Australian U16 Men leave it all on court in Thailand AVC

Earlier this month, the Australian U16 Men’s team travelled to Nakhon Pathom, Thailand to compete in the U16’s Asian Men’s Volleyball Championships from July 12-19. 

The squad arrived in Thailand a week prior to the event to undergo a five day training camp, to prepare the athletes for the level of competition. 

Following eight days of competition, the Australian team finished in 13th position, with two thrilling five-set match wins over Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia to close out their campaign.

Australian U16 Head Coach Adrien Ickowicz said that it was a valuable experience for the young athletes, learning important lessons and values on and off the court. 

“This year’s U16 Asian championship was an exciting opportunity to compete on the international stage for our young athletes,” Ickowicz said. 

“Being the second edition, all participating countries had the opportunity to prepare the squad thoroughly and the standard of play was substantially higher than two years ago. 

“The Aussie boys competed well, and used the five day camp in Bangkok to gain momentum. 

“Against strong opposition in the first round, the boys learnt what it means to play at international level, and the resilience and drive that is required to succeed. 

“These lessons were later implemented in the classification phase of the competition, in which the Australian boys finished with two back-to-back wins against Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. 

“In addition to the on court learnings, a big emphasis was made on the off court behaviour that is necessary to any international success. 

“The notions of respect, relentlessness and synergy were identified as key values to this team, and the boys demonstrated their best to embody these every day. 

“Overall this tour has been a tremendous opportunity to improve our game, and start the path that will lead to future success at international level.”

U16 athlete James Beddoe enjoyed the competitive atmosphere that allowed for thrilling 5-set matches. 

“I loved the atmosphere at AVC as a whole, and the atmosphere in the games was great too,” Beddoe said. 

“My biggest highlight was playing the full 5 sets against Hong Kong and winning our first game.”

For full results from the 2025 U16 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championships – click here