Vo Duy Tung is testing the machine.

Tung said: “I regularly practice volleyball to improve my health and prepare for competitions at school and local levels. Volleyball requires coordination between players. However, I sometimes missed the practice as I failed to persuade my friends to play with me. I, therefore, am resolved to create equipment that can support volleyball players.

The machine is made from two long wood panels, with a motorized engine and a rotational ball keeping panel whose speed can be controlled. The wheeled machine has a lock that keeps balls after each shooting. Tung said the hardest task is assembling the axis and springs as balls may easily deviate if the axis and springs are set up wrongly. He spent many days assembling and removing these parts to find the most efficient method for the installation.

“I found it hard in the early days. After the machine was completed, the ball shooting speed was under my expectations. I, therefore, asked my friends to practice for another half month to fix the problems,” Tung said. Balls are put into a container. The motor pushes the springs back, making the balls drop to the system. Under a sudden force, the balls will move rightward or leftward, depending on the intention of players. Other balls then continue with the cycle. The maximum ball shooting speed is from 8-10 balls per minute. The machine causes no noise and environmental pollution.

Each machine costs only nearly 2 million VND (85.3 USD) as its parts are made from scraps. After three months, with the support of his teachers and friends, Tung completed the volleyball training machine which is now placed at his school’s volleyball yard, attracting many players. Apart from satisfying Tung’s passion, the machine has also helped others practice volleyball themselves.

Tung’s volleyball training machine won the second prize at the 14th creation contest for teenagers in Bac Giang in 2018. The jury highly valued the operation as well as the application of the product.

Hoang Phuong