Bridgetown twins to represent WA under-19 volleyball team with aspirations of 2032 Brisbane Olympics

Bridgetown twins Rachel and Tessa Kilchenmann will compete against the best Under-19 female teams when they hit the court for the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships in Adelaide from Wednesday. It’s been a fast rise for the sisters, who grew up in Bridgetown, as they have been playing volleyball for less than a year. Before taking up the sport last year, the sisters were high-level netballers, but were encouraged by their teacher to try out and fell in love with the sport. Travelling weekends to train and play netball in the South West and Perth began to clash with their newfound passion of volleyball, so they decided to let go of netball. The journey ever since has opened doors for Rachel and Tessa to compete nationally. “We got picked for WA to go and compete over there (Adelaide),” Rachel said. “There’s 10 teams — so that’s when we wear these tops. “We’ve practiced for the past three months in Perth every weekend training and playing. “We also train with the WA (Perth) Steel team. It’s like West Coast Fever but for volleyball.” The twins said they are fortunate to train with the Perth team because they have only been playing for a year. Last year, while playing in the Under-18 national competition for the first time, Rachel and Tessa were invited to a volleyball training camp in Toowoomba, Queensland and had the opportunity to talk to a number of coaches. “The coach from the Australian Volleyroos was there and he said we want you to come to the AVA (Australian Volleyball Academy),” Tessa said. Only 14 volleyballers in Australia are given the opportunity to take part in the “specialised, prestigious” program. The AVA aims to recognise and develop potential athletes for Olympic-level volleyball and beach volleyball with the training base located at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. “(The program) takes you to college level. Most of the girls will go to college in America or Canada or go to the professional league in Europe,” Tessa said. Rachel and Tessa have taken the opportunity to train in the Eastern States and have spent the past six months working full-time on a farm in Manjimup to “self-fund” their venture. Following the national competition in Adelaide, they will head to Canberra for 12 months to participate in the AVA program with hopes of gaining a scholarship in Canada, where their parents are from and they have citizenship. Speaking about their bond and relationship, the twins said they are best friends who support each other in every way. “We spend 24/7 together, and we’ve got this connection that not many other people might have with their siblings. We feel very lucky,” Tessa said. “We’ve made every single team together,” she said. Rachel said while they are competitive with one another, it comes from a place to encourage and push each to be the best they can be — individually and for their team. “I will always push Tessa for her best and she does the same for me,” Rachel said. They are close enough as sisters and friends to be honest and critique each other as athletes. Tessa said training at a “high level” means they cannot be too “soft” on one another. “You’ve got to be a bit tough,” she said. The twins’ father, Thomas Kilchenmann, has been a lifelong supporter of his daughters, driving them to training and games in Perth and around the South West since they were 12 years-old. “Our dad has been amazing,” Rachel said. “He’s a stay-at-home dad, he’s retired and our biggest supporter.” Mr Kilchenmann said he is “super proud” of his daughters. “I’ve been looking forward to something like this — the opportunity they’ve been given is amazing,” he said.. “They’ve worked hard for six months so they can fund their whole program. “They’re dedicated, hard workers, not just on the farm, but also towards their sport - they’re weapons.” The twins’ mum, Tanya Kilchenmann, said they never have a negative thing to say about coaches or other teammates. “They just want to learn to be better and they have such fun doing that,” Mrs Kilchenmann said. “They are completely self-driven.” Rachel and Tessa said they are taking the journey as it comes, but aspire to play in the professional leagues in Europe, study in Canada and play in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.