Familiarize young people with beach volleyball to offer them a healthy alternative, while raising the level of this discipline in Mauritius : tis Arnaud Le Masle’s ambition. A former French coach now based on the island, he is convinced that the country has everything it takes to develop this sport. sport. ZAK
“All you need is a net, some equipment to mark out the court and a ball to get the game underway,” he stresses. In Mauritius, the beaches offer numerous areas suitable for beach volleyball, without disturbing picnickers or other users. In Flic-en-Flac, for example, Arnaud Le Masle regularly accompanies players from Club Sportif Blue Star, both on the sand and indoors, where games have become a regular occurrence.
For him, beach volleyball is much more than just a leisure activity. “It’s a simple way of introducing young people to a sporting discipline and instilling this culture in them. It also keeps them away from social evils, such as drugs. At the same time, it will also help to raise the level in Mauritius, which has all the potential to position itself at international level, starting with Africa”, he asserts.
And the results are starting to show. Recently, his daughter Lalita Noor Sheik Le Masle and Daena Berthelot reached the quarter-finals of the African Under-17 Championships in Angola. “During this competition, I spoke with several delegations to see how we can develop the discipline. There’s a real momentum building to democratize beach volleyball,” says the coach.
Other Mauritian athletes have also distinguished themselves on the regional and international scene. Among them, Liza Bonne, silver medallist at the 2019 African Beach Volleyball Championships in Abuja with Nathalie Létendrie. The pair had also won silver at the 2019 Indian Ocean Island Games.
Greater flexibility in obtaining permits from the Beach Authority is now hoped for, to facilitate practice on the beaches. This would provide an attractive spectacle for the public and an opportunity for players to engage in intense, exciting confrontations.
