FIEP · 2018-11-13 · BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA . REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA . BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF...

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić

Nenad Živanović

Petar D. Pavlović

Branislav Antala

(Editors)

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN

EUROPE

FIEP Europe – History of

Physical Education and Sport

Section

Association of Pedagogues of

Physical Education and Sport

FIEP, Niš, Serbia

University of Priština, Faculty of

Sport and Physical Education in

Leposavić

Niš - Leposavić, 2018.

FIEP book

Edition: History of Physical Education and

Sport

Book 4

Book:

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN EUROPE

Editors:

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić (BIH, Republic of Srpska)

Nenad Živanović (Serbia)

Petar D. Pavlović (BIH, Republic of Srpska)

Branislav Antala (Slovakia)

Publisher:

University of Priština, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Leposavić

For publisher:

Veroljub Stanković

Reviewers:

Branislav Antala (Slovakia)

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić (BIH, Republic of Srpska)


Nicolae Ochiana (Romania)


Sergii Ivashchenko (Ukraine)

Slađana Mijatović (Serbia)

Sobyanin Fedor Ivanovich (Russia)

Veroljub Stanković (Serbia)

Violeta Šiljak (Serbia)

Zoran Milošević (Serbia)

Prepress:

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić

Book-jacket: SIGRAF Kruševac

Circulation:

200

Printed by:

SIGRAF Kruševac

ISBN 978-86-82329-75-6

NOTE: No part of this publication may be

reproduced without the prior permission of the

authors.

Authors:

Arūnas Emeljanovas (Lithuania)

Barbaros Çelenk (Turkey)

Bernat Buscà Safont-Tria (Spain)

Bogacheva Elizaveta Alekseevna (Russia)

Bruno Telles Matos (Brazil)

Daiva Majauskienė (Lithuania)

Daniela Dasheva (Bulgaria)

Dejan Milenković (Serbia)

Dimitar Mihailov (Bulgaria)

František Seman (Slovakia)

Gheorghe Balint (Romania)

Gıyasettin Demirhan (Turkey)

Govindasamy Balasekaran (Singapore)

Ioan Turcu (Romania)

Ivashchenko Sergii (Ukraine)

José Fernandes Filho (Brazil)

Kadutskaya Larisa Anatolievna (Russia)

Khtey Taras Yurievich (Russia)

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić (BIH, Republic of Srpska) Laércio Camilo Rodrigues (Brazil)

Manolis Adamakis (Greece)

Marc Llinàs Folch (Spain)

Milena Momirović (Serbia)


Ng Yew Cheo (Singapore)

Peggy Boey (Singapore)


Shipulin Gennady Yakovlevich (Russia)

Sinem Hazır Aytar (Turkey)

Sobyanin Fedor Ivanovich (Russia)

Vladimir Kotev (Bulgaria)

Zhilina Larisa Vasilyevna (Russia)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD ............................................................................................. 9

BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ............................ 11

BEGINNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN BULGARIA ............................................................. 19


VOLLEYBALL IN GREECE .................................................................. 30

BEGINNING OF VOLLEYBALL IN LITHUANIA ............................... 51

THE BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN ROMANIA .............................................................. 64

THE HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN RUSSIA .................................. 77

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN SERBIA AND ACHIEVING

THE SPORT OLYMP .............................................................................. 88


VOLLEYBALL IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC ........................................... 102

A BRIEF HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN SPAIN:

FROM ITS EARLY BEGINNINGS TO THE

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................ 121


VOLLEYBALL IN TURKEY ............................................................... 130

BEGINNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN UKRAINE ............................................................. 150


VOLLEYBALL IN BRAZIL ................................................................. 159


VOLLEYBALL IN SINGAPORE ......................................................... 176

FOREWORD

During one session of FIEP’s Section for history of Physical Education

and Sports held in Niš (Serbia) in 2014 originated the idea and initiative for

writing of collective monograph on History of Sports and Physical

Education in European countries. By exchange of views with present

colleagues, the idea was accepted.

After consent of FIEP Europe’s President Mr. Branislav Antala

(Slovakia) regarding this matter, during the following Section’s session the

Commission for leading this idea into realization was formed. Elected

members of this Commission were: Nenad Živanović, Petar D. Pavlović,

Branislav Antala and Kristina M. Pantelić Babić. At the same session was

decided to start with writing of collective monograph History of Physical

Education.

With the work of stated Commission members, National Delegates and

Assistant of National Delegate of FIEP Europe, as also other associates from

most European countries, edition about beginnings of development of

Physical Education in European countries was successfully published in

2015.

Due to the fact that first part of the project was very successful, the idea

continues also in the following 2016 with same Commission and with

edition about history of FOOTBALL IN EUROPE and in 2017 HISTORY OF

BASKETBALL IN EUROPE. This year we continue the tradition and present

you the HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN EUROPE. Besides already

becoming an annual FIEP’s edition, this monograph may also be essential

for the development of relevant scientific branches across Europe.

For this publication 13 manuscripts were received, with the interesting

fact that we have 11 manuscripts from Europe and 2 “guest” manuscripts,

one from Brazil and one from Singapore. They all successfully passed

review process, and all papers are classified by reviewers and editors as

scientific papers.

Papers are sorted alphabetically, beginning with countries from Europe

which participated in this edition, and with Brazilian and Singapore papers

at the end.

We thank all authors for being a part of this interesting project and hope

to continue our cooperation in 2018.

With kind regards,

EDITORS

9

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF VOLLEYBALL

IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Kristina M. Pantelić Babić, University of Banja Luka, Faculty of

Physical Education and Sports, FIEP Europe assistant

national delegate

Petar D. Pavlović, University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Physical

Education and Sports, FIEP Europe national delegate

Introduction

Originally called „mintonette“, the game of volleyball was invented in

1895 by William G. Morgan,1 a graduate of the Springfield College of the

YMCA, USA. Morgan designed this game to be a combination of basketball,

baseball, tennis, and handball.2 In the years to follow this game became more

and more popular accross the world.

In Europe volleyball appeared in 1917’s, first in France and afterwards

in Italy. US soldiers brought this game with them when they were stationed in

France that year. Since 1919’s it started to play also in other European

countries: Poland, Czechoslovakia, SSSR and others. International Volleyball

Federation (FIVB) was founded in 1947 in Paris (France), where, among 14

pioneer countries who presented this formation, was also a representative of

Yugoslavia.3

At the territory of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians (Kingdom

of SCS) (from 1929: Kingdom of Yugoslavia) volleyball started to play in

Djevdjelija in 1918, before the establishment of a new country. It was played

by French soldiers who were stationed there.4

People from Belgrade met volleyball in 1923 when the same year there

was an edition of A. Brazdil “Gymnastic games for schools, societies and

army” where inter alia was also a description of volleyball. This edition was

1 Стефан Илић & Слађана Мијатовић: Историја физичке културе (History

of physical culture), D.T.A. TRADE, д.о.о. Београд, Belgrade, 2006. 2 Retrived from: https://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-volleyball.htm

3 Retrieved from: http://www.fivb.org/EN/FIVB/FIVB_History.asp

4 Enciklopedija fizičke kulture (Encyclopedia of Physical Culture), tom 1, A –

O, Jugoslovenski leksikografski zavod, Zagreb, 1975, heading Odbojka

(Volleyball), p. 663 – 675.

11

https://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-volleyball.htm

http://www.fivb.org/EN/FIVB/FIVB_History.asp

approved by the Ministry of Education of Kingdom of SCS as an auxiliary

textbook for teachers in primary, secondary and specialized schools.5

In Ljubljana in 1926 was a Federal Sokol course for sokol frontmen,

where, among other things, was decided to implement volleyball in school

curricula. After that many sokol societies included volleyball in their public

performances and competition program. In the same year Sokol union of

Kingdom of SCS received an invitation for Sokol slet in Prague with various

competitions, among which also volleyball. So far we are not familiar with the

fact if they actually took part in volleyball competition in Prague.

At sokol slet in Belgrade in 1930 there was also a Sokol Union

volleyball competition. Next year in Maribor there was a volleyball competition

for youth and senior competitors of Sokol Union. After the competition there

was probably the first international volleyball match between teams of Sokol

society Maribor and Czech sokol team from Kromeriz. Czech team won by 2:0.

After WWII the volleyball started with even more intensity at the

territory of newly formed country.

Konjic

Male and female sokols from Herzegovina and Bosnia, who participated

at 8th

All-Sokol Slet in July 1926 in Prague, had the opportunity to see

volleyball game. In late 1927 Milenko Đokić started to come to Sokol society

in Konjic to teach dancing to the sokol members. Besides dancing he also

demonstrated and explained one new game, unknown until that time at the

territory of Herzegovina and Bosnia, game where the ball was played with

fingers.

The volleyball began playing in Herzegovinian sokol societies, firstly in

Konjic in late 1927, and in other societies in early 1928. Milenko Đokić

introduced this new game to male and female sokol members. Regarding this

Pavo Jozanc wrote as follows:

“... Volleyball in Konjic is becoming a very popular game, so the

playground located on the site of the ‘Partizan’ playground is becoming

insufficient to receive everyone interested in this game. There was a

need for building a volleyball court. The playground was built at Pleha

... Participants in the game were passing the leather ball over the net

trying to achieve a victory over the opponent. Teams were often mixed

(together in one team were women and men).”6

Volleyball was played in other places in Herzegovina, primarily in sokol

societies, and occasional some competitions were held. In 1928, in Mostar's

5 Ibid., p. 664.

6 Pavo Jožanc: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za istoriju fizičke

kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, god. 9, br. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, стр. 14.

12

Sokol Parish, there was a competition where in addition to other sports

disciplines, was also volleyball. Male youth members of SS Konjic won 3rd

place in their category. According to the reviewed sources, the 4th

Competition

of Sokol Societies of Mostar Sokol Parish in volleyball was held in 1936,

which means that at least three competitions were held in previous years.

During the competition in 1936 participated: male and female youth, and senior

members. In the female youth category SS Mostar I took the first place, and SS

Mostar II won the second place; in male youth category SS Mostar won first

place, SS Konjic were second and SS Metković third. In the competition of the

senior members SS Konjic took the first place, the second were SS Metković

and third SS Nevesinje.7

According to Pavo Jožanc: “… in period 1932 – 1939 Konjic teams were

one of the best volleyball teams in Mostar Sokol Parish.”8

Lukavac (near Tuzla)

Volleyball in Lukavac started in 1930, and already in next 1931 started

also first competition. After forming of Sokol society in Lukavac in 1924,

already in 1926 male and female members of this society start to go to sokols

slets. That is how Osman Tufekčić, member of this society, after participation

in Province Slet of Czechoslovakian Sokolism in 1929 in Plzen, brought

volleyball rules back with him to Lukavac. Those rules were a handmade

transcript from the ones in Plzen. Osman was the initiator of the idea to

implement volleyball in official program of Sokol societies in Tuzla Sokol

Parish. From 1930 to 1931 was implemented and action of building and

preparing the volleyball playgrounds in all sokol societies of Tuzla Sokol

Parish.

