunday evening, with many attending the CSSC Volleyball Association AGM. Play started promptly at 0900 on the Monday with the mixed competition, followed by the single gender pool matches, and concluded around 1830 with the remaining mixed pool matches.

As teams went for their showers and dinner in advance of an evenings entertainment at the University Student Union, the results were collated and checked, providing the qualifiers for the knock out and classification stages of all three events. The match schedules were confirmed and posted for the teams information.

All three competitions saw some fantastic matches being not only very competitive, with players giving their all, spectacular attack and defensive play, but also an appreciation of opponents and played in great spirit.

A clean sweep of all three competitions for the newly formed HM Revenue and Customs, a merger of two departments with strong volleyball backgrounds.

The range of player abilities was stark, from Clayton Lucas, former GB International playing for HMRC, through others who had represented national or regional age group team, to relative beginners who enjoyed the experience and opportunity to play against better players.

All seemed to not only enjoy it, but took something away from it to inspire and motivate their volleyball.

Many stand out moments of the Championships, but simply to mention one from each.

The men's final saw HMRC take on defending champions Prison Service. HMRC boosted by the inclusion of Clayton Lucas, inspiring others to perform to high levels. Prisons very experienced, strong, unflustered. Classic game, points being traded, ending 2-0 25-23, 25-23 to HMRC.

Women's final was a similarly close battle. HMRC taking the first set, Prisons coming back to level. In the decider game flowed and ebbed, and HMRC closed it out 15-13.

But for me, the game of the Championships was in the Mixed, in the semi finals. HMRC took the first set against Prisons, who levelled by taking the second set with great control. Final set went one way then the other, at 8-5 it looked like HMRC had the edge. But clawed back to 10 all, and Prisons looked out at 11-13 down, but still they came back. That last effort deserted them and they succumbed 17-19 in a greatly entertaining match.

 Position   Mixed  Women  Men 
 1 HMRC 1 HMRC 1 HMRC 1
 2 DSRA 1 Prison Service Prison Service
 3 Prison Service NESSA DSRA 2