PHUKET: If you have just lately wandered alongside Karon Beach within the late afternoon, you will have seen a considerable variety of volleyball courts stretched across the sandy lot between the street and beach.
No, it’s not a global match coming to town – that was final month – this is the day by day beach volleyball video games instigated by one of Thailand’s prime players, Yupa Phukrongploy.
Now 34 years old, Yupa’s pro career took her all over the world. Before represented Thailand on the beach volley courts of Asia and the Americas, and introduced residence a wealth of gold and silver medals. Introduced to the indoor model of the sport by her sister, she fell in love with volleyball at the age of ten. But it was her elevation at the age of 15 to Thailand’s volleyball Dream Team – beneath the stewardship of legendary Thai volley coach Kiattipong ‘Ott’ Rachata Kriangkrai – that set her on the sandy path to the seaside volley courts.
“I want to thank Coach Ott. He helped me be a part of the Dream Team once I was 15 years outdated and he was the one who instructed that I attempt seaside volleyball – as a end result of I’m so tall. So, I gave it a strive, and I’ve been addicted ever since,” Yupa says with a smile.
“Beach volleyball is quite a lot more durable than indoor volleyball because its more durable to maneuver quick on the sand. We need to play under the sun on huge fields with solely two gamers per team, as a substitute of the six-player groups I was used to for the indoor volleyball matches,” she explains.
“Even though it’s onerous, it was the problem that interested me. And that’s why I love it.”
Originally from Kalasin, in the Northeast of Thailand, Yupa now calls Phuket house and is endeavoring to share her passion for seaside volleyball with anyone who happens by the courts she has set up with permission of the local authorities in Karon.
“I played for the national team for 12 years, but when I retired I nonetheless needed to play for fun. That’s after I came up with the thought of establishing these courts on the seaside in Phuket,” she says.
Karon has been the beach of alternative for volleyball tournaments over the years, hosting both FIVB events and the current pro-am Volley Fest, so it was a straightforward selection for Yupa. The native authorities were also accommodating to the idea of the star player bringing some fun back to Phuket’s seashores. Yupa plans to pay back the native council’s assist for her venture by giving local children the chance to find the fun of the sport in the same method she found them.
“My major purpose for establishing these courts is that I need others to expertise the enjoyable of enjoying and in addition to understand what a fantastic place Phuket is for enjoying – it’s good for coaching, in addition to staging matches and tournaments.
“I need players from other international locations to return here to practice, which shall be great for Phuket’s reputation.”