Administration of Tuzla Sokol Parish at their session held on March 23rd

1931 in Tuzla accepted the initiative of Head of SS Lukavac, Osman Tufekčić,

and among other conclusion, decided that Tufekčić should go to Zemun and

“… ‘learn the practical part of volleyball’ and to ‘demonstrate volleyball at

public performance’ in Kreka 25/26 April 1931.”9

Jožanc stated that: “… out of that comes the conclusion that

Administration of Tuzla Sokol Parish was familiar with the fact that volleyball

is not played in other bosnian-herzegovinian Parishes, i.e. that beginnings of

volleyball are related to Osman Tufekčić, that the rules of the game were

7 Kristina Pantelić Babić: Sokol movement in Herzegovina from 1893 to April

6th

1941, Doctoral dissertation, University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Physical

Education and Sports, department of Theory and Methodology of Sports, June

2018. 8 Pavo Jožanc: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za istoriju fizičke

kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 9, no. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, p. 14. 9 Ibid., p. 15.

13

rewritten by his hand in Plzen 1929 and that it was his initiative and persistence

to implement the game in Lukavac and spread it to other sokol societies in

Tuzla Sokol Parish.”10

We cannot accept the statement that “…beginnings of volleyball are

related to Osman Tufekčić…” and that before that volleyball was not played in

Bosnia and Herzegovina, because volleyball in Herzegovina started before that

time, and first volleyball competitions were held in Mostar Sokol Parish in

1928, but we can confirm that most credits for beginnings of volleyball in

Tuzla Sokol Parish belong to Osman Tufekčić.

Administration of Tuzla Sokol Parish on session from Maj 31st 1931

concluded that “… Tufekčić attended a volleyball course in Šabac and that he

held a course in Lukavac on May 24th

1931 where he demonstrated this game

and trained the candidates…. from Brčko (6), Bukinja (5), Kreka (2), Gradačac

(2), Modriča (1), Maglaj (1), Teslić (1), Tuzla (1) and Zvornik (1 member).”11

Session of leaders of sokol societies of Tuzla Sokol Parish was held on

June 21st 1931 in Tuzla, where was stated that in “… ‘Report of Parish Leader

about work of the leadership for first half-year period of 1931’ inter alia is

stated that ‘for this year competition there is also volleyball’, that volleyball

started in Lukavac where a playground was set and that Lukavac ‘players

gladly play that game’, and that ‘a chance to learn this game was also given to

other societies’.”12

At the session of Administration of Tuzla Sokol Parish held on June 7th

1931 in Tuzla four referees were nominated for volleyball competition of Tuzla

Sokol Parish: Anđelić, Vejić, Kisić and D. Popović.

In year that followed playing of volleyball continued with even more

intensity. Competitions and public exercises were performed, and one of them

was on April 30th

1932 in Lukavac. County competitions were organized on

September 3rd

1932. In first (Tuzla) county winners were male seniors and

female youth members of SS Lukavac. After county competitions, there was a

competition for senior winners of certain counties. At this competition

participated winners of three counties: first county (Tuzla), second county

(Bosanski Brod) and fourth county (Zvornik). Sokol Society Lukavac was the

winner of this competition, and therefore became the volleyball champion of

Tuzla Sokol Parish.13

Volleyball in Lukavac was played until WWII, “… especially from the

arrival of Manojlo Vlatković, volleyball player, referee and sokol frontman.

Volleyball in SS Lukavac slowly developed and became more and more a game

that gathered the largest number of active participants and sympathizers.”14

10

Ibid. 11

Ibid. 12

Ibid. 13

Ibid. 14

Ibid, p. 16.

14

After WWII volleyball continues its development in Lukavac.

Sarajevo

In Sarajevo Volleyball started in Sokol Society Sarajevo-Matica in

1931, whn first volleyball net was set at the summer playground of the

Society.15

Sokol member, Bogomir Ružička, in that year for members of SS

Sarajevo-Matica translated volleyball rules from Czech to Serbian, “… while

the official rules and instructions for playing were approved by the

Administration of Sokol Union of Kingdom of Yugoslavia on 1st of May

1931.”16

After setting the volleyball net at Sarajevo-Matica’s playground and

start of volleyball there, it started to play also in Sokol societies Novo Sarajevo

and Vratnik. as also on the playground of National elementary school in

Nemanjina street.

At its very beginnings volleyball was played as follows: “ – The line-up

was the same like today, with slightly different positions when receiving

service.

The service was from the hand, while extraordinary individuals tried to

do give a certain spin to the ball or some other kind of acceleration. There were

also unsuccessful attempts of ‘tennis’ service.

- After service, the reception was up with fingers or down with open

palms with intention to pass the ball high in the middle of the net so it could be

passed to the opponent side by jump and turn. According to rules today, those

were a ‘catch’ balls.”17

Spiking was performed in a way “… that middle net player set the ball

high above head, parallel with the net with some 30 – 40 cm distance, while the

attacker, with quite a run-up, spiked the ball jumping from one leg. It would

rarely happen that one player performs a block, but the ball was spiked into the

opponent court, so who gets to bump a ball with palms or fingers.

The spike was rarely defended, at least during the first years of playing

volleyball.”18

About attack and defense Jožanc wrote: “There was almost now system

of attack or defense, but the situation was resolved ‘on site’ depending on

whoever got the ball. Just about 1934 and beginning of inter-parish volleyball

15

Pavo Jožanc: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za istoriju

fizičke kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 9, no. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, p. 3 – 21. 16

Ibid, p. 3. 17

Ibid, p. 3 – 4. 18

Ibid., 4.

15

competitions, more attention was addressed to competitive side of volleyball,

with developing attack and defense, substitutions of players, etc…”19

At the end of July 1934 in Sarajevo was organized volleyball

competition for members of Sokol Societies: Vratnik, Novo Sarajevo and

Sarajevo-Matica, during the afternoon hours. First match was played on

Sarajevo-Matica’s playground at 5.30 pm.

The competition was announced by daily journal Yugoslav Post from

July 25th

1934:

“On Sunday 29th

t.m. first volleyball match between sokol societies

Sarajevo-Matica, Vratnik, Novo Sarajevo. It starts at 5.30 pm. Entrance for

membership 1 dinar, and for non-members 2 dinars. The match will take place

at Sokol society Sarajevo-Matica, skenderija st. 3.”20

One more time in journal Yugoslav Post from July 28th

1934 they

announced this match:

“On Sunday 29th

t.m. at the summer playground of Sokol society

‘Sarajevo – Matica’ very interesting volleyball match. This nice and

extraordinary healthy game, gains more supporters every day and it seems like

it will soon become popular in wider population.”21

More intensive playing of volleyball continued in Sarajevo. Already in

1935 there was a city championship with teams of Sokol societies from

Sarajevo. After that there was a championship of Sarajevo Sokol Union. The

winner was SS Sarajevo – Matica. Team members of SS Sarajevo – Matica

were: Rudolf Ažman, Jakica Baruh, Sveto Gaćinović, Slavko Gaćinović,

Rudolf Klimek, Mirko Ljuboje, Edo Montiljo, Nikola Ružička, Anton Suhi,

Đurica Cvetković and Asim Šukalić. And for youth performed: Vojislav

Bajović, Jozef Baruh, Slobodan Gašić, Pavo Jožanc, Milorad Mlađenović,

Veljko Ostojić, Nenad Ostojić, Veljko Petrović, Strahinja Petrović, Srđan

Stočević and Alfred Hesler.22

At those competitions, from other Sokol societies from Sarajevo, among

others, performed also: Ivan Balgavi, Milan Glasović, Dic Karlo, Dic Lujo,

Vlado Juvanec, Dušan Pavlović, Pavle Pavlović, Dušan Popović, Aleksandar

Fajgelj, Ivan Fajgelj and Ladislav Šenk.23

Soon after ladies also started playing volleyball, and most credits for

spreading volleyball among women members goes to Jelena Dopuđa. Among

best female sokol volleyball players were: Zaga Aleksić, Žana Antonijević,

19

Ibid. 20

Cited in: Pavo Jožanc: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za

istoriju fizičke kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 9, no. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, p.

4. 21

Ibid. 22

Pavo Jožanc: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za istoriju

fizičke kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 9, no. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, p. 4. 23

Ibid.

16

Živka Antonijević, Ružica Baždar, Beba Bandić, Mira Bandić, Abida Kadić,

Štefica Koritnik, Zora Tolpa, Mira Ćurković, and others.24

Sarajevo male and female sokols played volleyball not only at their

playgrounds, but also during picnics, camping and public classes.

Volleyball Referees Seminar, probably first one of its kind in Bosnia

and Herzegovina, was held at the end of 1936 or early 1937 (we have no exact

data) in Sarajevo. This seminar was led by Vlado Juvanec, sokol member from

Sarajevo. The members of sokol societies from Sarajevo, who also played

volleyball, became first volleyball referees at this time. After the seminar they

“… got a title of area-city referee, but all of this was not recorded anywhere,

nor any referee received a diploma or confirmation of this referee exam or

course.”25

Volleyball in other places of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Volleyball in Brčko, same as in other places, started to play in Sokol

societies. In Brcko it started in 1932, after two Sokol members from Brcko,

Petar Zelac and Boško Marković, came back from course about rules and

playing volleyball in Tuzla. The same year first volleyball playground was

made in Brčko. The most famous players from that time until beginning of

WWII were: Nedo Basrak, Petar Zrelac, Fikret Kučukalić, Boško Marković,

Atah Hadžialijagić and Harber Finci; and female volleyball players: Milica

Bjelanović, Kata Jovanović, Olga Jović, Olga Marković, Vida Popović and

Nada Popović.26

Volleyball in Breza, also as part of sokol society, started in 1930, and

first competitions from 1934.27

During 1930 Nurudin Mujagić from Bosanski Brod and Manojlo

Stanković from Slavonski Brod demonstrated volleyball game to members of

Derventa Sokol society. After that members of this society started to play

volleyball on playground of civil school in Derventa. Money for the first

volleyball ball was given by Milan Đado, director of Derventa Bank, and Esad

Alibegović went to buy and bring this ball to this town. Most famous volleyball

players until WWII were: Nemudin Alagić, Brano Banović, Viki Vanjhard,

Rudi Vanjhard, Franjo Vanjhard, Vojo Vasilić, Viki Dobrinić, Vaso Nečipar,

Branko Popović, Nurudin Porobić and Izudin Hadžlagić; and female volleyball

players: Koviljka Anđelić and Bogdana Beba Kostić.28

24

Ibid. 25

Ibid, p. 11. 26

Ibid, p. 19. 27

Ibid. 28

Ibid, p. 18.

