Eyeing to make most out of the international participation, the opportunity which the team is rarely bestowed with, qualifying for the final round of the championship was the team's foremost priority. Everything was going smoothly until the team concluded its Friday's training camp on April 24.
But on the very next day, everything fell apart. A magnitude of 7.8 earthquake hit Nepal and turned things upside down.
"Thank God that the calamity struck in the afternoon and on Saturday. Had it happened on any other day or during night time, the loss would have been unimaginable," says head coach of the team Kapil Krishna Shrestha.
Nepali volleyball team lost its long-time-serving chief coach Keshav Lal Shrestha who was crushed to death after his house in Kalimati was brought down by the earthquake.
At least four players--Sanjay Aryal, Rajkumar Thapa, Dhan Bahadur Bhatta Chhetri and Umakant KC and assistant coach Prajwal Bahadur Singh--lost their houses in their native villages. On the following day, members of the national team, which is mostly comprised of players from the departmental clubs, were deployed at different places to help in rescue operation. Sanju Shah is the only player in the team not associated with departmental clubs.
Some were assigned in loading and dispatching relief materials, others in clearing rubble from the wreckage and some in rescue operation. Their participation in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Senior Men's Volleyball Championship appeared uncertain.
National volleyball team vice-captain Sanjay, who hails from Kavrepalanchowk, assisted in distributing relief in his village and surrounding areas.
"During times like these, we have to set aside our individual problems and difficulties and serve the nation. My house collapsed and I could not do anything about it. But I could help people in need from my village and nearby areas with relief," says Sanjay, the prominent open-spiker of the team.
"We formed a group and channelized the distribution of relief in Kavrepalanchowk. We feel proud about our team for being able to help the people in need and perform our duty toward the nation."
The team's participation in the tournament was secured after host Bangladesh decided to bear all the expenses of the Nepali team for its participation in championship.
The team began its post-disaster closed camp training session since last Tuesday. Nevertheless, the team is not the same like before-- at least in terms of mental and physical strength.
"The post-disaster psychological trauma and physical suffering is apparent on the team. Players have lost their houses and belonging. They are also worried about their friends and relatives. Their confidence has certainly waned to some degree," says coach Shrestha.
"Moreover, players have been to and served at the most affected places. They have seen people's suffering and losses and their own. This has affected them psychologically."
For the time being, Shrestha and his team want to do their level best to make sure that they perform well in the tournament.
"We have been working to build strength of the team. Players have spent their precious hours in the quake relief efforts. They are totally exhausted. But still we will do our best."
The team is participating in the tournament under the captaincy of Im Rana. Im is confident that this tournament will be perfect opportunity to grow.
"It's understandable that our preparations have not been good. Team combination has to be improved to a whole new level. We are physically weak. No matter what, we are looking forward to making the most out of this opportunity."
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