Aber Men’s Volleyball Team. Image taken from @aberunivolleyball
Written by Ella Gibbs, Translated by Iwan Thomas
Double disappointment for Aberystwyth Men’s Volleyball as they say farewell to their long-reigning President and Bristol seconds take the win.
12:15pm saw the kick off to a heated game on Wednesday the 22nd of February against current league leaders, Bristol seconds volleyball team, with their first team competing in Volleyball nationals.
The first set commenced with a strong Aber lead of 5-1 in the first two-minute duration of the game, with both teams staying close in the fight for first to 25. Bristol had crept into the lead with 15-13 by 12:27pm and eventually took the win of the first set at a finishing result of 25-18.
At 12:38pm the Aber Dragons returned with heat, taking the first point of the second set due to a Bristol mistake. Aber keeping the strong lead with point-winning hits from Men’s captain Alan Atkins and team member Henry Eyre at 7-5. Bristol started to advance in nail-biting suspense, equalling the score at 8-8, then 10-10, and 11-11. Under pressure, Bristol called a time out to talk strategy. To their disappointment on return to the court, Aber remained strong with a block by volleyball dragon Ciaran Healy, gaining the 16th point for Aberystwyth. Aberystwyth secured the second set with a win of 25-22.
The third set was all to play for, with both teams in the running for the win. The first point went to Aber with a block from Alan Atkins. Bristol, however, took on the win of the third set with a result of 25-16.
Captain Alan Atkins making a hit. Image by @Aberunivolleyball
The fourth and final set went to Bristol, with an end result of 25-15, crowning them champions of the match and a buzz to take back to Bristol.
Men’s Captain Alan Atkins gave his thoughts on the match and his players performances.
“Today was the strongest team they’ve played against; everyone was fighting hard to take the win. We were one of the only teams to beat them in a set.”
When asked how the loss will propel the team for the future he added: “The individual skill level of each member in the team is a really high level in the league, we just need to work better at coming together as a team. We were playing an undefeated team, I don’t think it’s a false narrative that I’ve been saying that we do have the skill level to win.”
The captain was not the only member of the team to have mixed feelings after the loss, as President Thijanushan Thavarajah looks back on his time at Aberystwyth Volleyball.
President ‘T’ as he is more commonly known by the team, has dedicated four years to the club and has been a pivotal and valued member to the rest of the team. Three of those four years he served on Committee with the last two as President.
President Thijanushan Thavarajah making a hit. Image taken from @Aberunivolleyball
I spoke to Thijanushan Thavarajah about his time at the club and asked him how he felt about the step back and whether he would stay in touch.
“I would say I do feel sad having to step back from the club in which I spent four years of my life in and gained so much [from]. So, parting ways will be difficult. I will definitely be in touch and also help out in the background, when necessary, as this club is very dear to me.”
I then asked if how he felt passing down the presidential reigns and if he felt they would be left in good hands.
“This is a tough one. I feel relieved but also worried. I can say for sure the club’s future is in good hands, however, I am also worried. I have been doing this role for so long that I know there are many challenges and situations which need a certain degree of maturity to handle. Not everyone will have it. However, university is a place where we can grow and I know deep down, past all the worries I have, that I can leave the club knowing that I can come back in four years’ time and it will be just fine.”
Lastly, as it was one of his last games, I asked how he felt about the end result.
“I would say I feel mixed. After four years of constant BUCS games, it’s kind of nice to know that my Wednesdays are free now. The game itself, I am super happy that for one of my last games. We went up against such a strong opposition, there’s nothing more I could ask for. However, I do believe the boys have so much more left to give, I do have a few games left and I know they will play their hearts out. Whether we win or lose I genuinely don’t care. For me, the outcome I most want is to see is that the players who I have trained show me that the time I’ve spent on them isn’t a waste.”
