A group of High Wycombe volleyball fans are hoping to bring a club to the brand new Wycombe Leisure Centre early next year.

Currently there are no volleyball clubs in the High Wycombe area with the closest clubs being in Newbury, Watford and Oxford.

Local volleyball players have been using Bucks New University’s successful volleyball program and hope this will continue to supplement the new club once it is operational. 

Lauren Tucker is one of those involved in the project and was inspired to help start it after her 11-year-old daughter Isabelle had to travel to Oxford in order to play the sport she loved.

Isabelle, who is in year seven at Wycombe High, first got into Volleyball after her family moved to Lauren’s native America four years ago.

With Lauren running a YMCA volleyball group while in the States that ballooned from 24 members to 108 she has experience of running a successful volleyball club and hopes to do the same in England.

It was during this time in America that Isabelle developed her skills and made it into the Orlando Volleyball Academy under-10s team that finished 14th in the US National Volleyball Championships.

However, the lack of junior volleyball teams in England has meant that since the Tucker’s return to the UK she has had to play against women’s teams for the Oxford Wolves.

This absence of age appropriate opposition and an appetite to bring volleyball to the High Wycombe community has led to the target of forming the new volleyball club.

The club will aim to attract both junior and adult members and Lauren is keen for as many people as possible to get involved.

While no official date has been set for when the club will be operational the fact that the new leisure centre will be equipped to host volleyball means they will be able to start with little disruption.

Anybody who would like to register interest in playing, coaching or refereeing volleyball should contact Jess Turner on jessturner@pfpleisure.org.