VOLLEYBALL 

NEWSLETTER

The following Newsletter has been forwarded to you, from the Volleyball Newsletter E-Mail list. The UK's leading on line Volleyball News service, providing up to date volleyball information, direct to newsletter members throughout the UK and Ireland. Articles are collected from a variety of sources and credited appropriately. The Volleyball Newsletter uses advertising sponsorship to support our free and non-profit making service to newsletter members. To advertise your volleyball events or products, direct to players, club and league secretaries throughout the UK Ireland, then please see our web site for details or contact Dave at Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Hi all, more news from the web.

Cheers - Dave Reece Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

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I have a Ladies Volleyball team from Malta visiting for a week early Sept who are looking for some friendly pre season matches against 4 teams from the South West. If anyone would be interested in arranging a match, please contact Yvonne on YSaker@uwic.ac.uk or 07880 547861.

Preferable dates are the 2nd / 3rd Sept (could arrange a triangular to get value for money for all players) or evenings on 4th or 5th.

They are undefeated in their National League for last year so would be interested in playing against National Leagues teams (Div 1-3) They may even be interested in playing against some men's teams if anyone is willing to organise it.

Look forward to hearing from you

Many thanks
Yvonne Saker YSaker@uwic.ac.uk
Cardiff Tigers

Torexe and Exeter City Council will be running a Level I Volleyball Coaching Course on 23rd/24th September from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. It's a 2-day course which leads to an EVA coaching qualification.

Cost: £30.00 (up tp 31st August) + £23.00 for Coaching Manual and first year coaching registration, £35.00 (after 31st August).

Download the Entry Form to book your place or for more info, please contact:
Elke Nachtigall elkenachtigall@aol.com

I've noticed the lack of resources for a comprehensive guide to determine and train setters. I have compiled information from a variety of sources to create a fairly comprehensive, 10 page setter's guide.

You can find it on my website listed below. I hope you find it helpful.
Any feedback is always welcome.

www.mts.net/~cglass/volleyball.html

Colin Glass
Junior Varsity Coach
Shaftesbury High School
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

The Thames Valley web site has changed to www.tvvbc.com.

Thanks,
Matthew Harrison Matthew.Harrison@anite.com
TVVC

Please come and play at our new social club for volleyball players, sporty people or .... rusty players! ........ with of course a visit to the pub afterwards!

The main aim being to just warm up maybe a couple of fun drills and then play. The most important thing is that we want it to be fun and not tooo competitive. We may visit some summer tournaments and possibly play outdoors also. We also hope also to organise some social events like cycling to Windsor, meals out or pubs nights out at live music.

THE DATES: We will play every Tueday 7 till 9pm ... then go to the pub.
THE COST : £3 per night.

• PHONE US: If you want to call then please leave Sally Hendry a message on: 0207 924 4122
• or Mark on: 077757 93122
• Or email us, putneyvolleyball@googlemail.com

LOCATION: ADT College, Pontinscale Road, Putney, SW15 2UT

Putney VB Putney VB putneyvolleyball@googlemail.com

Exmouth Beach Dates SW Beach Championships Sunday 3rd September

Please visit www.swvolleyball.org.uk for information about other tournaments planned for Exmouth Beach this summer and for entry forms for all competitions. Entry forms can also be obtained from all McCaulay’s clubs (contact details below).

McCaulay’s Health & Fitness, sponsors of South West Volleyball Association Exmouth Beach 4s and Junior Competitions, operates 4 clubs in the South West, Dinnaton Fitness & Golf near Ivybridge, Westpoint Health & Fitness Exeter, Plymouth City Centre and Newton Abbot Racecourse.

For additional information or interview please contact Hadrian Wakeham at McCaulay’s 07789 006927

Mike Halse mike.halse@gmail.com

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Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

This weeks Team of the Week is the London Docklands team, who took the 2006 Whitefield International Tournament Men's Premier Division title last weekend.

London Docklands beat White Eagles (3 - 0), in the Women's Premier Division Final, Team DR beat Wessex (3 - 0).

After a superb days volleyball on the beach we were treated to two wonderful displays of beach volleyball in the mens and ladies finals at this years McCauays Beach pairs competition.

We started off with the ladies where Julia Werdich and Natali Defterios showed no mercy when playing the 2 Ali's, Ali West and Ali Perkins, from Southbourne. After a fairly close first set they cruised to victory in the second set only allowing the Ali's a few points.

