Volleyball
9 May, 2025
Hemley set for state league debut
Volleyball Horsham president David Berry remembers clearly Paige Hemley – a "skinny 13-year-old from Murtoa College" – playing her first game of volleyball in 2020.
"It was unfortunate that she was able to play only three games before the pandemic hit so local organisers didn’t really get to see how good she was," Berry said this week.
Undeterred, Hemley returned in 2021 only to have Covid shut down sport yet again so for a second time "she didn’t get much of an opportunity to show her wares".
"However, fast forward four years and that same skinny kid will make her Victorian Volleyball League premier one women’s debut tomorrow with Phantoms when they take on Maroondah Cobras in Bendigo," Berry said on Monday.
The proud Volleyball Horsham head said Phantoms premier two women’s coach Pip Hannagan had been "full of praise for Hemley so far this season".
“Paige has been a great contributor to our team, hence the reason we're undefeated on top of the ladder," he quoted Hannagan as having said.
“Paige deserves her chance to play in the premier one team and I’m sure she'll do well.”
Berry said Hemley had packed an enormous amount into the past four years.
Her CV is impressive: representing Victoria at under 15 and 16 level, attending Australian camps, being an inaugural member of the post-Covid Volleyball Horsham Academy, playing with Phantoms in state league, representing Volleyball Horsham as a member of the division one women’s team and being a Junior All Star Seven selection at the 2023 and 2024 junior country championships.
Murtoa College coach Shaun Bray said Hemley had also been a leader in her school team, encouraging other students to participate.
“Paige has been a key player throughout her school history, with her team making the School Sport Victoria finals in her intermediate and senior years,” Bray said.
“Her team has qualified again this year and we’re off to Melbourne next week and hoping to at least make semis this year as the team has been playing well.”
Bray said Paige had improved her game significantly, having progressed into playing in the A grade competition last year and this year playing both her preferred centre blocking role and – when her team has seven players – pulling on her libero top.
“The move into A grade has been good for Paige as it's given her the confidence to mix it with the best Volleyball Horsham has to offer and toughen her up," Bray said.
“Paige doesn’t take a backward step and is as brave as it comes, especially when she plays her libero role, as more often than not she's first line of defence when the opposition middles attack.
hear about it.”
Bray said Hemley had had a big few weeks, with premier one selection being the icing on the cake.
“Paige successfully made it through the first round of selections for the under 18 state team and is now making her debut in premier one, all reward for the effort she's put into her training and support for both Volleyball Horsham and Phantoms,” he said.
Hemley will be part of the team that plays Cobras at noon and 4pm at Red Energy Arena.
"On behalf of everyone at Volleyball Horsham we'd like to congratulate Paige and wish her all the best for her debut," Berry said.
