Paupapa Webly, Et On Iturs Tehei Which Labaste, et, Three volleyball players from Tahiti, guided their team, the Saint-Dié Volley-Ball, to “A historical rise” In Ligue A. A collective adventure, marked by “a faultless”: 22 victories on 22 games and a title of champions of France elite.
Kahaialanie Tauraa, Tehea Labaste and Tehei Labaste, three Polynesian players, helped to raise their club, Saint-Dié Volley-Ball, in League A Female, the highest national level. A first in their careers, but also a historic event for their club. “2024-2025, it was a crazy season. We made 22 games and 22 wins. It’s a flawless, even in an elite it had never happened ”, tell the players, who last week already won the Federal French Cup at the end “A clogged final”. A course which therefore allows Saint-Dié to win the title in a female elite (2e Division), in addition to validating its climb in the AF Safforelle Power 6 League, where the best teams in France evolve.
“A dream that happens”
Next year, they will face Levallois Paris SC, Pays d’Aix Venelles, Nantes or Mulhouse and Béziers … A new challenge they say they are ready to take up. Because if the rise in Ligue A is a big victory, the biggest challenge is starting now for Tehei, Tehea and Kahaialanie. Playing in this more competitive division will require “Lots of adaptation and work” they say. “It’s a dream come true, but we still have to give everything to keep ourselves there”explains Tehei Labaste. And when they are asked what they feel today, they are a bit confused: “We don’t really realize yet yet, we know that we are champions but we don’t know … It’s the first time that happens, suddenly we don’t really know how to explain what we feel, but we are very happy with our journey. »»
“We put Mana a bit in the club”
The three Polynesian volleyball players have been evolving in mainland France for ten years. Kahaialanie, trained in Sens, passed by Calais and Istres, is receiptor-attacker. Tehea plays in the center, “A demanding position”while his sister Tehei also evolves in reception. “Each has its role, but we are complementary in the field”assures Tehei. A complementarity of which they intend to continue to use after having found themselves for the first time this season in this Vosges team. Because for girls, being together is a real asset. “We are used to playing all three together in Tahiti, Catherie Ui’ala Euarie. We know each other well, we help each other, we put a little, as we say to Tahiti, the mana in the club. We share our experiences and our combativeness. »»
If the climb is acquired, the season is not yet completely over.“We still have two games, even if we already know that we are champion”recall the players, who now hope to end up undefeated. This weekend, they will face Évreux, a team that has another Polynesian, Katia Tetuanui. Then the last meeting was set on April 26, at home, against Valenciennes. The opportunity to complete an already historic season in style.