17

REFERENCES

Enciklopedija fizičke kulture (Encyclopedia of Physical Culture), tom 1, A – O,

Jugoslovenski leksikografski zavod, Zagreb, 1975, heading Odbojka

(Volleyball), p. 663 – 675.

Hajrudin, Ćurić: O fiskulturnoj aktivnosti u Mostaru posle prvog svjetskog rata,

Prilozi za istoriju fizičke culture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 1, no. 1,

Sarajevo, 1968, pp. 54 – 55.

Илић, Стефан & Мијатовић, Слађана: Историја физичке културе (History

of physical culture), D.T.A. TRADE, д.о.о. Београд, Belgrade, 2006.

Jožanc, Pavo: Razvoj odbojke u Bosni i Hercegovini, Prilozi za istoriju fizičke

kulture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 9, no. 10, Sarajevo, 1976, p. 3 – 21.

Jugoslovenski sport 1933. Godišnjak saveza sportskih saveza Kraljevine

Jugoslavije, urednik Hrvoje Macanović, Savez sportskih saveza

Kraqevine Jugoslavije, Zagreb, 1933.

Pantelić Babić, Kristina: Sokol movement in Herzegovina from 1893 to April 6th

1941, Doctoral dissertation, University of Banja Luka, Faculty of

Physical Education and Sports, department of Theory and Methodology

of Sports, June 2018.

Pašić, Šefik: Radnička sportska društva i organizacije u Hercegovini do 1941.

godine, Prilozi za istoriju fizičke culture u Bosni i Hercegovini, vol. 7,

no. 8, Sarajevo, 1974, pp. 3 – 18.

Павловић Д., Петар & Пантелић Бабић М., Кристина: Спортски живот у

Херцеговини од 1918. до 1941. године (Sport life in Herzegovina from

1918 to 1941), in: Ћоровићеви сусрети, Српска проза данас, scientific

conference, Херцеговина у вријеме Краљевине СХС и Краљевине

Југославије 1918 – 1941 године, (20 – 23. september 2012), Congress

proceedings, ed. Nikola Asanović, СПКД „Просвјета“ Билећа – Гацко,

2013, pp. 293 – 313.



18



BULGARIA

BEGINNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF VOLLEYBALL IN

BULGARIA

Vladimir Kotev, Dimitar Mihailov & Daniela Dasheva, National

Sports Academy “V. Levsski” - Sofia

Volleyball in Bulgaria appeared relatively early. For the first time

volleyball was played in October 1922 in the courtyard of the Technical School

in Sofia.

Shortly afterwards volleyball gained great popularity among young

students. With enthusiasm, young people started to build volleyball

playgrounds in different neighbourhoods of the city, equipped with the most

needed facilities. The first balls, nets and outfits were quite primitive, but

thanks to Bulgarian students who had studied abroad, this equipment was

gradually modernized.

This new sport for the country was quickly transferred to a number of

provincial cities such as Plovdiv - 1926, Varna - 1928, Rousse, where women

were considered its founders.

According to historical data in the town of Pernik, at the end of October

1922, the physical education teacher Boris Stepanov demonstrated the game to

his students by forming teams of 9 people in three lines of three who volleyed

the ball over a rope placed at 2 m height.

The first volleyball competitions in Bulgaria were held on a territorial

basis – as school championships, regional championships and city

championships.

In 1925 the championship of the teams of the Second Sofia Male

Secondary School was considered the first officially organized volleyball event

in Bulgaria, which ended with a victory of the team of the seventh "D" grade

(Fig.1.).

19

Figure 1. 1925 - The first officially organized volleyball event in Bulgaria – teams on the final

At the end of 1928, in order to popularize and develop the game, the

organization that managed and administered the sporting events on the territory

of Sofia - "Sofia Regional Sports Area" developed and published special

regulations for the strengthening and development of volleyball. According to

these regulations, the sports clubs in Sofia could not participate in the football

championship unless they had volleyball teams to participate in the Volleyball

City Championship. As a result, in 1929 the number of volleyball teams

involved increased so much that the teams had to be divided into three

divisions. There were volleyball teams in the big football clubs such as

“Levski”, “Slavia”, “FC-13”, “AS-23” and also in the smaller neighbourhood

clubs such as “Rakovski”, “Borislav”, “Asparuh”, “Omurtag”, "Refugees" and

others. In addition, the organization of competitions was improved. The quality

of the volleyball game was gradually improving. The enriched sports calendar

called for qualified judges. At the end of 1928 the first competition rules were

printed, and in 1930 the first course for volleyball sports judges was organized

in Sofia.

It is important to point out that through volleyball many girls, mostly

schoolgirls, made their first steps in sport.

In the 1930s, sports events took place in almost all major cities - Varna,

Bourgas, Rousse, Pernik, Kustendil, Pazardjik and others, with great interest

and mass participation. Initially, through initiative of the volleyball players, and

later of the sports clubs, intergovernmental competitions were also organized.

Very often volunteers from Pernik walked 30 kilometers to Sofia to play their

matches. Particularly popular were the meetings with the volleyball team of the

Reserve Officers School. These competitions continued annually from 1937 to

1942.

In 1934 the first international meeting of Bulgarian volleyball players

took place. The team of the American College in Sofia visited Istanbul, where it

20

played the Robert College. The experienced team of the hosts won the match

with 3: 0 sets.

Every year from 1930s, a student championship for the “Prosveta” Cup

was held in Sofia. The beginning was in 1932. Typical of these competitions

was that they were in the spirit of real sports celebrations and were attended by

all teachers and students. At the same time, club teams, apart from the city

championship, also participated in the annual “Sredets” Cup tournament.

With the growth of strong teams not only in Sofia, but also in other

cities in the country, the idea of organizing state championships in Bulgaria was

born. Twenty years after the appearance of volleyball in Bulgaria in 1942, the

first state championship for men and women was held in Sofia.

Competitions were of great interest. On the final, two teams from Sofia

–“Rakovski” and “AS-23” met. The challenge kept the spectators in the midst

of five disputed games. The victory was for the team of “Rakovski”, and hence

the title first state champion. In the same year, the women's championship also

reached the finals of “Rakovski” and “AS- 23” teams. Here the winner was the

team of “AS-23” with 3: 1 sets and thus it became the first State champion.

In the following 1943 the second State Volleyball Championship was held. The

team of “Rakovski-Rodina” became the men’s champion and the women’s -

again the team of “AS-23”.

Typical for the teams' game was their composition, which was made of

three attackers and three setters.

Due to the situation at the end of the Second World War, the State

Championship in 1944 did not take place.

A real upturn in the development and practice of volleyball in Bulgaria

came after the end of the Second World War. In 1945 some changes in the

organization of the preparation of the teams, as well as their preparation had

already started. In the same year, 1945, state championships for men and

women were restarted. Bulgarian students returning from abroad provided a

real contribution to the development of modern volleyball in Bulgaria.

Valentin Ankov is considered the Patriarch of the contemporary Bulgarian

volleyball. He completed his education in Czech Republic. The first official

international event was at the Balkan Volleyball Games in Romania in 1946.

In 1948, the Russian specialist Alexander Anikin gave practical help in

the training work. For a few months in Bulgaria, he radically changed the

methodology of training. He acquainted Bulgarian coaches and volleyball

players with some unknown technical elements such as Estonian service, head-

to-head smash and others. He also held the first coaching course. This course

was attended by some of the biggest names in Bulgarian Volleyball - Kosta

Shopov, Dragomir Stoyanov, Boris Gouderov, Georgi Komatov, Mityo

Dimitrov, Milko Karaivanov, Boris Konstantinov, Alexander Azmanov and

others.

The rapid popularization of the game, both on national and international

level, demanded in organizational terms the establishment of a National

21

Organization that would represent volleyball in Bulgaria and worldwide. In

1947 the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) was set up, as well as the

European Confederation (CEV). In order to activate the international activity

on September 12, 1949 “Republican Volleyball Section” was established in

Sofia, which only a year later grew into the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation,

which started to work activity for strengthening and development of volleyball.

Success followed soon, and at the FIVB first World Championship in 1949 in

Prague (Fig.2.), the Bulgarian volleyball players won the bronze medals. These

were the first medals for Bulgarian athletes from the World Championships. At

the European Championship in 1951 in Paris, the men's national team ranked

second (Fig.3.).

Figure 2. The team won the Bronze medals

Figure 3. Silver medal – Paris, 1951

22

In 1950, the championships for adolescents and girls began. One of the

biggest successes of the Bulgarian volleyball was the organization and holding

of a big demonstration tournament in September 1957. The occasion for this

event was the 53rd Assembly of the Executive Committee of the International

Olympic Committee in Sofia. The strongest male teams in the world

participated in the tournament: Russia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, France, Italy

and Bulgaria. One of the decisions that the IOC Assembly should take was to

accept volleyball as an Olympic sport. The players, in the most convincing

way, revealed to the members of the IOC the beauty, dynamics and charm of

the volleyball game. The historic decision that volleyball was officially

included in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo was taken in Sofia.

Over the years, Bulgarian volleyball has achieved prestigious success in

the international sports field (Table 1) (Fig.4, 5, 6, 7 and 8).

