Not a VSI member yet?
Discover all the things the biggest community of sporty students in Volda has to offer to you.
Text: Sonia Gonzalvez Juan
Founded in 1972, VSI is an independent student organization who run an activity platform “were all kind of students can meet and enjoy different sports without the pressure of having previous experience or being good at it” says Christian Christiansen, President of VSI.
Located in Engesetvegen, this organization which counts with more than 370 members is made for students who love sports, and it’s open for everyone. You don’t need earlier experience to be part of any team. And the best thing is that they offer more than the opportunity to practice volleyball, handball, football, and basketball, but also, they have a cozy gym at the top of the building and an Olympic swimming pool where you can disconnect and relax.
The gym is open from Monday to Sunday from 8 am until 10 pm. As Christian says, the place is small but they are really proud of the achievements they’ve done so far:
– We’ve spent a lot of time and money building it. When I first got on the board, the gym barely had a couple of things, but right now, we’ve most of the equipment any normal gym has.
About the swimming pool, they’re the only student organization that has access to it from Monday to Friday, but don’t forget to check the schedule first as some other organizations like the high school or the swimming pool team can have it booked.
Teams with competitive soul
This year, VSI counts with two volleyball teams; the boy's team and the girl's team, who represents Volda students:
– The boy's team has 12 members, and they have been playing for the first position all season but they lost a recent match meaning they can’t reach the first place anymore.
Although there’s a small chance to play in the first division next year if the team which is currently at the top of the list doesn’t want to play for the qualifications.
About the girl's team:
– They’re in the fifth place. They had been doing quite well all season even though they lost an important player in the second semester.
Besides those teams, VSI arranges tournaments every semester.
– This semester we hosted a volleyball tournament as a part of Veka because right now is our most popular sport. During these tournaments, we open our doors to everyone, also to people who’re not a member. But the last one was pretty good. A lot of teams played and we stayed there longer than expected.
Do you want to be a member?
Do you know VSI offers one of the cheapest memberships around the whole country? You can join all these activities just for 300 NOK per semester.
– Our price per semester is what you’d pay for a regular gym per month. Also, you can use the swimming pool which is really nice because other than us, sports students, college staff and the local swimming pool team are the ones allowed to go there.
To be a member is really easy, you just need to visit their website – vsivolda.com – and fill out the application form. Later on, you’ll receive an email with a link where you can pay the fee. After that, you’ll use your student card to have access to all the facilities.