Community Rallies Around Eagles in International Volleyball Championships
Community Rallies Around Eagles in International Volleyball Championships
Cheering, laughter, and excitement echoed through Addis Ababa this weekend, as the International Community School (ICS) hosted its largest sports and community event in years.
Hundreds of students, staff, family members, and friends from ICS and international schools throughout southern and eastern Africa gathered for ISSEA Volleyball 2022, the international U19 volleyball championships. Boys and girls teams from eight schools put sportsmanship, competition, and global citizenship in the spotlight as they competed for the crown.
“We are incredibly pleased to have had this opportunity to showcase some of the best scholastic volleyball players and teams on the entire African continent,” ICS Activities Director John Kim said. “All of the athletes demonstrated the effort, commitment, and grit that makes champions, and we salute them! We extend our profound gratitude to the entire ICS community for its herculean team effort in putting on and participating in a wonderful event!"
The ICS boys’ team finished 7th in the tournament with coaches, athletes, and family members celebrating the group’s growth as a unified team. The girls team finished in 4th place, winning several tight matches en route to a heated semi-final match-up versus their rivals.
Grade 12 student and Volleyball Captain Delina I. has been at ICS since Grade 1 and playing competitive volleyball with the Eagles since middle school. As a leader, Delina said her role is to foster communication and help the team build relationships around common goals. As a player, her experience in the sport has taught her valuable lessons she applies to her life in academics, extracurriculars, and community service.
“I love this sport because it allows me to work and succeed with other people - a team.The idea of a team is a truly special thing where we can build connections and work as a unit to accomplish things and grow as people and players,” Delina said. “A lot of being a captain is also being empathetic and understanding with team mates and situations, which transfers to many areas in life which deal with conversing with people and being a global citizen.”
The ISSEA Volleyball 2022 tournament was truly a community-wide initiative. Leading up to the event, the extended ICS Community came together to support ICS Eagles teams from the beginning to the end. On top of dedication to practice and training schedules, the student-athletes took part in skills workshops with the Ethiopian National Volleyball Team and played competitive matches against adult teams in Addis. During the tournament, ICS parents held a tailgate party and cheered loudly throughout; ICS students led live broadcasts and hosted a student takeover of the school’s social media; and several organizations and businesses provided services both on- and off-site for all participants.
Another big thanks to the ICS and ISSEA communities. We look forward to hosting all of the schools next year for the ISSEA Swimming championships. To find out more about athletics and activities at ICS, visit our Experience page.