Table 1: Bulgarian volleyball prestigious success in the international sports field

PRESTIGIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS OF OLYMPIC GAMES

(up to 6th place)

Men Women

1964 Tokyo 5th place

1968 Mexico 6th place

1972 Munich 4th place

1980 Moscow 2nd place 3rd place

2008 Beijing 5th place

2012 London 4th place

WORLD SHAMPIONSHIPS

(up to 6th place)

MEN WOMEN

1949 – Prague 3th place

1952- Moscow 3rd place 1952 - Moscow 4th place

1956 - Paris 5th place 1956 - Paris 5th place

1970 - Sofia 2nd place 1962 – Moscow 4th place

1982 – Buenos Aires 5th place 1970 - Varna 6th place

1986 - Paris 3rd place

1990 – Rio de Janeiro 5th place

2006 - Tokyo 3rd place

EUROPEAN SHAMPIONSHIPS

(up to 6th place)

MEN WOMEN

1950 – Sofia 4th place 1950 – Sofia 4th place

1951 – Paris 2th place 1955 – Bucharest 5th place

1955 - Bucharest 3rd place 1958 – Prague 5th place

1958 – Prague 4th place 1963 – Constanta 5th place

1963 – Bucharest 4th place 1967 – Izmir 6th place

1975 – Belgrade 5th place 1971 – Milano 4th place

1981 - Varna 3rd place 1975 – Belgrade 4th place

1983 - Berlin 3rd place 1979 – Lyon 3rd place

1985 – Amsterdam 6th place 1981 – Sofia 1st place

1989 – Stockholm 6th place 1983 – Berlin 4th place

1991 – Berlin 5th place 1987 – Gent 4th place

23

1993 – Turku 5th place 1995 – Arnhem 5th place

1995 - Athens 5th place 1997 - Brno 4th place

2001 – Ostrava 6th place 2001 - Varna 3rd place

2009 – Izmir 3rd place

2011 – Austria –

Cheech Republic 6th place

2013 – Denmark – Poland

4th place

2015–Bulgaria - Italy 4th place

EUREOPEAN CLUB SHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN WOMEN

1969-European

champions' Cup -

CSKA, Sofia

1st place

1964-European

champions' Cup -

CSKA, Sofia

1st place

1976 -Cup of Cup

Winners - CSKA, Sofia 1st place

1979-European champions' Cup -

CSKA, Sofia

1st place

1982 - Cup of Cup Winners - CSKA,

Sofia

1st place

1984-European

champions' Cup - CSKA, Sofia

1st place

PRESTIGIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS FROM OTHER AGE GROUPS

WORLD SHAMPIONSHIPS

JUNIORS GIRLS (23 years old)

1989 – Abu Dabi 3rd place 2017 - Slovenia 3rd place

1991 - Cairo 1st place

2009 - Teheran 3rd place

EUROPEAN SHAMPIONSHIPS

JUNIORS GIRLS (23 years old)

1966 - Budapest 2nd place 1969 -Riga 2nd place

1969 -Tallinn 2nd place 1982 -Munich 2nd place

1971 -Barcelona 3rd place 1986 - Sofia 3rd place

1979 - Porto 2nd place

1984 – Clermont

Farrant 2nd place

1986 - Pazardjik 1st place

1988 - Bormio 3rd place

24

Figure 4. Silver Olympic medal – Moscow, 1980

Figure 5. Bronze Olympic medal – Moscow, 1980

25

Figure 6. World Championship Sofia, 1970 – Silver Medal

Figure 7. Sofia, 1981 – EU Champion

26

Figure 8. World Champion Juniors - Cairo, 1991

The national teams - men and women - are multiple participants and

prizewinners in the FIVB World Men's league and Women's Grand Prix.

Bulgarian volleyball players have contributed to the development and

achievements on national and international level. It is impossible to list

everyone, but we cannot fail to mention the names of some of them.

From the farther past: Kosta Shopov, Dragomir Stoyanov, Todor Simov,

Boris Guderov, Panayot Pondalov, Georgi Komatov, Boyan Mashelov, Dimitar

Zahariev, Tsvetana Berkovska, Nina Topalova, Neli Chakarova, Maria

Dimcheva, Zdravka Asenova and others.

From the recent past: Dimitar Zlatanov - accepted in the hall of the

volleyball fame in Holyoke; Dimitar Karov, Vassil Simov, Zdravko Simeonov,

Alexander Trenev, Tsano Tsanov, Emil Valchev, Mitko Dimitrov, Yordan

Angelov, Mitko Todorov, Borislav Kiossev, Dimo Tonev, Lyubomir Ganev,

Martin Stoev, Nayden Naidenov, Plamen Konstantinov, Tanya Gogova, Galina

Stancheva, Verka Stoyanova, Tsvetana Bozhurina, Ani Uzunova, Antonina

Zetova, Neli Marinova, Mila Kyoseva, Maya Stoeva and others.

There are several generations of Bulgarian coaches who have

contributed to the success of Bulgarian volleyball. At different times,

representatives of the Bulgarian Volleyball School help volleyball development

in more than 40 countries across Europe, Asia, America and Africa. The names

of some of them are: Valentin Ankov, Georgi Krastev, Dimitar Gigov -

appointed coach of the century by FIVB, Bogdan Kuchukov, Todor Piperkov,

Todor Simov, Dimitar Zlatanov, Martin Stoev, Nayden Naydenov, Alexander

27

Azmanov, Vassil Simov, Vassil Gospodinov, Stefan Panchev, Vladimir

Prochorov, Emil Trenev, among others (Fig.9 and 10).

Figure 9. V.Ankov, D.Gigov and B.Guderov

Figure 10. T.Piperkov and V.Simov

28

REFERENCES

Ankov, D. "70 Years Volleyball in Bulgaria". Bulgarian Volleyball Federation.

1992.

Güderov, B. "One ball, one net, one life" Medicine and Physical culture. 1975.

Krumova, A., et al. Volleyball. Medicine and Physical Culture, Sofia 1990.

Kuchukov, B. col. Volleyball. NSA Press, 2004.

Simov, T., A. Minchev. "For the best - facts and figures only". Bulgarian

Volleyball Federation. 2016.

www.volleyball.bg

29

http://www.volleyball.bg/

GREECE


VOLLEYBALL IN GREECE

Manolis Adamakis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,

Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, Greece;

University College Cork, School of Education, Sport Studies

and Physical Education, Ireland

Introduction

William G. Morgan, a Youth Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)

physical education director, initially introduced volleyball as a sport in

Holyoke, Massachusetts (USA), on 9th

February 1895. Morgan, who was born

in 1870 and was a former rugby player, invented volleyball during his attempt

to find an indoor game suitable for leisure purposes, played by any number of

players and less rough than basketball (which was catching on in the area). His

initial though was to create a sport in order to maintain rugby players’ fitness

levels and avoid severe injuries during season breaks. With the help of YMCA

employers at Springfield College, Massachusetts, and transforming some of

tennis and handball rules, he ended up in a simplified version of modern

volleyball [Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), 2017; Katsikadeli

and Bergeles, 1986; Northern California Volleyball Association (NCVA),

2018; Shewman, 1996].

Fro the first game, conducted by William G. Morgan, a net 1.83 m high

and a leather ball with a rubber inner tube, which weighted approximately 250-

340 grams, were used. Each team consisted of five players and the first official

exhibition match was held in 1896 at Springfield College YMCA. Volleyball,

like all sports in USA, was a derivative of the of the olympic idealism

movement, proposed by Pierre de Coubertin (Katsikadeli and Bergeles, 1986;

Shewman, 1996).

Originally the game was called Mintonnete, a name derived from the

game of badminton (2 Wikipedia). Dr. Alfred Halstead was the first to notice

the volleying nature of the game (the participants were trying to keep the ball

up in the air while passing it from on side of the net to the other), so after a

while the game became known as volleyball (FIVB, 2017; Katsikadeli and

Bergeles, 1986; NCVA, 2018; Shewman, 1996).

This newly introduced sport became extremely famous in USA and,

with the International YMCA’s contribution, was spread globally. The first

country outside the USA to adopt volleyball was Canada in 1900, followed by

Cuba (1905), Puerto Rico (1909), Philippines (1910), Uruguay (1912), China

and Japan (1913). In Europe the American Expeditionary Forces introduced

30

volleyball to their allies during the First World War (1914-1918). France, ex

Czechoslovakia, ex USSR, Italy and Poland had been initiated in volleyball

before 1920. Each one of the above-mentioned countries developed their own

game rules, which made necessary the foundation of an international federation

in order to develop common rules for everyone (FIVB, 2018; Katsikadeli and

Bergeles, 1986).

The initial, unsuccesful though, attempt toward the foundation of an

international federetion took place during Berlin’s Olympic Games in 1936.

Almost 10 years later (1947) the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball

(FIVB) was founded and the countries that contributed significanlty to the

foundation were France, ex USSR, ex Czechoslovakia and Polan The founding

FIVB members were Egypt, Belgium, Brazil, France, Italy, USA, ex

Yugoslavia, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, ex

Czechoslovakia and Uruguay. Greece joined the federation in 1949. The

number of FIVB members increased rapidly and by 1978 there were 145

country members (Kalaitzis, 2012; Katsikadeli and Bergeles, 1986).

The rules evolved over time. Initially, in the Philippines (1916), the skill

and power of the set and spike had been introduced, and four years later the

‘three hits’ rule and the rule against hitting from the back row were established.

In 1917, the game changed from 21 to 15 points (Volleyball, 2018). However,

it was not until FIVB was established that some rules became official, due to

the fact that players’ physical characteristics were different between Eastern

and Western countries. The lower height Asians had adapted the rules

according to their characteristics and played the game with nine players in each

team, without rotation, two serving attempts and in a larger court, while in

Europe rotation was established since 1912 and each team consisted of six

players (Katsikadeli and Bergels, 1986).

The first men’s World Championship was held in Prague in 1949, with

the participation of 10 countries, and the ex USSR was the winner. The first

women’s World Championship was held in Moscow in 1952, with the

participation of 8 countries and won again by the ex USSR. The first men’s

European Championship was held in Rome in 1948 and won by

Czechoslovakia, while the first women’s European Championship was held in

Rome in 1949 and the winner was the ex USSR. The International Olympic

Committee (IOC) designated volleyball as an Olympic team sport, to be

included in the 1964 Olympic Games and those tournaments winners were ex

USSR (men) and Japan (women) (FIVB, 2018; Katsikdeli and Bergeles, 1986;

NCVA, 2018)

31

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_Internationale_de_Volleyball

The very beginnings of Volleyball in Greece1

Greek volleyball was initiated by the Greek YMCA on the aegean

shores of west Anatolian peninsula (Asian Turkey) in 1919. A preliminary

championship was held the same year with the participation of eight teams,

won by Panionios. Volleyball was then transferred to mainland Greece after the

Asia Minor catastrophe during the Greco-Turkish war (1919-1922).

The first Greek volleyball coach was a physical education teacher

named Athanasios Lefkaditis who lived in west Anatolian peninsula and was

relocated to Greece after the war. This new-entry sport was widely accepted

from its first beginnings and penetrated in many sport clubs and educational

institutions in major Greek cities, such as Athens, Thessaloniki and Patra. In

1924 the first men’s Athens-Piraeus Championship took place and the winner

was again Panionios. This championship continued during the two following

years, won by Panellinios and Ethnikos respectively. In 1926 the first women’s

Championship was organized in the city of Thessaloniki, with the participation

of five teams: Aris, YWCA, AKOA, Iraklis and Pamakedonikos, however we

are not sure which team won this tournament. The same year (1926) the best

Athens and Thessaloniki volleyball players created two separate teams and

competed against each other in Thessaloniki, a game organized by Iraklis team.

Athens team was the winner by 2-0 sets (15-9, 15-7). A year later (1927) the

first women’s Athens Championship was held with the participation of

Panionios, which won the championship, Panellinios and Ethnikos. Gradually

more female teams were created, such as Piraikos, Near East and Patra

Volleyball Club. At this point we have to acknowledge the president of

Panionios, D. Dallas, who was the visionary and leader of female volleyball in

Greece.

