Greenhouse partners with Volleyball England
Greenhouse is partnering with Volleyball England at Ernest Bevin College to grow the Olympic sport in the lead up to London 2012.
Led by Greenhouse coach and former student of the Tooting college, Darius Setsoafia, volleyball offers young people a wide range of competitive and volunteer opportunities at major national and international sporting events.
Volleyball is an inclusive game that anyone can play, so it brings together young people from all walks of life on the court. It also allows young people with special educational needs to play on the teams, but at a pace that suits their developmental needs.
'I could have easily got into trouble at school,' says Greenhouse coach Darius. 'I saw it happen to my friends - and once you go that way, it can be very hard to get back on track.
'Volleyball kept me on the right track,' says Darius. 'I had responsibilities - I had to do the right thing by my team. My coach always said that how you behave off the court shows on the court - and now that's something I want to pass on.'
Darius provides one-to-one and team sessions throughout the school day for the boys at Ernest Bevin College, as well as breakfast and afternoon clubs, weekend tournaments and holiday activities. The Greenhouse programme also reaches out into the wider community of Tooting through neighbouring primary and secondary schools, leading the Volleyball England drive to bring more volleyball to South London.
