We are incredible proud of the Leeds Gorse U18 Boys and U18 Girls volleyball teams who dominated at the recent National Volleyball Championship Finals, proving themselves among the best young athletes in the country. The U18 Girls secured a second place in their final, while the U18 Boys won first place for the third year consecutively.

Hosted by Volleyball England, the National Volleyball Cup Finals weekend is the highest level of play in England with junior and senior teams all competing for the gold. Hundreds of teams entered the national competition which involved regional qualifiers, national quarter finals and semi-finals, before the final two teams in each division went head-to-head on the weekend of Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April at the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering.

England’s strongest teams battled it out for national titles. Leeds Gorse were thrilled to have three teams this year who made it to the finals: U18 Boys, U18 Girls, and U16 Girls.

The U18 Boys team, crowned national champions for the third time, featured a powerful lineup of Elliott Hudson College students including: Team Captain Maks Makowski; Ben Sorely; Joshua Cosgrove, Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos, and Essay Mulubrhan. They were joined by Emmanuel Oretoye from Farnley Academy.

Their victory marks a third consecutive national title for Leeds Gorse U18 Boys, who faced a North vs. North showdown with Urmston Grammar from Manchester. Though they faced a serious challenge, the team’s ability to push through difficult moments shows their mental toughness and determination. Their style, inspired by the precision and aggression of Japanese volleyball, added an exciting element to the final. Though they were the underdogs in this match, the U18 Boys have shown time and again that they’re more than capable of handling tough competition and thriving under pressure.

Maks Makowski, reflected on the challenges from this season; “The most challenging part of this year was when we got relegated from the Super Series. This meant we almost didn’t make it to the quarter finals of the competition.”

The U18 Girls team is made up of players from across the GORSE Academies Trust with Liliana Kowalska and Portia Asante proudly representing Elliott Hudson College. Joining Liliana and Portia were their teammates: Team Captain, Daniella Tchandeu, from Leeds Maths School; Krystina Ngatcha from Ruth Gorse Academy; Lauren Thorn from Bruntcliffe Academy and Fola Alasade, alumni from Farnley Academy.

Liliana, Daniell, Krystina and Lauren have proven to be extremely talented players this year, as alongside the competition, they have been playing for the National England Team.

For the U18 Girls making the finals is a huge achievement itself as this was the goal for the year! The girls had a chance to prove themselves as they entered the finals as underdogs against a very experienced Bowell’s School from Chelmsford. Despite the tough competition, the unity of the Leeds team and the fact that seven players on this squad have represented their country on an international stage was a powerful advantage. The girls have also made history as this the first time a U18s Leeds girls’ team has ever earned a place at the final.

“Coming second at cup finals feels incredible,” said Liliana, “It’s a reflection of how far we’ve come and the hard work we’ve put in! To finish so strong with my team made it an unforgettable experience.”

A special shout out to the U16 Girls team as well, for bringing home a national title of their own, for a second year in a row! This tops off a weekend full of trophies for the Leeds Gorse programme. These rising stars represent the future of the sport and have already made a powerful mark at national level.

A Special Thank You

These incredible results wouldn’t be possible without the vision of Cheryl Rhodes and the SLT Teams at the Gorse Trust Schools, and the tireless efforts of a coaching team that includes Pete Makowski, Elaine Brown, Nelson Murangwa, Michael Lee, and Scott Cosgrove. Together, they have created something special—a volleyball programme that nurtures not just athletes, but leaders.