In Athens, during the interwar period (1918-1939), many teams were

founded, such as Panionios, Ethnikos, Near East, Vyronas Youth, Piraikos,

Ionikos and Ampelokipi just to mention some. Soon many more teams were

created throughout Greece and local championships in many cities were

organized. However, the most important era for volleyball was between 1936-

1940, when volleyball became the most popular team sport in Greece. A more

unified men’s Championship was created, with more teams taking part from

most major Greek cities, and the first winners were Panellinios (1936, 1937,

1 The information provided in the following sections are based on the book:

Katsikadelli, Alkinoi, and Nikos Bergeles. Volleyball. Athens, Greece: Kegraft E.P.E.,

1986. Further data, information and photos were collected thanks to the contribution

of National Volleyball Teams’ Friendship Club (hellasvolley.gr), Nikos Bergeles and

Thanasis Margaritis, who organized the honorary event on 21st May 2017, in order to

celebrate the 50 years from the first official men’s National volleyball team

participation in the Mediterranean Games of Tunisia (1967).

32

1939, 1940) and Patra S.U. (1938). During the occupation of Greece by the

Axis Powers (1940-1944) every official athletic activity and development,

including volleyball, was suspended.

Figure 1. Tunisia, 1917: The first Greek national team that participated in the Mediterranean

games.

1945-1951: Initial Greek teams’ international competitions

After the end of Second World War, many volleyball teams were rebuilt

and more new ones were established. For example, in Thessaloniki, the teams

that played the most important role for volleyball’s rebirth were Aris, Iraklis,

PAOK and YMCA. In October 1946 the first international match of any Greek

team took place. Sporting G.C., reinforced with some players from

Panellinions, played a set of matches in Egypt against local teams. Five years

late, on 13-15 August 1951, another Greek team (Pagkrati A.C.) visited Egypt

and played three matches against local teams. Meanwhile, in 1951, Greece

became an official member of FIVB.

1952-1965: Initial Greek national team’s international competitions and

national championships

The initial matches against foreign teams were basically played against

Egyptian, Turkish, French and ex Yugoslavian clubs. This might be well

understood by the fact that at that time transportation was not as easily

conducted as it was during the following years. In spring of 1952 men’s Greek

national team played the first two international friendly matches against the

French national team. The head coach of that team was Giannis Levantinos,

while the players of this first national team were: Kostas Giataganas, Vasilis

Eftaxias, Giorgos Karotsieris, Dionysis Anagnostopoulos, Giannis Lamprou,

Dimitris Spyridonos, Nikos Lazaridis, Giannis Lazaridis and Dimitris Patras. In

the team there were also the head of mission Kostas Niatas, as well as two team

escorts, Giorgos Vasilakopoulos and E. Anagnostakis. In the first match,

France won 3-1 sets.

33

Figure 2. Paris, 1952: Greek national team that played against France.

During 1955, many Greek teams played international matches against

foreign teams, in Greece and abroad. The French team Côte de Beauté played

against Panathinaikos and Panellinios, while the national team competed

against the American College of Greece. In 1957, Greek national team played

two exhibition matches againt Romania and in 1959 competed against mixted

Egyptian teams in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. The head coach at that time

was Aristos Kanellopoulos.

Figure 3. Cairo, 1959: Greek national team that played against Egypt.

34

Two years later, in early 1961, the position of the Greek team’s head

coach was appointed to Savvas Grozdanovitch and, as a result, the first matches

against ex Yugoslavian teams, Partizan and Jedinstvo, were held. Meanwhile,

during the same year, more matches against Egyptian teams took place, both in

Greece and Egypt. The two following years (1962-1963), both men’s and

youth’s (U-23) national teams competed, again, in a couple of friendly matches

against Egypt and Turkey. In 1966, the French team Racing visited Greece and

played two exhibition matches, with the opponents been the teams of

Panellinios and Milonas. Finally, it should be mentioned that in 1960-1961 the

first Panhellenic Volleyball Championship took place in Athens and the first

champion was the team of Panellinios.

Figure 4a (up right). Athens, 1961: Greek national team that played against Partizan.

Figure 4b (up left). Alexandria, 1963: Kyriakos Pantelias performs a spike. Figure 4c (down right). Novi Sad, 1961: Andreas Bergeles attacks.

Figure 4d (down left). Belgrade, 1962: Greek national team in Belgrade.

1966-1970: Foundation of the Hellenic Volleyball Federation and initial

Greek national team’s participation in official competitions

The year 1966 was very important for Greek sports in general, because

the Greek Sports Federation, with the participation of volleyball and basketball,

was established. The first President of this newly established federation, as

elected at the first general assembly, was Athanasios Mantellos, followed by

three vice-presidents: Ioannis, Koutsoulentis, Georgios Pantelakis and

Panagiotis Lampropoulos. By the end of 1966 a total of 129 sport associations

were members of the Federation. Another important even in 1966 was the first

official Balkan youth volleyball Championship, which took place in Smyrna,

Turkey, in which the Greek team ranked fourth. The Greek youth team would

also compete in the Balkan Championships to come and ranked first in

35

Romania (1969) and Athens (1971) (Armillota, Garin and Pandoski, 2006).

Also, in 1966 the first A-class national Championship was organized and teams

from the major Greek cities participated, with the winner being the team of

Panathinaikos. That year the first Greek women’s national team was established

and played two matches against Turkey in Istanbul, in which was defeated 3-0

sets in both matches.

During 1967, men’s Greek national team participated for the first time in

two international competitions, the Mediterranean Games (Tunis, Tunisia), and

the European Championship (Turkey). In Tunis Greece would rank seventh,

while in Turkey would take the 20th

position. Some important players of these

first attempts to participate in European competitions were Vasilis

Kolokotronis, Stefanos Louloudas, Andreas Lorandos, Thanasis Margaritis,

Nikos Bergeles, Kyriakos Pantelias, Ntinos Hasapis, and the head coach in both

championships was Aristos Kanellopoulos.

In 1968 a systematic approach for the development of Greek volleyball

was initiated. The famous coach Stefan Roman, who is currently considered to

be the volleyball technique founder in Greece, was hired by the Greek Sports

Federation in order to further develop this particular sport. A year later, in

1969, Greek national team took part in the Spring Cup organized in Finland.

The same year the first developmental academies were created in Athens and

Thessaloniki in order to create new talented and skillful players for the national

teams.

The year 1970 was an extremely vital year for Greek volleyball due to

the fact that volleyball and basketball were separated, upon the efforts of Dr.

Theodoros Andreadakou, and two independent Federations were created. The

decision for this separation was taken by the General Sports Secretary, K.

Aslanidis, and the Hellenic Volleyball Federation was established. From that

year and on a radical development of Greek volleyball was initiated. After this

foundation, a five-year developmental project was created. Scholarships were

provided to volleyball athletes in order to study in Greek universities and local

volleyball committees and referees’ school were created. Furthermore, mini

volleyball teams were founded in order to attract children and students to

volleyball and the first indoor gyms were built by the General Sports Secretary

of Greece. Following these important events, Greece successfully organized

that year’s Balkan Championship. For the first time a Greek national team won

the Turkish (3-1 sets) and ranked fourth among other participants. Later this

year the national team took part in the Pre-Olympic tournament held in Sofia,

Bulgaria, however did not manage to make it through to the Olympics. Also the

Greek national students team participated in the World Universiade at Torino,

Italy.

36

1971-1984: Later years

The next few years vollyball development continued rapidly. The first

international successes became a reality for the newly established sports

federetion. The adolescents’ national team ranked third at the 1971 Balkan

Championship, men’s national team ranked third at the 1972 Mediterreanean

Games and fifth at the Spring cup the same year, the military national team

took the first place at the 1973 CISM Championship and the adolescents’

national team ranked first at the 1973 Balkan Championship that was organized

in Athens.

In 1972 the first women’s central Greece chamionship was organized in

Athens, as well as the first Greek national Championship in the city of Kavala.

In both competitions, the winner was the female team of Panathinaikos. During

the following years (1963-1975) the men’s team of Panatinaikos dominated in

the national championships and won nine times, while between 1976-1982 the

dominant team was that of Olympiakos. In women’s championships, the two

dominant teams between 1972-1980 were Panathinaikos and ZAON. In 1982

the first women’s A-class national Championship was held and the winner was

the team of Panathinaikos.

Some other important events took place in 1980. Men’s Greek national

team was the gold medalist at the Balkan Championship held in Athens,

Greece, and at the Spring Cup (a success which was repeated also in 1981 and

1982). Also Panathinaikos men’s team was the silver medalist at the European

Cup. In 1981 men’s national team participated at the final phase of the

European Championship in Berlin, ranking 11th

, while two years later (1983) in

Berlin performed slightly better, ranking ninth. Finally, in 1984, youth’s

national team also took part at the final phase of the European Championship

held in France and ranked 10th

.

1985-1987: Toward the international recognition of Greek volleyball

The year 1985 was a crucial time for the rise of the Greek volleyball in

Europe. Initially, women’s national team was qualified for the first time at the

final phase of the European Championship in Netherlands and took the 12th

position (0-15 sets in total). On the other hand, men’s national team

participated at the 14th

edition of the European Championship, held in

Netherlands, ranking eighth.

In November of the same year (1985) the former coach of the youth’s

national team, Thanasis Margaritis, became the head coach of the men’s

national team, with the assistance of the coach Stefanos Polyzos. This

recruitment became official in January 1986. The initial goal set at that time

was the participation in the forthcoming World Champonship of France in

1986. In order to succeed this goal, Greek national team participated in the

1986 Spring Cup, which was held in Greece (Peace and Friendship stadium of

37

Pireus). During the first phase of the tournament, Greece was in the same group

and competed against the national teams of Bahrain, Canada, Tunisia, Australia

and South Korea. In this phase, the Greek team ranked second and was

qualified to the semifinals. In the first semifinal was defeated by Cuba,

however managed to defeat Canada and take the third place, which provided

the ticket for the World Championship participation. This success gave the

opportunity to the Greek national team to compete in friendly matches against

some of the top-classified national teams of that time, such as West Germany,

Netherlands, Italy, ex USSR, Brazil and ex Yugoslavia. The Greek team’s

results of this historical Spring Cup tournament are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. 1986 Spring Cup results.

DATE TEAMS SETS GAMES

04/04/1986 Greece – Bahrain 3-0 15-3, 15-10, 15-1

05/04/1986 Greece – Canada 2-3 10-15, 15-9, 15-12, 5-

15, 14-16

07/04/1986 Greece – Tunisia 3-1 15-7, 15-5, 11-15, 15-7

08/04/1986 Greece –

Australia 3-0 15-4, 15-3, 15-0

09/04/1986 Greece – S.

