All six City of Edinburgh teams reach national volleyball finals

City of Edinburgh volleyball team captains, left to right: Louise Agius (U-18 girls), Emma Waldie (U-16 girls), Jen Thom (Senior women), Euan Gibson (Senior men vice-captain), Mitchell Brown (U-18 boys), Logan Darling (U-16 boys)

In a season in which they have celebrated their 20th anniversary, the Queensferry High School-based club have qualified an unprecedented six out of six teams in this weekend’s Scottish Cup finals at Edinburgh University Pleasance.

As well as contesting both the men’s and women’s senior finals on Sunday – against South Ayrshire and Su Ragazzi respectively – the club have teams in all four junior finals.

In the Under-18 Super Cup finals, City take on South Ayrshire in the men’s event and Marr College in the women’s final.

In tomorrow’s Under-16 Super Cup finals, City face Perth & Kinross in the boys’ event and Marr College in the girls’ competition.

Ian Brownlee, the club founder and youth academy head coach, said: “When I first set the club up 20 years ago, I was sitting watching a cup final as a spectator and thought I would like to coach in a national cup final one day.

“To find ourselves 20 years later with six teams in six cup finals is just incredible.

“It has taken a long time to build up a strong team of experienced coaches and player-coaches, and to get a team in all six cup finals is a huge testament to the work the coaches are doing, and also the parents of the athletes doing tireless work to give the athletes opportunities.

“Of course, now all of the coaches and athletes are focusing all efforts on winning those cup finals. It is an exciting week for the club.”