On 30th July 2010, Swann Recruitment achieved the momentous sporting achievement of winning The Plate – a knockout competition between non-group winning teams at the prestigious Battens Beach Volleyball 2010 competition.

http://www.battens.co.uk/volleyball2010.

Our marvellous achievement was made even sweeter by being able to take home a wooden spoon decorated in not one, but two colours of ribbon and inscribed in biro!

After 2009’s debacle resulting in a clean sweep of losses and immediate expulsion from the competition hopes were not high, but the introduction of star signing Ryan Park and Swann candidates Joe Chandler and Nathan Crane revolutionised the system. With Ryan’s ‘Just dig it up’ tactic proving a winner, the Swann Recruitment Allstars were able to capitalise in the group stages and once we were in full swing, we started to win games.

Despite not winning the group, the team came back from the interval featuring another Swann Candidate, Luke Doddington as part of The Magic Drum Orchestra (http://magicdrum.org.uk), in full swing and soon romped to the semi-finals in spectacular style.  A particularly hard game awaited in the form of a group of 11-year old boys, but the team rallied to ride into the final as comfortable winners.

As it got too dark to see, one last superhuman effort saw us take the final to 18-18 at the 10 minute time bell, winning a sudden death deciding point to take glory on court 4.

The beach setting at Weymouth was great (http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/home.asp?sv=937), the cider was cold, the atmosphere was friendly yet competitive, but most importantly – we won something!!!

Thanks to everyone at Battens for organising the event and a special mention to the charities they were supporting – Dorset Wildlife Trust and The Women’s Refuge. The great experience has led us to think about organise our own sporting or non-sporting events for 2011 – let us know any suggestions you may have...