Media Release

Cedars Win Sydney Volleyball League 12 Straight Years  

No other club in Australia has come close to what the Cedars have achieved today .

14 September 2008

Bankstown Sports Cedars Volleyball Club Wins SVL 2008 edition.

For everyone who thought this was the end of the Sydney Cedars success, we would just like to note that we proved you wrong.      After a very busy and tough year so far the Sydney Cedars have again taken out the most difficult Sydney Volleyball League (SVL) title as the Champions for the last 12 years straight. Sydney Cedars are currently ranked number one in Australia (by Spike Magazine.) With lots of player movement this year, everyone thought it would be the end of the Cedars reign at SVL.  But through the hard work and ongoing training by the players and commitment by the trainers and coaching staff with their support and knowledge to the team throughout the year they have managed to turn this around into one of the most successful years for the team. Losing only one match against the second most successful team in the competition Westside, who couldn't qualify for the finals due to rules and regulation breaches, Cedars won every single other match convincingly. A semi final and final that were possibly the hardest games all year for the team, who pulled away with 2 wins after a very hard fight against UTS and UNSW.

Throughout the past 12 years there have been players lost and players gained but the Cedars have maintained their ongoing success through the hard work and training conducted by Andrew Simos and Edi Vukosa, coaching by Joe Haddad and captained by Alex Jelicic

Thanks to the champions Cedars players who have made history by winning the SVL 12 years straight title were no other club in Australia has come close to what the Cedars have  achieved today and in the past 12 years.

Special thanks goes out to the Cedars supporters, sponsors and media, also a special thanks to Bankstown Sports Club for on going support to the Cedars Volleyball Club for many years. Well done to all who were part of this wonderful team.

Attached is the team Photo on the day.

Best Regards

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Joe Haddad

Position - HEAD COACH / MANAGER
 

Career Highlights

1998 Awarded Volunteer of the Year - Bankstown City Council
1996 - present Current Head Coach and Manager of the Sydney Cedars Volleyball Team
1986-87 NSW Under 18 Coach
1986 International Referee Candidate
1986 - present Current Treasurer and the Sports Director of the Sydney Cedars Club
1985-87 Chairman Australian Juniors Referee Commission
1984 Level Two Coach
1980 Level One Coach
2002 Coached Sydney Cedars Masters team (35+) to a Gold Medal in the 2002 World Masters Games
1998 Elected Vice-President of NSW State Volleyball Association
1987 Founder of Sydney Cedars Sports Club
1986 Actively involved in community groups and events
1986 One of the founding members of the Sydney Cedars Club (a multicultural/community-based sporting club)
1979 Australian AAA Referee
6 years NSW Volleyball camp instructor (over 300 players in U/16 age group)
8 years NSW State Volleyball Representative player
15 years NSW Club Level player
 

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George Atrache

Position: Outside Hitter

Joined Cedars: 2002
Date of Birth: 20/2/1987
Height: 187cm
Weight: 87kg
Standing Reach: 250cm
Block Reach: 310cm
Spike Reach: 325cm
Vertical Jump: 75cm
 

Personal Facts

Favourite Food: Oporto
Favourite Movie: Troy
Favourite Book: Da Vinci Code
Favourite Athlete: Michael Jordan
Started Volleyball When/Where: 2002 - Bankstown/Cedars
Biggest Volleyball moment: Meeting Andrew Simos & Joe Haddad.
Your advice to junior players: I am one!

Career Highlights

2004-05 Winner - Sydney Volleyball League (Sydney Cedars)
2002-04 Sydney Cedars "Most Improved Player"
2004 Bronze Medal - Australian Junior National Titles (Captain, NSW U-19)
2002-04 NSW Junior Teams (Captain - U16,U19, Vice Captain - U17)
2002 Joined Sydney Cedars Club
2003-04 Australian U-19 Squad
2002-04 Winner - Sydney Volleyball League (Sydney Cedars)
 

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WILLIAM BOUSTANI

Position: Assistant Team Manager

Joined Cedars: 2005
Date of Birth: 29/05/1971
Height: 196cm
Weight: 95kg
Standing Reach: 265cm
Block Reach: 320cm
Spike Reach: 321cm
Vertical Jump: 56cm

17 - William Boustani

Personal Facts

Favourite Food: Lebanese
Favourite Movie: Love & Death
Favourite Book: Anything by Arthur Schopenhauer
Favourite Athlete: My Dad
Started Volleyball When/Where: 1989 - Poland
Biggest Volleyball moment: First game for my hometown club
Your advice to junior players: Train as hard as you can.

Career Highlights

2004-05 Winner - Sydney Volleyball League (Sydney Cedars)
2004 Joined Sydney Cedars Club
1988-1992 AZS Olsztyn (Poland)
1986-1988 Chemik Bydogoszcz (Poland)