Hyderabad, Feb 4 (IANS): With just a day left for the Prime Volleyball League to commence, the Hyderabad Black Hawks and Kochi Blue Spikers are completely geared up to start the inaugural edition of the tournament. The two sides will lock horns in the first fixture at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday, February 5 at 7pm IST.
"We are completely prepared for the tournament. We will get a chance to showcase all the strategies and plans we have made with our head coach Ruben Wolochin on the first day of the tournament itself. We are really excited to play the competition. The fans will also get to watch good volleyball action. I feel this tournament will really help in growing the sport of volleyball in India," said Vipul Kumar, captain and setter of Hyderabad Black Hawks in a virtual press conference.
Colton Cowell, the attacker for Kochi Blue Spikers, stated his team is also ready to compete on the court.
"I feel very blessed to be given this opportunity of playing in this tournament. The RuPay Prime Volleyball League is certainly exciting. It's the beginning of a journey for many Indian players and international players like myself to grow the sport of volleyball and help the sport gain exposure. The level of the team's practice has been very high and we have carried out efficient training programs. We are prepared to step on the court and compete."
Joy Bhattacharya, the CEO of the Prime Volleyball League, is looking forward to the tournament.
"The quality of the competition is going to be absolutely fantastic. I am really excited and delighted that we have come so far. I am looking forward to a really exciting tournament. The RuPay Prime Volleyball League is trying to grow a game that is really popular worldwide, easy to play within limited areas and which already has a great base in India. This is the opportunity to get the game really going in India. This is a journey not just for volleyball, but also for Indian sport."
Television presenter, commentator and former Turkey Volleyball player Basak Koc believes that the Prime Volleyball League is an opportunity for her to represent her own country.
"I am really excited and I am looking forward to the volleyball festival. Last week, I was in Istanbul (Turkey) and now I am here in India. Many foreign players have also flown in from their respective locations. This is an opportunity for us to represent our country. And we will try to add something from our end to the Indian volleyball circuit."
The Prime Volleyball League will feature a total of 24 matches to be played amongst seven teams. The tournament will be broadcasted live on SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 2 (Malayalam), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu).