JENIN, West Bank, April 30 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian volleyball team in the West Bank has drew much public attention, as it is composed of players from one family.
This may motivate the close-knit Abu Rub family players to become more united and more determined to achieve the desired success of the Jalabon Club to qualify for the professional West Bank volleyball league after years of absence.
The team, from Jalabon village in the city of Jenin, has 14 players from one family, who regularly and intensively train three times a week to restore the glamour of the club and shine in this sports again.
The team, which is currently competing in the second class league, is a few steps away from realizing their dream to join the main league.
"We are all from the same family and that makes us distinguished from other teams," said team coach Iyad Abu Rub.
The coach, who is at his forties, said the team is counting on the blood bond which is reflected in understanding, respect and harmony.
The team, which has been away from competition since the 1990s, embraces players of experienced sportsmen as well as young players.
Abu Rub, who has previously represented the Palestinian National Volleyball Team, explained that he deals with team members as a single group "regardless of age difference."
"The team is looking forward to one goal, which is to qualify for first class league, so my experience to provide support and advice is required," Abu Rub said as he instructed the players during a training session.
17-year-old Mohammed, a team member, said he listens to the directions of his coach carefully in order to gain more experience to develop his talent.
"Having an experienced coach with history in the game gives us a boost to develop our capabilities," said Mohammed, a high school student. He has been tested recently for joining the Palestine Junior National Team.
Volleyball is a popular game for the residents of the village, which has a population of 3,000 people and has been accustomed to support their team for years.
Despite the popular support, the team faces difficulties such as the inability to gather all the players for the training sessions since they are engaged with their jobs.
"The club does not have money to pay the players, so they sometimes cannot attend training because they have to go to their jobs," Azam Abu Rub, another player, told Xinhua.
Most of the team's players are government employees, workers and students, he added.
"The club is doing everything possible to support the team members," club president Nafie Abu Rub told Xinhua, adding that the reluctance of players to play the game led to a halt over the past years.
He noted that great efforts have been made by the club to bring back the glory of the team again.
The first class volleyball league, which the Jalabon team hopes to join, includes 12 teams from different cities in the West Bank.
"The Jalabon team is based on experienced players with a high sense of understanding and capabilities," said Adnan Abu Farah, a member of the Palestinian Volleyball Federation.
"We are expecting a bright future for the them," Farah told Xinhua.