Korea 3-0 15-13, 12-4, 12-4

11/09/1986 Cuba – Greece 3-0 15-13, 15-9, 16-1

12/04/1986 Greece – Canada 3-1 15-8, 15-8, 11-15, 15-10

38

Table 2. The players of the Greek national team in 1986 Spring Cup.

NAME NUMBER

Lefteris Terzakis 1

Stelios Kazazis 2

Kostas Margaronis 3

Makis Dimitriadis 4

Thanasis Moustakidis 6

Tasos Tentzeris 8

Vaggelis Koutsonikas 10

Giorgos Lykoudis 11

Mihalis Triantafyllidis 12

Dimitris Andreopoulos 13

Sotiris Amarianakis 14

Kostas Gkountakos 15

Dimitris Valsamidis 7

Theodoris Andreadis 5

Thanasis Margaritis Head Coach

Stefanos Polyzos Assistant Coach

Figure 5. Peace and Friendship stadium, 12/04/1986: Win and qualification in the 1986 World

Championship against Canada.

39

Figure 6. Peace and Friendship stadium, 12/04/1986: Greek players celebrate the qualification in

the 1986 World Championship.

In this initial participation team in the World Championship, the Greek

national team had to compete against some of the top-level volleyball teams

worldwide. In the group that was played in Orleans, France, apart from Greece,

there were also Japan, USA and Argentina. Unfortunately the Greek team did

not managed to win a single game and ranked fourth in the group.

Consequently, Greece competed in the group, which consisted of the fourth

ranking teams of all groups (Taiwan, Egypt and Venezuela). In that group won

all matches and took the 13th

place in total. The Greek team’s results of this

World Championship tournament are presented in Table 3.

Table 3. 1986 World Championship results.

DATE TEAMS MATCH SETS

24/09/1986 Japan – Greece 3-0 15-8, 15-3, 15-6

25/09/1986 USA – Greece 3-0 15-6, 15-7, 15-4

26/09/1986 Argentina –

Greece

3-0 15-6, 15-3, 15-6

29/09/1986 Greece – Taiwan 3-0 15-10, 15-11, 15-12

30/09/1986 Greece – Egypt 3-2 11-15, 15-8, 12-15,

15-13, 15-12

01/10/1986 Greece –

Venezuela

3-0 15-3, 15-8, 16-14

40

Table 4. The players of the Greek national team in 1986 World Championship.

NAME NUMBER

Lefteris Terzakis 1

Stelios Kazazis 2

Kostas Margaronis 3

Makis Dimitriadis 4

Dimitris Gontikas 5


Tasos Tentzeris 8


Giorgos Lykoudis 11


Dimitris Andreopoulos 13

Kostas Gkountakos 15


Stefanos Polyzos Assistant Coach

Figure 7. France, 1986: Greek national team in the World Championship.

After the success of participating in the World Championship in 1986,

new talented players joined the Greek national team, e.g. Giorgos Dragovic,

Dimitris Kazazis, Ioannis Fakas, while Sotiris Amarianakis, who did not

participate in France, returned. Additionally, Kostas Gountakos was replaced

by the experienced player Giannis Nikolaidis. Also the assistant coach was

replaced and instead of Stefanos Polyzos, Kyriakos Pantelias was hired.

In 1986 the Greek national team played 51 international matches during

41

the preparation for the forthcoming European Championship, resulting in a total

of 480 hours of training activities in 160 days. The most important matches

during this preparation phase are presented in the following tables.

Table 5. Hamburg tournament.


27/12/1986 Greece – West

Germany 1-3

6-15, 8-15, 15-9,

15-17

28/12/1986 Greece – Poland 0-3 8-15, 9-15, 11-15

29/12/1986 Greece - Finland 0-3 8-15, 11-15, 7-15

Table 6. Spring Cup – Switzerland (3rd position).


13/04/1987 Greece – Spain 3-1 15-13, 15-8, 13-15,

15-2

14/04/1987 Greece – Austria 3-0 15-2, 15-6, 15-6

15/04/1987 Greece – Finland 3-1 15-7, 9-15, 15-5, 16-

14

17/04/1987 Greece –

Portugal 3-0 15-5, 16-14, 15-2

18/04/1987 Germany –

Greece 3-1

15-13, 10-15, 15-11,

16-14

19/04/1987 Sweden - Greece 3-0 15-11, 15-9, 15-13

42

Table 7. Matches against East Germany.


30/04/1987 E. Germany -

Greece 3-2

15-10, 12-15, 9-15,

15-8, 15-12

01/05/1987 Greece – E.

Germany 3-2

15-10, 10-15, 15-

13, 11-15, 15-12

02/05/1987 Greece – E.

Germany 3-2

9-15, 8-15, 15-4,

15-5, 15-11

03/05/1987 Greece – E.

Germany 0-3 7-15, 10-15, 4-15

Table 8. Zagreb (ex Yugoslavia) tournament.


08/05/1987 Greece –

Bulgaria 3-0

17-15, 15-6, 15-

11

09/05/1987 Greece -

Yugoslavia 2-3

15-7, 13-15, 15-

12, 13-15, 8-15

10/05/1987 Greece -

Romania 0-3 2-15, 0-15, 11-15

In order Greece to participate in the finals of the European

Championship that were going to take place in Belgium in 1987, Greek national

team had to overcome the obstacle of four teams during the preliminary

qualification round in Pori, Finland. In that group, Greece succeeded four

consecutive wins against all teams and qualified to the European Championship

finals, while the second qualified team was Romania.

Table 9. Pori (Finland) qualification’s round.


21/05/1987 Greece –

Finland 3-1

15-9, 8-15, 15-11,

15-10

22/05/987 Greece –

Norway 3-0 15-6, 15-3, 15-2

23/05/1987 Greece –

Romania 3-2

7-15, 15-0, 16-14,

15-17, 15-10

24/02/1987 Greece -

England 3-0 15-1, 15-3, 15-6

43

The following friendly matches took place after Greece’s qualification

to the finals:

Table 10. Matches against the Netherlands (Peace and Friendship stadium, Piraeus, Greece).

DATE TEAMS MAT

CH SETS

30/07/1987 Greece -

Netherlands 3-2

15-5, 8-15, 15-7, 7-

15, 15-7

31/07/1987 Greece -

Netherlands 1-3

13-15, 14-16, 15-12,

13-15

05/08/1987 Greece -

Netherlands 1-3

15-12, 9-15, 3-15,

10-15

06/08/1987 Greece -

Netherlands 2-3

6-15, 8-15, 15-4, 15-

12, 8-15

07/08/1987 Greece -

Netherlands 3-1

15-4, 7-15, 15-8, 15-

6

Table 11. Matches against Sweden (Nyköping, Sweden).


14/08/1987 Sweden –

Greece 2-2 No official data

15/08/1987 Sweden –

Greece 3-1

15-12, 11-15, 15-

11, 16-14

16/08/1987 Sweden –

Greece 3-1

13-15, 15-13, 15-

11, 16-14

17/08/1987 Sweden -

Greece 3-0 15-8, 15-10, 15-7

44

Table 12. Matches against Spain (in Tenerife, Spain).

DATE TEAMS MATC

H SETS

25/08/1987 Greece – Spain 3-0 No official data

26/08/1987 Greece – Spain 3-1 No official data

27/08/1987 Greece - Spain 3-0 No official data

28/08/1987 Greece – Spain 3-2 15-12, 8-15, 11-15, 15-

6, 15-8

29/08/1987 Greece - Spain 3-2 16-14, 5-15, 15-5, 9-15,

15-12

Table 13. Matches against ex Czechoslovakia (Athens, Greece).


11/09/1987

Greece -

Czechoslova

kia

3-0 15-12, 15-2,

15-11

12/09/1987 Czechoslova

kia – Greece 3-0

15-9, 15-4,

15-8

13/09/1987 Czechoslova

kia - Greece 3-0

15-10, 15-

10, 15-12

The 1987 European Championship of Belgium was conducted in two

separate groups of six teams each. Greek national team participated in Genk’s

group with Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Spain, Belgium and Sweden. Won five

out of six games and took the second place (9 points, 13-8 sets in total), which

allowed the qualification to the semifinals. The results of that group are

presented in the following table:

45

Table 14. 1987 European Championship results.


25/09/1987

Greece –

Czechoslova

kia

3-2 13-15, 15-8, 15-6,

4-15, 15-5

26/09/1987 Greece –

Bulgaria 3-1

7-15, 15-8, 15-8,

15-8

27/09/1987 Greece –

Spain 3-0 15-7, 15-9, 15-12

29/09/1987 Greece –

Belgium 3-2

15-7, 10-15, 15-7,

12-15, 15-8

30/09/1987 Sweden –

Greece 3-1

15-8, 10-15, 15-

10, 15-12

In the semifinals Greece played against the ex USSR and was defeated

easily (3-0 sets). However, at the third/fourth place match, managed to defeat

Sweden (3-2 sets) and take the bronze medal!

Table 15. 1987 European Championship results (semifinal and bronze medal match).

DATE ROUND TEAMS MATCH SETS

11/09/1987 Semifinal USSR –

Greece 3-0 15-5, 15-5, 15-12

13/09/1987 Third/fourth

place

Greece -

Sweden 3-2

14-16, 15-9, 6-

15, 15-10, 16-14

This huge success of the Greek volleyball boosted its popularity in

Greece, however it never became a very popular sport because the same year

(1987) Greek’s basketball national team won the European Basketball

Championship held in Athens, Greece. Greece’s head coach Thanasis

Margaritis mentioned later on that the conditions during the European

Championship were not ideal for the team because they had to live in an elderly

nursing home rather than a hotel! Furthermore, the opponents’ scooting was not

developed at that time and Margaritis with the assistant coach Pantelias were

kept awake during the nights in order to analyze the opponents’ way of playing.

In order to present their findings to the players, they had to use the one and only

black and white television available in the nursing home!

The Greek national team during the 1987 European Championship was

consisted of the following players:

46

Table 16. The players of the Greek national team in 1987 European Championship.

NAME NUMBER

Giannis Nikolaidis 1

Stelios Kazazis 2

Kostas Margaronis 3

Makis Dimitriadis 4

Dimitris Kazazis 5


Tasos Tentzeris 8


Dimitris Gontikas 11


Giorgos Dragovic 13

Sotiris Amarianakis 15


Sotiris Pantelias Assistant Coach

Figure 8. Belgium, 1987: Greek national team that participated in the European Championship.

47

Figure 9. Ghent, 1987: Greek national team in the third place of the European Championship.

Figure 10. Athens, 1987: Greek national team players upon their return to Greece, bearing on the

chest the bronze medal.

48

Figure 11. Ghent, 1987: Bronze medal won by Greece in the European Championship.

