The 2012/13 Finals Weekend has finally arrived and that means 
16 teams have the chance to end their season on a high but only 8 teams will be victorious.
As with previous seasons, the Thistle Bowl and Scottish Plate take centre stage on the Saturday of this event. The first match of the weekend will see local side Su Ragazzi II take on Edinburgh Jets II. Carluke High School youngsters Mark McLaughlin, Jordan Scott, Stuart Mackenzie, Conor Walker and Blair Gillies will all be trying to use their knowledge of Wishaw Sports Centre to overcome Jets experience in the shape of Scott Macintyre, Nisbet Duffin and Jamie Salvin. The 2nd match of the day is an all Division 1 cracker. Stevie Milne’s Bon Accord take on Iain Parker’s rejuvenated South Ayrshire. This match has the potential to shine on Saturday with both teams finishing their seasons on a high and determined to secure the Men’s Thistle Bowl competition.
The Women’s Thistle Bowl Final commences at 2pm with Division 1 team Su Ragazzi taking on District League club North Grampian. Both sides met a couple of years ago in the Scottish Cup Semi Final but Su have changed a great deal in the player department since then………….so which team is going to pick up the silverwear?
Finally, Women’s Division 2 Champions Kyle Team Ayrshire take on last weekend’s Playoff Runner’s up – Dundee, in another exciting Plate Final. The last time these 2 teams met, Kyle fought home 3-2 victors with an 18-16 epic score in the 5th set.
Sunday of Finals Weekend always brings the best of the current stars together with the best of the future stars. The first match of the morning will see the inaugural Men’s Junior Super Cup played between Liam Fleming’s South Ayrshire and Greg Coburn’s Team Lanarkshire. There is a huge amount of talent on display with the level of play being of the highest quality as nearly every athlete competing plays in the Senior National League as well as the JNL. The Women’s final will be between Jess Reid’s Marr College A and John French’s NL Ragazzi. Both coaches have missed out on the title last season and will be determined to make up for this with a win on Sunday.
The Women’s Scottish Cup brings together 2 of the Edinburgh 
teams. City of Edinburgh need to win the Scottish Cup to ensure they win every piece of domestic silverware this season, but Edinburgh Jets will be determined to win their first Scottish Cup in over 15 years. The teams produced a 4 set thriller at Play-offs adding to the belief that this Sunday’s match should be full of firepower and tactics with Edinburgh’s Coutts and Thom trying to outwit Jet’s Michalowska and Kasprzyk.
In the Men’s final, the winner of the Cup will ensure they do the Domestic Double with Kilmarnock Blaze winning the Top Teams Cup and Edinburgh Jets winning the Final 4 Playoffs.This will be a very interesting match with Kilmarnock’s Callum Green and Stuart Edgar going up against Jets’ Paul Glissov and Marcin Krakowski and an excellent dual in the middle blocker roles between Scotland cap Stewart Caldwell and Jet’s Pawel Dylon. The match last weekend at the playoffs ended 3-2 in Jets favour and this is sure to be a big crowd pleaser again with both teams wanting to finish their season on a high.
Finals Weekend will be as spectacular as ever this year. The taraflex match court will be laid, the music will be entertaining, the announcers will be fabulous but to make really memorable, special and worthwhile, we need the Scottish Volleyball audience to come and support this weekend with their voices, drums, horns or just anything that makes a noise.
We want to see you this weekend, come and join us!!
Martyn Johnstone
Competitions and Performance Officer
SVA
