There are only a few scenarios where teachers would excuse their students missing class, and competing in the ACT secondary school volleyball finals is definitely one of them.
Whether they're future Olympians or kids who just want to become school legends, at Lyneham's indoor centre on Wednesday the best volleyball players served and spiked their way through games hoping to be crowned champions.
The incredible turnout for the finals highlighted the immense growth of volleyball across the capital.
"I've been coaching for 26 years and the growth has been enormous," event co-ordinator and teacher Graeme Budd told The Canberra Times.
"There's no other sport at high school where you'll have year 7 girls playing against year 10 boys socially, so volleyball is very social and very inclusive.
"As expected the standard of play in the finals is very high and to win here they have to beat about 40 other schools.
"There's a few of us who are going to Queensland later in the year for the school's nationals."
Lyneham, Amaroo, Telopea, Mount Stromlo, Belconnen, Burgmann, Evelyn Scott, UC Kaleen, Deakin, Trinity and Canberra high schools were all in action on Wednesday.
The variety of winning schools in each division showcased the competition quality on the day.
In the year 7 and 8 girls division Canberra High defeated Belconnen High in the final, while the boys champions were Belconnen High, and Mount Stromlo were runners-up.
Evelyn Scott School defeated UC Kaleen High in the year 9 and 10 girls division, and Amaroo triumphed over Lyneham High in the boys category.
"A win here builds a culture at a school," Budd said.
"It can get very loud here with the screams and roars on the sidelines. That support really makes it memorable for them. You can see the adrenaline rush."
Volleyball in Canberra is growing at a rapid rate, and in all forms of the sport - indoor, beach, grass and sitting volleyball - which has presented some issues on where to host all the games amid a growing population in the ACT.
This year more than 275 teams have joined different Volleyball ACT competitions, with about 2000 players hitting the court, and three venues do a majority of the heavy lifting to stage these competitions.
Lyneham Hockey Centre, Shirley Smith High School and Chisholm School are at peak capacity, with games often finishing at 10.30pm to deal with the 200 to 300 per cent rise in participation at volleyball clubs in recent years.
There are very unique needs of volleyball that need to be met at venues, such as ceiling heights and flooring, making court options for competitions limited.
"This is one of the most exciting periods volleyball has seen in Canberra. The growth is happening right across the Territory, and we're seeing more people than ever wanting to be involved," Volleyball ACT president David Byrne said.
"Our competitions are at capacity, and the challenge now is keeping pace with where the sport is heading. Indoor courts are the backbone of volleyball, and they're under real pressure."
Nearly every code is facing the same problem with Canberra families flocking to community sport to socialise, chase their sporting dreams, and stay fit and healthy.
There was recent ACT government support for netball with investment into grass volleyball, but there are growing calls for more indoor facilities.
"There's real momentum in volleyball right now, and it's only accelerating," Byrne said.
"We welcome the support we've seen to date, and there is a genuine opportunity here for local businesses and the broader community to be part of something that is growing quickly, reaching more Canberrans every season and helping shape the future of the sport."
Volleyball ACT's strategic plan for 2026-2030 includes goals to support the sport's growth and ensure its systems, pathways, and facilities remain fit for purpose, through "ambitious targets, strong partnerships, and bold infrastructure investment".
"Volleyball ACT will also explore establishing a fit-for-purpose volleyball facility, either as a dedicated venue or as part of a shared, multi-use development," the plan stated.
"Such a facility will help manage growing demand and provide a high quality space that supports participation and development across the community, from entry-level players through to high-performance athletes."