Ladies
1st	Julia Werdich & Natali Defterios	(Cardiff/London)
2nd	Ali West & Ali Perkins	(Southbourne)
3rd	Anette Grahns & Ellen Koenders	(Newton Abbot/Exeter)
4th	Sophie Hare & Natalie Smith	(Ivybridge/Exeter)

The mens final was very different with local boys Mike Melbourne and Sam Thompson pushing the favourites Mike Constantinou and Andy Gapinski all the way. Mike and Sam took the first Set 22-20 and Mike and Andy took the second 21-18, in the 3rd set Mike and Sam took an early lead but the other 2 came back to level at 10-10. There was nothing to choose between them when it got 15-15 and someone had to win by 2 clear points. It was the visiting pair whose experience showed through in the end to take the final set 17-15.

Men
1st	Mike Constantinou & Andy Gapinski	(Bristol/Cardiff)
2nd	Mike Melbourne & Sam Thompson	(Ottery St Mary)
3rd	Stefan Koruntchev & Ross Stubbenhagen	(Newport/London)
4th	Tim Clark & Steve Popham	(Exeter)

Mike Halse mike.halse@gmail.com

In a span of just two months the AVP has seen three of its athletes reach the million dollar plateau in prize money earned. The 2006 AVP Crocs Tour began with just one American women in Beach Volleyball history who had earned over $1,000,000 in her career. Holly McPeak, the winningest player in history with 72 titles has won over $1,400,000 in her career.

Misty May-Treanor became the second member of the million dollar club at the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open over Memorial Day Weekend. On the Fourth of July weekend on the Jersey Shore, Elaine Youngs became the third member.

To become the fourth member in front of a packed house and LIVE on NBC, Kerri Walsh would have to win the AVP McDonald's Chicago Open presented by Nautica. Walsh stood up to the challenge as she and partner May-Treanor swept every opponent they faced in the windy city and won at least one game in each match by seven or more points.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball avp.newsletter@avp.com

The European League as well as the European Qualification Tournament for the World Grand Prix will benefit from a tremendous live TV coverage. 27 matches of the European League, which will be held from 21st July to 20th August 2006 in Ankara (TUR), Lamia (GRE), Valladolid (ESP), Rotterdam (NED), Rakvere (EST), Zagreb (CRO), Presov (SVK), Berlin (GER) and Izmir (TUR), will be broadcast live.

The nine following televison channels will broadcast a number of matches live: Eurosport, Eurosport 2, TRT (TUR), ET1 (GRE), Sport + (GRE), TVE (ESP), Kanal 2 (EST), HRTV (CRO), STV 2 (SVK). The Dutch as well as the German television will show matches of their men?s national teams on a delayed basis.

The whole coverage of the European League matches totals to 33 live broadcasts, around 50 hours of live TV, as well as nine delayed broadcasts in Europe.

From 26th September to 1st October 2006 eight top European womens team will compete for the four free spots of the FIVB World Grand Prix in 2007 in Varna (BUL). 14 of the total 16 matches of the European Qualification Tournament will be covered live by Eurosport.

The above mentioned record regarding television time can also be attributed to the recently signed contract between the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) and ?Eurosport?. The new contract covers the period 2006-2008, including the following volleyball events:

• Indesit European Champions? League 2006/07, 2007/08: playoffs and Final Four
• European League 2006, 2007 and 2008
• 2006, 2007 and 2008 European Qualification Tournament for FIVB World Grand Prix
• Qualification Tournaments for the Olympic Games 2008

Shelly Bickendorf sbickendorf@cev.lu

The market on volleyball players has closed in Italy, and the teams have announced their rosters. Of the 166 players, there are 100 from Italy, 16 from Brazil, 7 germans, 6 serbs, 5 czechs, 4 cubans, 3 from each og Netherland, Belgium and Hungary, 2 from Croatia, Finland, France, Poland, Portugal and USA. Australia, Spain, Estonia, Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ucraine and Venezuela 1 each.

Noticably no russians.

Average heights:

• Setter: 192.4 cm
• Outside/oposite: 197 cm
• Middle Blocker: 202.3 cm
• Libero: 190.7 cm

Total average: 197.1 cm

Cheers
Are Akselsen RSV

With 34 years of age Norwegian Vegard Hoidalen from Norway belongs to the veterans of the European Beach Volleyball Scene and he's not yet tired Norwegian Vegard Hoidalen has asserted himself for the longest period of time as a professional in the European Beach Volleyball scene. The 34-year-old not only delivers top results, but has also made a name for himself on the beach as a charismatic and confrontational individual. His on-court emotions and his discussions with referees are legendary.

Q. You are one of the pioneers of the European Beach Volleyball scene. Do you still have fun in the sand after all these years?

A. Yes, I still have a lot of fun. I like travelling, like the people around the sport and I love coming to the beach more than 200 days a year. My heart beats for this sport.