There is a true sense that ‘T’ will be greatly missed in this club after putting so much of himself into it, but now he’s putting the ball in his team’s court to carry on what he started. Captain Alan Atkins commented on President Thijanushan’s departure saying that: “It sucks, he’s done so much for both the club and individuals, he’s been a really good friend to everyone and laid a great foundation to carry on. We at least had a fun last game and I hope we can play him again in the future.”
Mae'r Bêl yn Eu Cwrt Nawr
Cyfieithiad gan Iwan Thomas.
Siom dwbl i Bêl-foli Dynion Aberystwyth wrth iddynt ffarwelio â'u harlywydd hirsefydlog ac ail dîm Bryste gipiodd y fuddugoliaeth.
Am 12:15yp gwelwyd y gic gyntaf i gêm danbaid ar ddydd Mercher yr 22ain o Chwefror yn erbyn arweinwyr presennol y gynghrair, ail dîm pêl-foli Bryste, gyda’u tîm cyntaf yn cystadlu mewn pêl-foli cenedlaethol.
Dechreuodd y set gyntaf gydag Aber ar y blaen o 5-1 yn ystod dau funud cyntaf y gêm, gyda'r ddau dîm yn aros yn agos yn y frwydr am y cyntaf i 25. Roedd Bryste wedi cymryd 15 - 13 erbyn 12:27yp ac yn y diwedd fe gymerodd y fuddugoliaeth set gyntaf gyda sgôr terfynol o 25-18.
Am 12:38yp dychwelodd Dreigiau Aber gyda rhagras, gan gipio pwynt cyntaf yr ail set oherwydd camgymeriad gan Fryste. Llwyddodd Aber i gadw ar y blaen gydag ergydion a enillodd bwyntiau gan gapten y Dynion Alan Atkins ac aelod o’r tîm Henry Eyre ar 7-5. Dechreuodd Bryste symud ymlaen mewn sefyllfa anodd, gan lefelu’r sgoriau ar 8-8, yna 10-10, ac 11-11. O dan bwysau, galwodd Bryste am strategaeth o amser rhydd i siarad. Er mawr siom iddynt ar ôl dychwelyd i’r cwrt, arhosodd Aber yn gryf gyda bloc gan y ddraig pêl-foli Ciaran Healy, gan gipio’r 16eg pwynt i Aberystwyth. Aberystwyth sicrhaodd yr ail set gyda buddugoliaeth o 25-22.
Roedd y drydedd set i gyd i chwarae iddi, gyda'r ddau dîm yn rhedeg am y fuddugoliaeth. Aeth y pwynt cyntaf i Aber gyda bloc gan Alan Atkins. Bryste, fodd bynnag, enillodd y drydedd set gyda chanlyniad o 25-16.
Aeth y bedwaredd set a’r olaf i Fryste, gyda chanlyniad terfynol o 25-15, gan eu coroni’n bencampwyr y gêm a gwefr i fynd yn ôl i Fryste.
Rhoddodd Capten y Dynion Alan Atkins ei feddyliau ar y gêm a pherfformiadau ei chwaraewyr:
“Heddiw oedd y tîm cryfaf maen nhw wedi chwarae yn ei erbyn; brwydrodd pawb yn galed i gipio'r fuddugoliaeth. Ni oedd un o’r unig dimau i’w curo mewn set.”
Pan ofynnwyd iddo sut y bydd y golled yn gwthio’r tîm i’r dyfodol, ychwanegodd: "Mae lefel sgiliau unigol pob aelod yn y tîm yn uchel iawn yn y gynghrair, mae angen i ni weithio'n well i ddod at ein gilydd fel tîm. Roedden ni'n chwarae tîm heb ei drechu, dydw i ddim yn meddwl ei fod yn naratif ffug fy mod i' Rwyf wedi bod yn dweud bod gennym y lefel sgiliau i'w hennill."
Nid y capten oedd yr unig aelod o’r tîm i gael teimladau cymysg ar ôl y golled, wrth i’r Arlywydd Thijanushan Thavarajah edrych yn ôl ar ei amser gyda Phêl-foli Aberystwyth.
