Windhoek: Acting Chairperson of the Zambezi Volleyball Association (ZVA), Kamwi Sezuni, has described the association's international friendly volleyball tournament as a success. The tournament was held over the weekend at the University of Namibia (UNAM) campus in Katima Mulilo, bringing together teams from Zambia, Botswana, and host Namibia.According to Namibia Press Agency, Sezuni mentioned in an interview that despite the African Volleyball Confederation not sanctioning the event, the matches were competitive under the banner of ZVA. "The games were very competitive and exciting. The level of play was extraordinary, especially for the youngsters in our local clubs who play week in and week out. It clearly shows they are improving," he said.Five local men's volleyball teams competed against three international clubs from Sesheke (Zambia), Livingstone (Zambia), and Kasane (Botswana). For the women's category, three local clubs competed alongside two international clubs from Sesheke and Kasane.Sezuni e xpressed a desire to revive these tournaments, which were frequently held in the past. He hopes that with sponsors, future events will expand. "The interest is there from our neighbours, who travelled over 200 kilometres for the love of the sport," he added.The acting chairperson also highlighted the association's focus on grassroots development by nurturing young talent early. He acknowledged that while the region's performance at the national level has recently dipped, there is pride in local athletes who have represented Namibia. "Our performance at the national level has dropped, which is why we are driving a fresh focus on youth development to propel the region to the top," he stated.The tournament concluded with Chobe Volleyball Club from Botswana winning first prize in the women's category, followed by Vixens and Ball Busters from the Zambezi Region. In the men's category, the first prize went to Sesheke Volleyball Club from Zambia, with UNAM Hard Hitters Volleyball Club from the Zambezi Region and Chobe Volleyball Club from Botswana following.