Meli Laddpeter 
Despite a lack of proper equipment and facilities, Wainibuka Secondary School is determined to make its mark at the 2026 Central Eastern Secondary Schools Volleyball Championship.
Their Under-19 boys’ side made their debut this morning against Sila Central High School at the National Netball Centre in Suva and despite going down 24-23, they are hapoy with their performance.
While several players are new to the sport, they are eager to step onto the court and show they can compete against the best.
Team captain Saula Matiavi says wet weather in Tailevu has hampered their preparations in the lead-up to the tournament.
“We are very happy to be the first bunch of students from our school to compete at this tournament. A few of us have competed in club competitions before but this is the biggest one for us. We thank the school for allowing us to form a team and come out here to showcase our skills.”
He adds that their ambition this year is to be able to qualify for the elimination stages.
The tournament started this morning and concludes tomorrow.