Mae’r Llywydd ‘T’ fel mae’n cael ei adnabod yn fwy cyffredin gan y tîm, wedi ymroi pedair blynedd i’r clwb ac wedi bod yn aelod canolog a gwerthfawr i weddill y tîm. Tair o'r pedair blynedd hynny bu'n gwasanaethu ar y Pwyllgor gyda'r ddwy olaf yn Llywydd.
Siaradais â Thijanushan Thavarajah am ei amser yn y clwb a gofyn iddo sut roedd yn teimlo am y cam yn ôl ac a fyddai'n cadw mewn cysylltiad: “Byddwn i’n dweud fy mod i’n teimlo’n drist i orfod camu’n ôl o’r clwb y treuliais bedair blynedd o fy mywyd ynddo ac wedi ennill cymaint [o]. Felly, bydd gwahanu ffyrdd yn anodd. Byddaf yn bendant mewn cysylltiad a hefyd yn helpu yn y cefndir, pan fo angen, gan fod y clwb hwn yn annwyl iawn i mi."
Yna gofynnais sut yr oedd yn teimlo am basio'r teyrnasiad arlywyddol i lawr ac a oedd yn teimlo y byddent yn cael eu gadael mewn dwylo da:
“Mae hwn yn un anodd. Rwy'n teimlo rhyddhad ond hefyd yn bryderus. Gallaf ddweud yn sicr fod dyfodol y clwb mewn dwylo da, fodd bynnag, rwyf hefyd yn poeni. Rwyf wedi bod yn gwneud y rôl hon ers cymaint o amser fel fy mod yn gwybod bod yna lawer o heriau a sefyllfaoedd sy'n gofyn am aeddfedrwydd penodol i'w trin. Ni fydd gan bawb. Fodd bynnag, mae prifysgol yn lle y gallwch chi dyfu ac rwy'n gwybod yn ddwfn, y tu hwnt i'r holl bryderon sydd gennyf, y gallaf adael y clwb gan wybod y gallaf ddod yn ôl mewn pedair blynedd ac y bydd yn iawn."
Yn olaf, gan mai hon oedd ei gêm olaf, gofynnais sut roedd yn teimlo am y canlyniad terfynol:
“Byddwn i’n dweud fy mod i’n teimlo’n gymysg. Ar ôl pedair blynedd o gemau BUCS cyson, mae'n braf gwybod bod fy nosweithiau Mercher yn rhad ac am ddim nawr. Mae'r gêm ei hun, yr wyf yn hynod o hapus bod ar gyfer un o fy gemau olaf. Aethom i fyny yn erbyn gwrthwynebiad mor gryf, nid oes dim mwy y gallem ofyn amdano. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n meddwl bod gan y bechgyn gymaint mwy ar ôl i'w roi, mae gennyf ychydig o gemau ar ôl a gwn y byddant yn chwarae eu calonnau. P'un a ydym yn ennill neu'n colli does dim ots gen i. I mi, y canlyniad rydw i eisiau ei weld fwyaf yw bod y chwaraewyr rydw i wedi'u hyfforddi yn dangos i mi nad yw'r amser rydw i wedi'i dreulio arnyn nhw yn wastraff."
Mae yna ymdeimlad gwirioneddol y bydd colled fawr ar ôl ‘T’ yn y clwb hwn ar ôl rhoi cymaint ohono’i hun i mewn iddo, ond nawr mae’n rhoi’r bêl yng nghwrt ei dîm i barhau â’r hyn ddechreuodd. Gwnaeth y Capten Alan Atkins sylw ar ymadawiad yr Arlywydd Thijanushan gan ddweud: "Mae'n ofnadwy, mae wedi gwneud cymaint i'r clwb ac i unigolion, mae wedi bod yn ffrind da iawn i bawb ac wedi gosod sylfaen wych i barhau. O leiaf fe gawson ni gêm olaf llawn hwyl a gobeithio y gallwn ni ei chwarae eto yn y dyfodol."