Written by: Scott Robichon, a Bachelor 2 student at ESBS Valencia
On April 28, we had the pleasure of organizing a beach volleyball tournament for ESBS students in Valencia. The idea came from Léa, who was eager to take the lead on planning an event for the first time. Although we didn’t know each other very well at the start, when she shared her idea with me, I immediately saw the potential and jumped on board.
Scheduling the tournament wasn’t easy-April was packed with classes, exams, and other commitments-but we finally landed on April 28th, a public holiday here in Spain. Léa reached out to Toni, who provided the volleyball equipment and helped us set up the courts. We launched a registration form, hoping to gather at least six teams. To our surprise, nine teams of four signed up!
A week before the tournament, we created a WhatsApp group with the team captains to share important updates and post photos after the event. By the day before, all captains had confirmed their participation, and everything was in place for an afternoon of sport, sunshine, music, and fun.
Then, an unexpected twist-Spain experienced a nationwide power outage.
Despite the uncertainty, we decided to go ahead with the tournament. An hour before kick-off Léa and I arrived at the courts, and Toni was already setting up. Although we had to delay the start slightly, seven teams ultimately made it. We divided them into two pools, with matches played to 21 points across three courts.
The top two teams from each pool moved on to the semi-finals, while the rest played placement matches. In the semis, Consanguin faced Hotel Goja Team, and the Philadelphia Crackheads went up against Argo Kiss-two close matches filled with great anergy. In the end, Consanguin and Argo advanced to the final, where Consanguin (a team of Bachelor 2 students) emerged victorious after a thrilling match.
More than just a competition, our main goal was to create a fun and friendly environment-and that’s exactly what we achieved. Over 40 students took part, and the atmosphere was incredible. Everyone pitched in, connected with new people, and helped make the event special despite de outage. As our Erasmus experience came to an end, this was the perfect way to celebrate.
After the tournament, most people stuck around to share snacks and enjoy the courts in a relaxed, phone-free atmosphere-ironically thanks to the outage. It allowed us all to disconnect from screens and connect with each other instead.
It was an unforgettable day and a milestone Léa and I are proud of. We’ll always remember the laughter, the group photos, and the positive vibes. Several participants shared glowing feedback, but it’s us who are grateful to everyone who shoed up, brought their energy, and made the day so special.
We truly hope to organize more events like this in the future. And to all ESBS students: if you get the chance to get involved in something like this… GO FOR IT! It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.
