Another ninth place finish for the South African duo Grant Goldschmidt and Leo Williams from Mitchell’s Plain, the wildcards at the volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, which ended on Sunday 6 November.
They finished in the same position at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, earlier this year.
Williams from Lentegeur started playing volleyball in his final year at Cape Town High School when there was a need for tall players.
“I was playing cricket and soccer before the volleyball bug bit me and now I am travelling the world competing in all competitions. The past four years I have been living and working in Prague in the Czech Republic and compete there as well as in other European countries on the volleyball circuit. If you are familiar with the ATP Tour for tennis players, it is the same as the volleyball circuit,” Williams says.
Volleyball is quite exciting and you are part of the action from when the game starts until it is finished.
“The difference between volleyball and basketball is the constant defending of the ball not touching the ground and it is more technical than basketball. The ball keeps flying in volleyball and it is an intense sport. You are touching the ball all the time.
“My partnership with Grant (Goldschmidt) started seven years ago when we first met in 2014. In 2015, we partnered and competed on and off. He took a break and is only back now and I am happy to have him back. Hopefully this will be a good send off for his last few years,” he says.
They competed all over South Africa, 80% of Africa, all over Asia besides China and the Balkan States (Estonia etc).
“Being raised by a single mother in Mitchell’s Plain I never had financial freedom. My message to young talented players is a saying of the late Madiba, that nothing is impossible. I studied and worked hard to help my mom and am now living and working in Prague and playing volleyball. I have financial freedom. If you have financial freedom you can travel wherever and whenever you want to and being on the volleyball circuit, it is up to me to get there,” Williams says.
He loves cooking, travelling and good music.
Goldschmidt from Woodlands started playing volleyball at Princeton High School in Woodlands and obtained his provincial colours in 1997.
“At school I played cricket and soccer but got injured on the soccer pitch because my team mates were too rough. I started playing volleyball afterwards because most of my friendship circle were into volleyball. I starting playing in the 1999/2000 season as a junior and progressed from there until I was selected to represent SA at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,” Goldschmidt says.
In Birmingham they were the first pair to represent SA after the code was introduced at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games four years earlier.
“I am a lecturer at the ETA College in Rondebosch where I lecture coaching courses and sports conditioning, when I am not competing with Williams,” he says.
Competitions they competed in are:
All Africa Games Champs 2011
Continental Cup winner 2011
German Cup winner 2010
London Olympics 2012
World Champs 2015
9th FIVB Mangaung open 2014
2nd FIVB open Cambodia 2019
4th FIVB Italian Open 2019
Qualified and participated in Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and finished ninth.