Concluding remarks

Greek volleyball was initially established by the Greek YMCA on the

aegean shores of west Anatolian peninsula (Asian Turkey) in 1919. The first

Greek volleyball coach was a physical education teacher named Athanasios

Lefkaditis. The most important teams, both for men and women, were

Ethnikos, Panathinaikos, Panellinios and Panionis in Athens and Aris, Iraklis,

PAOK and YMCA in Thessaloniki. In 1952 men’s Greek national team played

the first two international friendly matches against the French national team and

in 1960-1961 the first Panhellenic Volleyball Championship took place in

Athens and the first champion was the team of Panellinios. Greece joined the

FIVB in 1949 and in 1966 the Greek Sports Federation, with the participation

of volleyball and basketball, was established. In 1970 volleyball and basketball

were separated, upon the efforts of Theodoros Andreadakou, and the Hellenic

Volleyball Federation was established. During that time (1970-1975) the

foundations of the in-depth diffusion of Greek volleyball were laid. Two crucial

years for the international recognition of Greek volleyball were 1986 and 1987,

when men’s Greek national team participated for the first time at the World

Championship and took the bronze medal in the European Championship,

respectively. Till that time, the Greek volleyball has faced positive and negative

eras, with the last few years been extremely challenging and its further

development has been limited due to several factors.

49

REFERENCES

Armillota, Giovanni, Garin, Erik, and Pandoski, Fatjon. “Balkan Youth

Championship 1968-1981”. Last modified January 21, 2006.

http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/balkan-u23.html#77

FIVB. “The volleyball story: The birth of the game”. Accessed December 20,

2017.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070127012658/http://www.fivb.com/

EN/Volleyball/story.htm.

FIVB. “The FIVB history: The founding”. Accessed February 22, 2018.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070919033125/http://www.fivb.ch/E

N/FIVB/History.htm.

Kalaitzis, Argyrios. “An exploratory approach to the technical elements that

define win or loss in volleyball: Example from the Greek A1 men’s

championship of 2010-2011”. Undergraduate diss., University of

Thessaloniki, Greece, 2012.

Katsikadelli, Alkinoi, and Nikos Bergeles. Volleyball. Athens, Greece: Kegraft

E.P.E., 1986.

NCVA. “How volleyball began”. Accessed February 21, 2018.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070701143054/http://www.ncva.com/

page.aspx?id=14.

Shewman, Byron. Volleyball centennial: The first 100 years (Spalding Sports

Library). Dallas, Texas: Master’s Press, 1996.

Volleyball. “History of volleyball”. Accessed February 21, 2018.

http://volleyball.org/history.html.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my Professor, Nikos Bergeles, as well as the

National Volleyball Teams’ Friendship Club (hellasvolley.gr) and Thanasis

Margaritis, whose contribution and photographic material was valuable in order

to complete successfully the History of Volleyball in Greece.

50

LITHUANIA

BEGINNING OF VOLLEYBALL IN LITHUANIA

Daiva Majauskienė, Faculty of Sport Education, Lithuanian Sports

University, Lithuania

Arūnas Emeljanovas, Faculty of Sport Education, Lithuanian Sports

University, Lithuania

World War I and the occupation did much harm on the economics,

social life and sport development of the country. The state of Lithuania that

originated in 1918 made the first steps of physical culture and sport. On the 13th

of July 1919, the enthusiasts of the sport movement organized the first sport

event before the fights for independence had finished. Different branches of

sport originated in Lithuania and became popular gradually.

J.Eretas’s book Fistball was published in 1921 and it was taught to play

fistball at the course for physical culture teachers in Šiauliai in 1923.

The first volleyball match in Lithuania was played in Kaunas on the 15th

of

August 1929 when the teams of Lithuanian men and women were visiting

Kaunas (Bertašius, 1999; Narbutas 1978). The pioneers of volleyball in

Lithuania were riflemen of Sanciai.

It is already written in the protocol of the session of the Central

Committee of the Lithuanian Sport League (hereinafter LSL) in March 1930

that the Committee of Volleyball is established and Zemonas –ŠSK, Toleikis

and Sapranavičius from the Riflemen’s Club are included in it.

In 1931, the women contributed to the popularization of volleyball very

much (Steponaitytė, Mačiulytė, Kložunaitytė, Malinauskaitė, Radziulytė) as

they organized a sport festival for women and invited specialists to compile the

program in order to “make sportspeople interested in other games, such as

volleyball”. In 1932, the volleyball team “Sparta” I played versus “Sparta” II at

the sport festival for women (A.B., 1932).

The sport of Lithuania was nationalized with the Law on Physical

Culture enacted on the 15th

of July 1932. In order to train and improve the

body, the state institution House of Physical Culture (HPC) was established on

the 1st of October 1932 and unions were grounded for the management of

individual branches of sport. The committees of football, basketball, volleyball

and fistball compiled in the Lithuanian Union of Ball Games led the activity of

individual branches of sport (Bertašius,1999).

In order to popularize volleyball, the employees of HPC as well as

enthusiasts of this game announced publications with various information about

volleyball in the periodic press. It was indicated in one of these publications

that the goal of the article was to help the players to understand the

51

“significance of the airball game and make sportspeople interested in that game

as that game was popular just in the higher schools of Lithuania and the wide

family of sportspeople played it very seldom and some of them even thought it

was a boring game. However, this game is as interesting as the other games:

football, basketball etc. Thus, we will provide the main information how to play

airball” (Orasvydžio žaidimo technika, 1934)

Diržius wrote: “Airball is one of the most cheerful games. Thus, it is not

surprising that our young people learn it willingly. Airball looks very simple at

first sight. Some people could not imagine that it is necessary to learn. They

just go to the playground and beat the net – as long as the both teams play

individually, without any passes, everything looks nice. But if one team is able

to make passes and passes over the net to an empty place suddenly or cuts next

to the net, it emerges that it is necessary to learn the technique of airball like

every game of fight”(Diržius, 1934). Moreover, the author emphasizes three

main things about volleyball: „1) passing of the ball, 2) taking of the ball; 3)

repassing to the own team and beating of the ball over the net to the opponent;

so these things should be trained, otherwise better results are difficult to

expect” (Diržius, 1934).

J. Narbutas classified training people into four groups: some people play

volleyball to take exercise and rest; others would like to achieve better results;

third ones know the game and technique and reach for better results of the

collective game, play well and come to the playground to win and fight against

an equivalent opponent and fourth ones try to demonstrate the collective game

(Narbutas, 1934) According to J. Narbutas, “if a coach or an instructor

instructs and wants to get results of his/her work, he/she has to pay attention to

this classification of groups and lead every group accordingly” (Narbutas,

1934).

Thanks to the Committee of Volleyball of the Lithuanian Union of Ball

Games (head Vencius, members Adomavičius, Zaroskis, Matusevičius), the

rules of volleyball were translated into Lithuanian in 1934 and the head of the

Organization of Ball Games Butavičius asked the director of HPC to approve

them, grant some money for printing and print in the edition of 500 exemplars.

The director of HPC V. Augustauskas and the head of the Committee of the

Organization of Ball Games Butavičius approved the “Rules of Airball” on the

17th

of November 1934. An active sportsman, head of sport and journalist J.

Narbutas wrote: “At the end of this year, I also played volleyball that was

called “airball” at that time. Using the library established at the Higher

Course of Physical Culture, I found enough material about volleyball and

wrote about it briefly. Moreover, I translated the international rules into

Lithuanian, the Committee of Volleyball approved them and the championship

of this year was organized according to them” (Narbutas, 1978).

500 exemplars of the edition of J. Narbutas “Orasvydis” were distributed

among the sport organizations and arbiters in Kaunas and in all the sport

circuits” (Narbutas, 1934)

52

At the end of 1934, the Lithuanian Union of Ball Games under the

House of Physical Culture organized the course of volleyball and fistball to

arbiters in Kaunas. They were familiarized with the theory and practice of

games. At the course, K. Dineika taught the theory and rules of volleyball and

A. Butavičius taught the ethics of an arbiter and the statute of championships.

The course participants watched the demonstrative volleyball match, played

themselves and organized flash tournaments. 52 volleyball arbiters completed

the course.

The first volleyball championship was organized from December 1934

to October 1935 (Bertašius, 1999) (table, 1; table 2).

Table 1: Results of the championship of men in Lithuania in 1934-1935

1 LFLS 11 1 23:5 22

2 Grandis 11 1 22:6 22

3 Sparta 5 7 11:14 10

4 CJSO 5 7 10:14 10

5 ASK 5 7 12:18 10

6 LDS 3 9 10:18 6

7 MSK 2 10 8:21 4

Table 2: Results of the championship of women in Lithuania in 1934-1935

1 CJSO 6 0 12:1 12

2 Sparta 4 2 9:5 8

3 Grandis 2 4 5:10 4

4 MSK 0 6 0:12 0

Accepting the work plan, V. Šodė (Lithuanian Union of Physical

Culture) wrote: “The sport of airball is making the first steps here, thus, the

Committee should first perform the administrative works and implement the

necessary propaganda so that people like this sport in cities and especially in

the country”. It was foreseen in the plan to publish literature about volleyball,

organize annual courses for volleyball arbiters, heads, coaches and annual

championships in Kaunas and in the province (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 244, l. 7,

11, 16, 17.).

In order to avoid any problems and improve the organization of

competitions, the Lithuanian Union of Ball Games enacted the “Statute of the

Olympic Airball Tournament of 1935” (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 245, l. 151) in

1935 and the rules of the tournament described in it showed the ability of

LUBG to organize and regulate the registration and organization of

competitions. The tournament was organized according to the Olympic system

53

– the losing team left the tournament. The income obtained from the

tournament matches were spent on the popularization of volleyball in Lithuania

and LUBG did it. It is written in the Statute: “All the players participating in

the tournament that can prove their right of start and all the people that are

enabled attending airball championship matches in Lithuania for free according

to the statute of airball championships are included in the tournament for free”

(LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 603, l. 313).

In the same year, HPC introduced the accounting and registration of

team members in order to improve the activity of physical culture and sport and

obtain the compilation of more constant teams (avoid changing one team to

another).

A sore problem in Lithuania was halls, racks and inventory in volleyball

teams of different levels. It was one of the reasons precluding the development

of volleyball in Lithuania. In 1935, LUBG asked HPC to “build an airball

playground with all necessary facilities in the open air in the centre of all sport

circuits... grant 2 airball balls and one set of management tools: an awl, a pump

etc. to each circuit. Moreover, other bigger centres and towns should also have

a playground with facilities” (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 238, l. 106)

The Organization of Ball Games constantly implemented one of these

goals – organize courses for arbiters and players in order to “popularize the

branch of sport” (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 340, l. 12). Volleyball was also

popularized by sport organizations that marked anniversaries of sport

collectives or festivals. In 1935, the Lithuanian Union of Physical Culture was

celebrating its 15th

anniversary, organized a sport festival, and invited “all the

Lithuanian sport organizations of Kaunas”. Volleyball was also included in the

program together with football, track-and-field athletics, basketball and

gymnastics.

