Bundaberg Christian College set for an exciting Schools Cup debut on the Gold Coast 

As the 41st Australian Volleyball Schools Cup prepares to welcome more than 540 teams to the Gold Coast from 7-13 December, one Queensland school is gearing up for a milestone moment.

For the first time, Bundaberg Christian College (BCC) will step onto the national stage, fielding an enthusiastic Open Boys team ready to test themselves among the best volleyball schools in Australia and New Zealand.

For a regional school building its volleyball identity from the ground up, AVSC represents both a bold challenge and an exciting new chapter.

The school’s journey to the Schools Cup began earlier this year with the launch of the BCC Lions Sports program, opening opportunities for students to pursue volleyball and basketball at a higher level. The response was immediate, with more than 80 students committing to weekly volleyball training.

“Our Open Boys team competed in Division 1 at the Queensland State Schools Cup in August,” said coach and manager Emmie Raffaut.

“We didn’t come away with many wins, but the improvement in their skills and the game experience gained were invaluable.

“A trip to Nationals was always in the back of the players’ minds, and with their commitment to training and being such a great group of young men, I found myself agreeing to investigate the possibility of attending AVSC.”

Although many players had competed together socially before, the team representing Bundaberg Christian College at School Cup was formally formed in September, built specifically for their national debut.

For Raffaut, the chance to lead the team to AVSC carries special meaning. Her volleyball journey began as a teenager watching her older sister play at school and representative levels, eventually competing herself at both the Queensland State Schools Cup and the National Schools Cup.

After coaching junior teams during her senior school years, she stepped away from the sport for nearly two decades while raising her four children, until 2024, when her eldest child joined the BCC volleyball team.

“In 2025 I volunteered to assist the coaches in the BCC Lions Sports program, of which all four of my children are now involved,” she said.

“Travelling to the Gold Coast for Nationals is an incredible opportunity for these students, who have a real passion and love for volleyball. 

“The experience of high-level gameplay and the team bonding that takes place at these events create memories that will stay with them for a long time.

“I would love to see Nationals become a yearly event for Bundaberg Christian College.”

For Year 11 athlete Ethan, Schools Cup marks the biggest volleyball event he has ever attended.

“I have been playing volleyball for two years,” Ethan said.

“I started in a small tournament run by the Bundaberg District Volleyball Association, then made my way to other trials for teams locally.”

Initially shifting between hitting, libero, and opposite roles, he now plays primarily as a pass/hitter, though he has stepped into the setter role when required.

“I’m quietly confident given the amount of time we have been able to train as a team and as an individual,” he said. 

“Although it’ll be interesting to see the difference between the Senior Schools Cup and AVSC.

“We expect the level of competition to be much higher compared to the Queensland Senior Schools Cup, but we are very excited for what’s ahead.

“Playing volleyball has allowed me to meet heaps of other players who are just as competitive and passionate. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to catch up together, and to see all the different schools come together in one tournament.”

With Schools Cup being new territory for BCC, the team has trained consistently throughout the year, and with strong enthusiasm, a committed group of athletes, and the pride of representing regional Queensland on the national stage, Bundaberg Christian School’s first appearance at AVSC is shaping up to be an unforgettable milestone. And if this debut is anything to go by, it may be just the start of a new volleyball tradition for the school.