Salina Shrestha, the volleyball player, always stands out when she steps onto the court. As a libero, she wears a distinct jersey and standing at just 4 feet 9 inches tall, she is noticeably shorter than most of her fellow players which sets her apart from others on the team.
Despite the generally perceived benefits of height in volleyball, Salina Shrestha has proven that it does not hinder her performance. She has been involved with the national volleyball team for five years and in that time has won two titles, showcasing what hard work and resilience can do for a player.
She was key to Nepal winning the silver medal at the 13th South Asian Games. Her performance during the recently concluded CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup Volleyball was of note too as she was dubbed the best libero showing how far she’s come in her career.
Now, Salina Shrestha wants to continue to improve in her craft as she hopes to end her career with a few more international titles to her name.
Trailblazing journey
This was not the first time she has been awarded the best libero as she won it during the CAVA Senior Women’s Central Zone Volleyball Competition in 2021. While her earlier achievement showcased her talent, this particular award on home soil added a deeper level of significance for her.
“I feel proud. There were some great women and being called the best of all of them is a great feeling,” she says.
Not winning the title, however, has left a bad taste for her as there were high expectations going into the tournament given Nepal were defending champions. This year’s competition proved to be challenging, primarily due to the presence of two formidable teams—India and Kazakhstan. The strong presence of these teams added to the intensity of the competition, making it a tough battle for Nepal to defend their title.
“We gave it our best. It does not feel good to lose but we are proud of ourselves,” she says.
Small in stature, mighty in spirit
The tournament was tough for Nepal but the team showed significant improvements primarily in defence which had been the team’s Achilles heel.
“We can still improve our defence and get better at blocking and even serving,” she says pointing out areas where the team can focus on to become even more formidable in these aspects of the game.
One thing the team lacked during this tournament was practice. The team had a new coach in Belgian Jan De Brandt. But in the three months that he was with the team, they did not play a single practice match before the tournament.
Despite that, Nepal easily defeated Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh in their first two games but lost to rivals India in the final group game which showed where the team really stood.
“We played a good game against India but lost key points. The coach made us believe in ourselves and that showed in the game against India. We cannot wait for the Asian Games,” she said.
Salina Shrestha has dedicated 14 years of her life to playing volleyball. Her contribution in establishing New Diamond Club as a dominant force in Nepali women’s volleyball has been instrumental. Her skills and leadership played a significant role in the club’s success and rise to prominence in the sport.
Her leadership took the team to a new height as it soon became one of the most liked teams in Nepal. They were so good, they even gave departmental teams like Nepal Police and Nepal Army a run for their money.
Her journey into the national team, however, was not as straightforward.
Long road to success
Despite consistently performing well in domestic volleyball, Salina Shrestha had to wait a lot to represent the national team. The disappointment of not being able to secure a spot on the team weighed heavily on her, especially after being called to training camps for the selection of the South Asian Games in 2016 and the World Championship the following year. The emotional impact of these experiences affected Shrestha deeply as she wanted to test herself at the highest level.
From 2013 to 2016, Shrestha’s defensive skills consistently left everyone in awe. Whether it was her remarkable technique, agility, or unwavering determination, her defence was all people in volleyball talked about.
“Salina was like a robot,” says Kumar Rai, coach of New Diamond Club.
After experiencing disappointment from being left out of the national team, she finally got a deserved call-up in 2019. The team was quite balanced too and Shrestha feels lucky to be a part of the team that won an international title and came in second in the South Asian Games.
The national women’s volleyball team underwent several changes in 2019 for the CAVA Central Zone Senior Women’s Volleyball Competition. The tournament provided an opportunity for many young players to showcase their talents and represent the team including Shrestha. And she did not disappoint as she stood out as the sole libero during the Central Zone Volleyball Competition held in Bangladesh in 2019.
“I was nervous at first but later after entering court everything felt right,” she says.
After a four-year wait, Salina Shrestha finally had the chance to prove herself on the international stage. That also coincided with Nepal winning their first international competition which also earned her a permanent place in the team.
Since joining the national team four years ago, Salina Shrestha has established herself as a prominent libero in Nepali women’s volleyball. Throughout this time, she has not been challenged. Shrestha’s abilities and consistent performances have solidified her status as a standout player in her position, making her an unrivalled presence in Nepali women’s volleyball when it comes to the libero role.
This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length.
