Mende's new volleyball club makes itself known at the associations forum

Les bénévoles du Mende Lozère Volley-ball ont fait le plein de contacts pour cette nouvelle saison. Midi Libre – Célian Guignard

The new structure, Mende Lozère Volleyball, is participating in the associations forum, this Saturday, September 7, 2024, until 5 p.m., at the events area. It intends to fill up on players to relaunch all categories from M7 onwards.

Goodbye to Mende Volley Lozère, a structure riddled with debt. Welcome to Mende Lozère Volleyball (MLVB), a new entity ready to take on new challenges. This Saturday, September 7, MLVB volunteers were at the events area, alongside 125 other organizations gathered for the associations forum.

For them, it was obviously an opportunity to remind people that, no, volleyball in Mende is not dead. “We couldn't let down all the amateurs who wanted to continue playing, explains Céline Gireaud, the treasurer. We are starting from scratch, while keeping the identity, especially visual, of the old club. We need as many members as possible to relaunch all categories, from M7 (from 6 years old). We need volunteers, funding, sponsors…" To attract new practitioners, The new association has a strong argument: all training will take place at the Piencourt gymnasium.

The gold medal effect at the 2024 Paris Olympics

From the morning, the Mende Lozère Volleyball stand was particularly busy. It is clear that the French team's gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (3-0 victory against Poland, Editor's note) prompted many supporters to inquire, like Alice, a future member, who came with Sophie, her mother, and Charlotte, her sister. “We are from Vialas and we saw Jean Patry (pivot of the French team, Editor's note), says the mother. We were lucky with two medals in three years (with Tokyo 2021, Editor's note)." "We even got the gold medal", the two little girls still proudly tell us.

The season will start again very soon. The first match of the senior boys, at Piencourt, is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, at 8 p.m., against Perpignan Volley-ball Roussillon 2. That same day, the girls, in R2, will face Mauguio away, before returning to the Mendois gymnasium on Saturday, September 28, at 8 p.m., against Vendres.

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