Q. It’s a fact that you’re getting older, whilst your opponents are becoming younger. How do you motivate yourself for this challenge?

A. Age is a strange thing. At 20 you tend to think that a person of 35 is old. If you asked anyone of 45, they will tell you that they feel young. I wouldn’t consider myself as old and I’m certainly not thinking about quitting. In all major sports most of the stars are an average 30 if not older. If you remain motivated and healthy, you’re able to play for a long time.

Q. How long will you continue to compete?

A. I believe you can improve your level up until the beginning forties. Talking about beating younger players, I love it and I think I’m going to like it even more the older and more experienced I get. Last year I started to play with Terje Oevergaard who is very strong indoors but needs some more time on the beach. Terje is 30 and I’m 34, but we are planning for the long term. If I stay as successful as I was next to Karch Kiraly, I’ll have another ten years left in the scene.

Q. Do want to stay faithful to the sport of Beach Volleyball in another function once you have retired?

A. Yes. I am investing a lot of time in this sport on different projects. The potential of growth in Beach Volleyball is extremely high and I would like to be a part of it.

Q. What do you think about the development of the NESTEA European Championship Tour during the past three years?

A. Everything is on the right track. It’s great that the NESTEA European Championship Tour has been growing as much as it has, so that the players have more opportunities to make a living at the beach. I’m very happy to see the growth from year to year and I participate on this Tour as much as I can. The sport needs this Tour, which the sponsors, as well as GSM and the CEV are making possible.

Q. Your style to play is very emotional. Your discussions with the referees are legendary. Do you have to play like this to be successful?

A. I like games packed with emotion and action - who doesn’t? I always try to do my best, sometimes with concentration, sometimes with enthusiasm and adrenalin. Usually I turn my emotions towards the referee when he/she seems too arrogant. I respect referees who make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. As a player I have to respect that referees have bad days. This will usually end in discussions on court, which is all part of the game. I don’t know if my emotions help my performance on court or not.

Q. Which European team impressed you most in all these years and why?

A. That’s a tough question to answer because there have been so many great teams. Maia/Brenha from Portugal have always impressed me a lot. They made it to two Olympic semi-finals despite being very short in size for Beach Volleyball players, but they possess an extraordinary defence, strong serves, as well as great passing and setting. Two other teams that have impressed me were the Laciga brothers and my countrymen Kvalheim/Maaseide. On the women’s side I like the Italians Perrotta/Gattelli. They have played well for years due to technical skills more than physical skills. I like their style of play.

Q. Eleven years ago you played your first big international tournament in Berlin, where you won two years later. Is Berlin a magical place in your career?

A. There were 128 teams playing in the qualification tournament in 1995 if I remember correctly. It was a hard job those days, as we had to play eight or nine matches before losing in one of the last rounds. I guard a lot of positive memories from Berlin, the best being the victory in 1998. Yes, I believe Berlin has become a magical place for me. Q. In 1997 you became European Champion. You have also won four bronze European Championship medals. Are these the highlights of your career?

A. Maybe, but hopefully I still have some highlights to come.

www.cev.lu

Volleyball Hall of Fame to honor six international stars and Japan Volleyball Association (JVA)

• Bernie Holtzman - Beach Volleyball Pioneer (USA)
• Endre Holvay - International Leader (Hungary)
• Jackie Silva – 1996 Olympic Gold Medal (Brazil)
• Edward Skorek – 1976 Olympic Gold Medal (Poland)
• Nina Smoleeva - 1968 and 1972 Olympic Gold Medals (USSR)
• Shigeo Yamada – Coach - 1976 Olympic Gold Medal (Japan)

Six international greats of volleyball will be honored here in the birthplace of the sport on Thursday, Oct. 12. Bernie Holtzman of the United States, Endre Holvay of Hungary, Jackie Silva of Brazil, Edward Skorek of Poland, Nina Smoleeva of USSR/ Russia and Shigeo Yamada of the Japan will be inducted to the Volleyball Hall of Fame in an afternoon ceremony. The Japan Volleyball Association with receive the “Court of Honor Award.”

Bernie Holtzman, who once said that "Volleyball is God's gift to the beach bum," started playing volleyball on the beach in 1935. At age 13, he would find ways to travel from Hollywood to the Santa Monica Pier area to play.

Later, Holtzman competed during an era when only two or three “Open” tournaments were held each year. He and Manny Saenz formed a near-unbeatable tandem on the beach, winning 10 “Open” tournaments beginning with the 1948 State Beach Men’s Open. Holtzman and Gene Selznick (1988 VHF inductee) formed another almost unbeatable combination as the two won 18 out of 20 “Open” tournaments beginning in 1955.

