Family finesse with dynamic volleyball duo

Peninsula father and daughter Darren and Adele Curtis are both celebrating gold medal wins at last September’s Australian Youth Volleyball Championships in Bendigo. It’s a feelgood family tale of commitment to a shared passion.

Darren is a former Australian volleyball player and current head coach of the Victorian under-15 girls team; Adele is a rising star in the Victorian under-14 girls team.

At just 13, Adele’s natural talent and love for the sport is evident; she’s just received an invitation from Volleyball Australia to attend a national development program

training camp in Queensland later this year. When asked what she enjoys most about volleyball, her eyes light up: “It’s fun. I love my teammates and the friendships gained from the national tournaments.” Hard work is part of her success. “We usually train every Sunday for three hours with the state team. I also train and play for an academy and our Mornington Volleyball Club.”

Adele faced a major setback earlier this year when she broke her finger. “I was given the OK to play two weeks before the tournament in Bendigo, so I had limited time to train. I did, however, learn how to spike and serve with my left hand, which was very useful in the tournament.” Her perseverance paid off. “Throughout the whole tournament we didn’t drop a set, including in the grand final. I also had the best day celebrating my birthday with my team while in Bendigo. Winning the grand final was spectacular.”

Adele's ambitions are high. “My long-term goal is to play beach and indoor volleyball for Australia and compete internationally.”

Darren played an instrumental role in leading the under-15 girls team to victory. His strategies for success were simple but effective. “Establishing clear goals early in the 10-week program was essential,” he said. “We worked on specific game plans during training, ensuring each athlete had a defined role on and off the court. Recognising our strengths in serving and attacking, we then modified our game plans to address any weaknesses identified during games.”

Motivating young athletes can be a challenge, but Darren found a creative solution. “They’re 14 years old, so music – particularly Katy Perry – kept them motivated during bus rides. In one game we identified that we’d win many points by tipping or spiking the ball into the gap in the middle of the court, which we called a ‘doughnut’, and every point we won by doing this I was to shout them a doughnut. They smashed it. The motivation of the doughnuts created a fun environment on the court and they really enjoyed that game.”

Darren emphasised the dedication of the coaches and athletes. “We’re all volunteer coaches in the tournament and spend a significant amount of time on weekends, plus two to three nights a week coaching volleyball. Most of the athletes spend 10 hours a week playing or learning the game. Local academies like Greater Melbourne Volleyball Academy, where I also coach, teach the athletes specific skill techniques, and many of the state athletes do this extra training.”

The tournament brought some unforgettable moments. “We won gold in a thrilling five-setter against South Australia, which will be memorable for ever, but it was the way the individuals became a team of friends and how we created the ‘team environment’ during the program and the tournament that’s my most humbling standout achievement as a coach.”

This year, Darren also coached both the Junior Girls (under-18s) and Reserve Div 3 Women (open age) for the Mornington Volleyball Club, based at the new Jubilee Park stadium in Frankston. Both teams reached their grand finals, securing a silver in the Junior Girls and gold in the Reserves. Players from schools across the Peninsula were actively involved in these successes, with Ella McDonell from Rosebud winning MVP in the Reserve grand final, and Adele securing runner-up MVP for the state league season in the Junior division.

Both Darren and Adele will focus on the upcoming summer beach volleyball season, preparing for the Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships in Coolangatta next March. Stay tuned for more success stories from this family who are clearly a set above the rest.