(Front row L-R) Brunei Amateur Volleyball Association president Hj Maidin Hj Ahmad, coach Zaini Hj Maidin, vice-president Marianah Abdullah Tujoh and team manager Siti Norbaya Abdul Rahim poses with the national squad during the flag handing over ceremony yesterday. BT/ Syarif Rasani
The national volleyball team are leaving for the April 18-20 Gaggil VC Tawau Open Volleyball Championship 2014 in Sabah today.
Brunei's contingent comprises 11 players in the men's division and nine in the women's along with team manager Siti Norbaya Abdul Rahim and coach Zaini Hj Maidin, who is also the Brunei Amateur Volleyball Association (BAVA) secretary general.
Thirteen teams from Malaysia will compete against Brunei in the men's division while the women's will see the Bruneians go up against a team from Indonesia and 12 from Malaysia.
Zaini still hasn't set his aims for the national team as the format of the tournament has not yet been decided.
They will be competing at the Indoor Hall of the Tawau Sports Complex.
BAVA president Hj Maidin Hj Ahmad delivered some words of motivation during their flag handover ceremony at the Multipurpose Hall of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday.
"Try your very best. Teamwork is very important and listen to you coach," said Hj Maidin.
"Over time there will be improvement and don't give up until the final ball," he added.
The ceremony saw Hj Maidin pass the flag over to Zaini.
Hj Maidin told the media, "They will be trying their best to compete. I was there a few months ago during the first tournament (August) and it was participated by so many Malaysian countries and the Malaysian army had two teams."
Both the men's and women's team reached the semi-finals before taking fourth place in the similarly named Gaggil VC Tawau Volleyball Championship that was held to celebrate Malaysia's 56th Independence Day.
"The army are very good. (So are) the Sabah team... I don't mean the Kota Kinabalu team, but the team from all over Sabah," said the president.
"Since we don't have many teams in Brunei, we don't get as much exposure... By taking part in this competition, hopefully we can get some. Maybe (the competition) will be part of our future plans just to get more experience.
"We will just try our best after learning from our mistakes in the first tournament," he said.
"If we can get to the last four it will be good enough," added Hj Maidin.
Both the men's and women's team have been taking part in the Indonesian Open held at the Indonesian Embassy in Sungai Hanching since March.
The men's team progressed to the final, which will take place on the 27th after defeating Sehat 3-1 on Tuesday.
They will take on Putra Mendiri while the women's team will be challenging for third place.
