Meli Laddpeter 
Over the past two days of the Rooster Chicken End of the Year Volleyball Tournament, the Heartland Warriors emerged as one of the standout teams among more than 40 competitors.
The Warriors wore black armbands, a quiet tribute that carried deep meaning throughout the tournament.
Team captain Sally Aitcheson said the armbands honored the memory of a teammate’s child who recently passed away.
Almost the entire team shared a close bond with the late baby Susana, making the return to competition an emotional one.
“Whenever we have competitions we always have camp, so baby was always brought to camp, and we were all attached to baby Susana and this competition kind of brought us back together. We made up our mind to come back together and dedicate all our games to her.”
While the team mourns their loss, Aitcheson says baby Susana’s passing had also brought the team much closer together.
The End of the Year Volleyball Tournament was held at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva and concluded yesterday.
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