The daughter of Stephen Walter, CEO of the YVMDFL (pictured above right in May, 2009, played in the Australian Women’s Volleyball team in Ninh Binh last night.

Stephen Walter is the CEO of the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football & Netball League (YVMDFNL) which comprises a number of clubs that were hit by the Black Saturday bushfires of February, 2009.

Yesterday, Stephen wrote to the Vietnam Swans with some fantastic news…

“Just a heads up that the Aussie Women’s Volleyball team is now playing in the VTV Eximbank Cup in Ninh Binh (south of Hanoi) with three local girls connected to the YVMDFNL. They include my daughter, Bec, Shae Sloan and Louise Bates – all from The Dandenongs…

“They need some Aussie support, if you can…”

The 2013 VTV Eximbank Cup is Vietnam’s 10th annual international women’s volleyball tournament. It is being held from 13-20 July, with six teams competing, namely: Australia, China’s Shandong and Jiangsu, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Alas, with the round robin tournament being held in Ninh Binh, it is unlikely that any of the Swannies will be able to get there to cheer the women on – but we hope to meet them before they fly out.

YVMDFNL, Black Saturday and the Swannies

You may recall that following the devastating Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria on 7 February, 2009, the Bali Geckos sent a message out to Asian footy suggesting that we all consider making a donation to the YVMDFNL which covered the worst hit areas of Kinglake and Marysville.

On 28 March 2009, a pre existing match already scheduled between the Bali Geckos and Vietnam Swans in Saigon. It was quickly decided to turn this weekend into a Black Saturday Bushfire Match and Fundraiser.

The result was AUD4,517 and lots of goodwill from the Bali Geckos, Vietnam Swans and the local businesses and people who all supported the event.

On 23 May, 2009, Vietnam Swan, Greg Armstrong (pictured above left) presented CEO, Stephen Walter with a Vietnam Swans jumper, a Bali Geckos jumper and a match day banner.