He stopped playing volleyball in 2004 at the age of 82 when the Hollywood YMCA scheduled “Volleyball-Play” in the gym at 10 p.m. Holtzman was inducted into the California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 1992. USA Volleyball recognized him on its 75th Anniversary Beach All-Era Team (1928-1952).

Holvay, a Budapest native, was introduced to volleyball as a high school student. As a competitive national player, he helped found the Hungarian Volleyball Federation. Holvay served the federation as a player, a coach and a referee.

He served two-terms as Hungarian Volleyball Federation President and was the Vice President of the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) for two terms, 1959 - 1961 and 1970 - 1972. The Federation has recognized Holvay for contributions to the sport with numerous accolades - the Memorial Diploma in 1977, Order of Merits in 1980, Centennial Medal in 1995, and the Silver Cross, which recognizes his “outstanding contribution to the world prestige and image of volleyball,” in 2002.

Since 1965, Holvay has served the National Hungarian Olympic Committee. The committee has recognized him with its highest honors, including the Medal of Merit in 1998. His country has also recognized him with the Hungarian People’s Republic Sport Gold Medal in 1988, the Order Officer Cross in 1994, Sports Prize in 1998 and the Youth and Sports Minister’s Count Miksa Eszterhazy prize for life-works.

Jacqueline Silva has been a volleyball icon for more than two decades. Best described by former teammates as determined and devoted, Silva has more than 100 combined wins at beach and indoor events. Known to fans as Jackie, the Rio de Janeiro native first encountered the sport on the Copacabana beaches at age nine. Silva was playing in international competitions less than five years later.

At 18, Silva finished seventh with the first Brazilian Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow and in 1984 in Los Angeles.

With her passion for beach volleyball, Silva dominated the sand throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Her first major international win came at the 1986 World Beach Volleyball Championship with former partner Rita Buck-Crockett.

She used her world title as momentum for the 1987 Women’s Professional Volleyball Association tour. Named the WPVA Best Setter in 1992, Silva was ranked first on the 1989 and 1990 tours. She continued racking up wins on the 1993 Association of Volleyball Professionals tour and was selected as the Most Valuable Player in 1994.

In 1995, Silva won the FIVB Tour Championships with partner Sandra Pires. Her win made the Olympic Games the only major international event she had not won in her indoor or beach career. But Silva completed her resume, by capturing the inaugural Women’s Beach Volleyball Gold Medal at 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The Jackie Silva Institute runs an anti-drug abuse sports project that serves approximately 4,000 Brazilian children in 30 different communities.

With 33-year-old Edward Skorek as its captain, the Polish National Team won a Gold Medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games by defeating Russia in five sets. Skorek helped Poland rally from a 2-1 set deficit and 14-15 score in the third set. The Russian team had not lost a single set in the 1976 Olympics until the championship match.

Skorek played 12 years for Poland with more than 275 world-class competitions after the conclusion of the 1976 Olympics. He also ignited Poland to the 1974 World Championship title. Known as “the great bomber” for his cross-court shots and “straight-down spikes”, Skorek went on to compete in the International Volleyball Association, a fledgling professional volleyball league in the United States, in 1977.

Smoleeva was one of the most talented players to step on the court for the Soviet Union. Representing the country in three consecutive Olympic Games, Smoleeva netted the Gold Medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and the 1972 Olympics in Munich. She also led her team to Olympic Silver in Montreal in 1976.

Among the other highlights from her more than 10 years of international competition are a Gold Medal from the 1970 World Championships, a Gold Medal at the 1973 World Cup and a Bronze Medal from the 1978 World Championships.

Smoleeva also took home the gold medal from the European Championships five times. At the European Championship Cup, Smoleeva led her nation to the Gold Medal six times.

Yamada dedicated his life to volleyball. A former Japanese coach and team leader, he helped the national team continue its international success from the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo through the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

He was the head coach of the Japan Women’s National Volleyball Team, which won the silver medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. In 1974, his team won the women’s world championship in Guadalajara, Mexico. It went on to win the Olympic gold medal in 1976 in Montreal. In 1977, his Women’s National Team won the second Women’s World Cup, in Japan. Yamada also guided the team to win Bronze Medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Yamada died April 6, 2002. He was 66.

The Japan Volleyball Association will receive the Hall’s “Court of Honor” award. The award honors organizations which have displayed a serious commitment to the promotion of the sport of volleyball.

The sport would not be the same without the influence of the JVA. Established in 1927, the JVA is one of the most respected volleyball organizations in the world. Today, the JVA boasts more than 40,000 active members playing volleyball on high school, collegiate, national and international teams.

John Kane pr@volleyhall.org

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