In collaboration with the Tshwane University of Technology volleyball club, TuksVolleyball also hosted the University Sports South Africa (USSA) indoor volleyball tournament 2012 at the UP Groenkloof Campus. Some 40 university volleyball teams from all around South Africa competed in the tournament and enjoyed the beautiful city of Pretoria, as well as the excellent facilities the University of Pretoria has to offer. The TuksVolleyball ladies team were placed seventh countrywide. The tournament displayed the high level of volleyball at university level in South Africa and placed TuksVolleyball Club on the map as tournament hosts and competitors.

During 2012, TuksVolleyball men’s and ladies’ teams participated in the Gauteng Volleyball Union league held over weekends at Wits and UP Groenkloof Campus. The league has a number of excellent teams and tough competitors – not only from within the province, but also countrywide. The Tuks teams fought hard and obtained good results. The ladies’ team played extremely well, beating all other teams except UJ to come second in their division, and advancing to the Women’s Premier League in 2013. The men’s team won their league in 2011 and advanced to the Premier League in 2012. Given the far higher level of competition, the men performed well and retained their spot in the Premier League. The teams are looking forward to playing hard and beating their competition yet again in 2013.

The TuksVolleyball Club not only competes in indoor volleyball, but also offers some serious competition in beach volleyball. Beach volleyball received a lot of attention at the 2012 London Olympic Games, having been one of the most popular spectator sports at the event.

The Club competed in the USSA Beach Volleyball Competition, held in Margate in November 2012. TuksVolleyball sent a total of four teams to the Competition: two men’s and two ladies’ teams. The Tuks ladies performed well against far more experienced teams and were placed third, while the Tuks men played hard against a multitude of strong coastal teams, and succeeded in taking fourth place.

The University of Pretoria had the privilege of sending three of its female students, also members of the TuksVolleyball Club, to the televised 2012 Varsity Sports Competition. The Competition was coordinated by Francois Pienaar’s company, Asem, and was held in Plettenberg Bay and Margate during November and December 2012. The matches were broadcast on SuperSport 7 and the Competition received a lot of media attention. The girls fought well against tough coastal-based and experienced opponents, but managed to gain a very respectable third place in the Plettenberg Bay leg of the Competition. The event brought a lot of exposure to beach volleyball as a sport.

The TuksVolleyball teams started the 2013 training season with renewed energy and enthusiasm. They have already participated in various volleyball competitions and are holding bi-weekly focused training sessions. The Club is open to anyone and welcomes players with any level of experience.

If the TuksVolleyball Club continues to improve and perform as it has done in the past, it may well produce the next Olympic success story, in line with a number of University of Pretoria athletes such as the TuksRowing men’s four and Caster Semenya.