BJSS Expected To Dominate

BUKIT JALIL: Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) are favourites to lift the Malaysian Volleyball League (MVL) titles, for both boys and girls, scheduled from July 9-31.

The league will be played over three legs and will be hosted in Batu Pahat, Penang and Mentakab. The finals will be played in Kuala Lumpur.

A total of eight men's and five women's teams will vie for the total prize money of RM76,000. Both teams from BJSS are rich in experience.

The men's team competed in many open championships while the women's team are top-heavy with national junior players.

BJSS men's coach Zulyadi Zakaria is optimistic of emerging champions based on their current form.

They came out tops at the recent Changloon Open. Earlier in the year, they were runners-up at the KL Open and Kuala Selangor President's Trophy and third for the Datuk Bandar Shah Alam Cup.

"We did very well in those championships. We were able to win RM6,200 in cash prize.

"Our main opposition will come from Shah Alam Municipal and Armed Forces," said Zulyadi.

The BJSS women's team, comprising five national juniors — Nuraini Ariffin, The Hui Hong, Yew Sook Ting, Wong Fei Tien and Lim Yee Tyn — will have their hands full.

They face strong competition from E-GLOBEX Sdn Bhd, who registered two import players from Thailand and a handful of national beach volleyball players.

A surprise package in their team is Lim Poh Hong, Mava secretary who is also the national volleyball coach.

BJSS Coach Sets Lofty Target For His Charges

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bukit Jalil Sports School boys’ team may be the youngest side in the Malaysia Volleyball League (MVL), which begins from July 9-10, but that hasn’t stopped coach Zulyadi Zakaria from setting them a top-four target.

“Ours is a young team but we have good potential and our target is to finish in the top four and qualify for the semi-finals,” said Zulyadi.

“I have also identified a few of my players who are ready to make the step up into the national team for the SEA Games in Indonesia in November. Hopefully they’ll play well enough to get selected.”

Six men’s teams took part in the inaugural MVL in 1993. The economic downturn in 1998 forced the league to be discontinued.

Now, making its return after 13 years, the MVL will have eight men’s team.

It will also see the introduction of a women’s section, with five teams taking part.

The teams will compete in a round-robin format over three legs – Batu Pahat, Johor (July 9-10), Penang (July 16-17) and Mentakab, Pahang (July 23-24) – before the grand finals are held at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium from July 29-31.

“We’re hoping to generate more interest in the sport and hopefully develop it from the grassroots level. We’ll also be making the SEA Games team selections based on the MVL,” said Malaysia Volleyball Asso-ciation (Mava) vice-president Azahari Sairin at a press conference in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

THE TEAMS

MEN: Armed Forces, BJSS, Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA), Perlis, Sibu, Segamat Volleyball Club (SGV), Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

WOMEN: Armed Forces, BJSS, E-Globex, PDT Pahang and Sibu.

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