Panaji: Goa Guardians, the Goan franchise in the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), have announced a national under-21 volleyball tournament with participation from all 10 franchises.The three-day tournament starting August 14 will feature 120 of India’s leading young volleyball players at the refurbished Don Bosco Oratory Indoor Court in Panaji.“The Guardians Trophy is an initiative conceived and hosted in Goa with a larger national purpose: to create a credible competitive platform for India’s next generation of volleyball players,” the franchise said on Wednesday. “The tournament will bring together the U-21 squads of all PVL franchises.”Each franchise will field a 12-player squad. The first two days will feature the group stage, followed by the semifinals and final on Aug 16.“India has immense young volleyball talent, and our aim is to give these players the platform, exposure and competitive opportunities they need to grow,” said Goa Guardians owner Raju Chekuri. “We hope this initiative encourages more stakeholders to continue investing in structured pathways for the next generation.”Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO, Prime Volleyball League, said the Guardians Trophy will create a pathway for future Indian volleyball stars.“The journey begins at the grassroots, by giving young players the opportunity to compete, develop and experience a professional environment,” said Bhattacharjya.The tournament will also mark the official relaunch of the Don Bosco Oratory Indoor Court as one of the state’s leading indoor volleyball facilities.Teams: Ahmedabad Defenders (Ahmedabad), Black Hawks (Hyderabad), Calicut Heroes Next (Calicut), Chennai Blitz (Chennai), Delhi Toofans (Delhi), Kochi Blue Spikers (Kochi), Mumbai Meteors Youth (Mumbai), Thunderbolts Army (Kolkata), Torpedoes (Bengaluru), and Goa Guardians.
