Sports are an important part of student life. They not only build fitness but also teach qualities like teamwork, leadership, and resilience. They help us connect with people beyond boundaries and develop a spirit of unity.
As per tradition, Atmiya Vidya Mandir prepared 36 students who represented the school in three categories: U-14, U-17, and U-19 Boys in the U-14, U-17 & U-19 CBSE Cluster XIII Volleyball Tournament 2025-26 held at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium hosted by Nanduba English Academy, Surat. Each student had been trained keeping in mind his unique skills, and together they formed well-prepared teams.
This year’s Volleyball Clusters witnessed a total of 104 teams that participated between 5th to 8th August. The tournament began with a short but energetic opening ceremony.
Day 1
The U-19 Boys of AVM faced P P Savani School in their first match. The spectators witnessed a close and exciting game. The Atmiya team fought well but lost the first set 19–25. In the second set, they bounced back strongly and won 26–24 after a deuce. The deciding set was intense, but finally, P P Savani School managed to win 2–1. They later went on to become the runners-up in this category.
The U-17 match was delayed, and the U-14 team got a bye for the first day.
Day 2
On the second day, the U-17 team played their first match against Genius Education Academy. After settling into the large indoor stadium, the boys began confidently. They won the first set 25–13 and continued their form into the second set, which they narrowly won 25–24. With this straight-set victory, they advanced to the next stage.
Day 3
Day three was busy for both U-14 and U-17 teams.
The U-14 boys started against H B Kapadia School and won comfortably with scores of 25–17 and 25–15. Later, they faced Gajera Vidhyabhavan in a pre-quarter match and again won in straight sets, 25–15 and 25–14. Their winning streak continued in the quarterfinals against Tripada English School, where they secured a semifinal spot with another 2–0 victory (25–16, 25–15).
In the semifinals, the U-14 team gave their best but unfortunately lost to a strong opponent. However, by virtue of reaching the semifinals, the team proudly earned the bronze medal in their category — a well-deserved reward for their consistent performance.
The U-17 boys had their quarterfinal against Shri Swaminarayan Mission School. This was one of the toughest matches of the tournament. Both teams showed determination, and every point was hard-earned. The atmosphere was intense, with close rallies and timeouts adding to the excitement. Finally, the AVM team lost a well-fought battle 1–2 (26–28, 25–21, 19–25) to the eventual champions.
The tournament gave all our players a valuable experience. Competing with strong teams helped them understand their current level and the areas where they can improve. Bringing home a bronze medal in the U-14 category was a proud moment, and all three teams returned with lessons that will surely help them grow as athletes and as individuals.
Reported by: Arth L. Rampariya, Aryan P. Patel (Grade 11)