LUBG (first of all Barkauskas) formed two committees – of volleyball

and fistball – instead of one in October 1935. LUBG invited the volleyball

teams of 19 sport clubs of Kaunas to participate in the Olympic volleyball

tournament for the opening of the volleyball season. It was intended that the

tournament for men and women would be organized according to one minus

system. They were also invited into the volleyball championship in Kaunas in

1936. The championship was organized in classes: the first teams of men of all

the clubs – in class A, the rest ones – in class B and the teams of women – in

class M. Like in other branches of sport, there was better organization of the

competition system; the teams were classified according to their mastery etc. It

was written in a writing of LUBG: “when teams are registered, it is necessary

to indicate the name and composition of the team (first names and surnames of

all the team participants), the head-captain of the team and present certificates

of the team participants-sportspeople to mark their start. Those ones who do

not have this certificate must get it” ( LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 238, l.45, 47). The

results of the volleyball championship of 1935-1936 are presented in the table 3

and 4 (Bertašius, 1999).

54


1 CJSO 10 1 21:4 20

2 Grandis 8 3 17:7 16

3 Sparta 8 3 16:7 16

4 LFLS 5 6 13:13 10

5 Makabi 4 7 10:17 8

6 LGSF 1 10 4:20 2

7 ASK 0 6 0:12 0


1 CJSO 9 1 19:5 18

2 Sparta 7 3 17:8 14

3 CJSO-3 6 4 13:10 12

4 CJSO-2 4 6 12:14 8

5 Grandis 3 7 7:15 6

6 LFLS 1 9 3:19 2

LUBG kept on taking care of the conditions of trainings and

competitions. In 1936, they asked the heads of HPC to tidy up the volleyball

hall of HPC properly: “airball championships have a lot of problems related

with an improper height of poles and the absence of constant and exact lines on

the airball playground. It is inconvenient and inexact to draw lines with chalk

every time and the hall ground is contaminated to no purpose. Moreover, they

are often drawn badly or not drawn at all. The damage to the airball poles and

their present low height do much harm to our airball players and accustom

them to a lower net. When the net is rearranged later, they all have to train

again so that their hits do not get into a higher net” (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b.

488, l. 158).

In spring 1936, the Committee of Volleyball of LUBG decided to

compile the Statute of Volleyball Championships (and did it) and intended to

organize championships in circuits (the championships were organized) as well

as organize the spring volleyball tournament in Kaunas city. The statute of the

Olympic volleyball tournament approved in 1935 was foreseen in the

organization (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 1017, l. 42).

In order to popularize volleyball, LUBG proposed the Latvians to play a

friendly demonstrative volleyball match in Kaunas at the beginning of 1936.

The documents show the Estonians arrived and there was a match with them on

the 27th

of February 1936. The first interstate volleyball match Lithuania-

Estonia was won by the latter 2:0 (9:15; 15:17). Andriulis (LFLS), Baltrūnas

55

(CJSO), Daukša (LFLS), Mažeika (LFLS), Šliupas (LFLS), Šodė (LFLS)

(LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 340, l. 28) played for the team of Lithuania.

As the new volleyball season started, the tournament „Žaibas“ was

organized. The unexpected winner in the group of men was “Makabi” that beat

the volleyball players from “Grandis”. The team „Sparta“ beat „Grandis“ in the

final of women. These were sport clubs having more than one volleyball team

(including that of women). J. Narbutas wrote in 1936: “The cultivation of this

branch of the ball game started in Lithuania a few years ago... it still

flounders... Except Kaunas city, there were no airball championships in other

places of Lithuania... it is mostly cultivated in winter under comfortable

conditions” (Narbutas, 1934).

In 1936, LUBG decided to “ask HPC to allow organizing just one good

match with tickets per evening and not to let in the spectators without tickets to

another match organized in the same evening for the purpose of order”; the

ticket prices were fixed: 50 ct, for sportspeople, students, soldiers and children

20 ct. Constant tickets (until the New Year) cost 12 LTL and for sportspeople

and students 7 LTL. (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 4, b. 494, l. 29-30).

There were incidents during volleyball (not just football) matches. At

the end 1936, LUBG supported the decision of the Committee of Volleyball

(22-10-1936) to penalize the volleyball team “Sparta I”, players and club for

having left the playground, the player Daunoravicius from “Sparta” for arrogant

behaviour on the playground, indiscipline, vituperation of the arbiter and

threatening to apply physical force; a decision was made to increase the penalty

imposed by the Committee of Airball with the disqualification of up to one year

from all ball games. As the captain of the team “Sparta” Mackevicius refused to

tell the arbiter the violator’s name and was unable to lead the team, a decision

was made to increase the penalty imposed by the Committee of Airball with the

disqualification of up to six months from all ball games. Moreover, a decision

was made to make a remark to the team “Sparta” and warn: if there are any

similar misdemeanours of the players of “Sparta” in any branch of sport and

they disobey the decisions of the heads of LUBG, the team “Sparta” will be

penalized by suspending from all game balls” (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 494, l.

28).

In order to improve the constant care of the members of representative

teams, a decision was made to employ a doctor that would compile

physiological-psychometrical tests for the members of all teams (football,

basketball, volleyball) and undertake the consulting care of players (LCVA,

f.933, ap. 1, b. 494, l. 32).

LUBG invited the participants of all representative teams to familiarize

with further order of trainings. The trainings of representative volleyball (and

basketball) teams in the hall of HPC was interrupted for the holidays of

Christmas and New Year – 20-12-1936-15-01-1937.

At the end of the calendar year, HPC organized events and awarded the teams

that had achieved the best results in the course of the year. Before the end of

56

1936, LUBG spent 450 LTL on presents to the teams-winners of volleyball,

football and basketball competitions (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 494, l. 34).

As the volleyball season of 1936-1937 started, the following decision

was made: “In accordance with Article 76 of the Statute of Basketball

Championships, the airball team “Sparta I” must be excluded from airball

championship matches for the period of 6 months for having left the

playground during the match with “Makabi” without finishing the match on the

19th

of October of the present year, the club must be penalized with a fine of

fifty Litas and the players Suchna, Šliužinskas, Mackevičius, Gurskis,

Daunoravičius and Geištoras must be disqualified from the airball

championship for the period of six months” (LCVA, f. 933, ap. 1, b. 245, l. 3).

As LUBG was reviewing the results of 1936, it stated there were “188

airball, 828 football and 484 basketball players“ in 1936 (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1,

b. 238, l. 106).

9 teams of men and 7 teams of women from Kaunas participated in the

Lithuanian championship of 1936-1937, the teams of women and men CJSO

became winners and the results are presented in the table (Bertašius, 1999)

(table 5 and table 6).


1 CJSO 14 0 28:0 28

2 Grandis 12 2 24:4 26

3 Grandis-2 9 5 19:12 23

4 Makabi 9 5 18:12 23

5 Kovas 4 10 11:21 18

6 LDS 4 10 8:20 18

7 Makabi-2 2 12 6:25 16

8 LDS -2 2 12 5:25 16

Sparta Excluded

57


1 CJSO 6 2 14:4 14

2 Grandis 6 2 13:5 14

3 Grandis-2 6 2 12:7 14

4 LFLS 2 6 5:12 10

5 CJSO-2 0 8 0:16 6

6 Sparta Excluded

7 Sparta-2 Excluded

At the beginning of 1937, LUBG wanted to check the play of the

women’s basketball selection and watch the play of volleyball players, so it

invited “a stronger Latvian basketball team for two matches. An airball match

was also organized.”

The number of teams registered by HPC and participating in the

championship changed (table 7) (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 246, l. 18).

Table 7: Volleyball teams of 1937 according to HPC

No. Name of team Number

of teams

of men

Number of

teams of

women

Number

of teams

1 CJSO 1 2 3

2 Grandis 2 2 4

3 Sparta 2 2 4

4 LDS 2 - 2

5 Makabi 2 - 2

6 LFLS - 1 1

7 ŠŠ Kovas 1 - 1

8 Aušros Gymnasium

of Boys

4 - 4

9 Jėzuitų Gymnasium

of Boys

2 - 2

10 German

Gymnasium

1 - 1

Total 1-7 7 24

41 teams were registered in the volleyball championship of 1938: 16

teams of women and 25 teams of men, total 390 participants ( LCVA, f. 933,

ap. 1, b. 246, 1. 18) (table 8).

58

Table 8: Volleyball teams registered by HPC

No. Team

Included Number

of teams

L A B B M

L

M

A

1 LFLS 1 1 2 - 1 - 5

2 CJSO 1 1 1 - 1 1 5

3 Grandis 1 - - - 1 2 4

4 ASK 1 1 - - - 1 3

5 Aušros Gymnasium of Boys 1 1 3 - - - 5

6 Aušros Gymnasium of Girls - - - - 1 1 2

7 III Gymnasium - - 1 - - - 1

8 IV Gymnasium 1 1 - - 1 - 3

9 Jėzuitų Gymnasium - 1 - - - - 1

10 Š.Šird. Gymnasium - - - - - 1 1

11 M.Pečkausk. Gymnasium - - 1 - - 1 2

12 German Gymnasium - 1 1 - - - 2

13 Makabi - 1 - - - - 1

14 Š.Kazim. Gymnasium - - - - 1 2 3

15 Russian Gymnasium - - - - - 1 1

16 Kaunas Yachtclub - - 1 - - - 1

17 Private Jewish Gymnasium II - - 1 - - - 1

Total: 6 8 11 0 6 10 41

The SELL Olympiad was organized in Lithuania in 1938. Students

competed in skiing, basketball and volleyball and it was written in the press:

“Two countries participated in airball and basketball competitions: Lithuania

and Latvia. The Latvians won the airball competition as it was expected

because their airball technique is much better. However, it must be emphasized

that our airball team of students was much better and stronger this time

compared with all previous times. It consisted of Baltrūnas, Miniukas,

Karazija, Jarošekas, Lasauskas, Leščius. The Latvians were made to make

every effort and pull their socks up in the game“ (SELL orinio ir krepšinio

varžybos, 55). The results of the championship are presented in the tables 9 and

10 (Bertašius, 1999),.


1 CJSO 18 2 38:9 36

2 Aušra 16 4 36:13 32

3 IV Gymnasium 11 9 25:21 22

4 Grandis 10 10 24:24 20

5 LFLS 5 15 14:32 10

6 ASK 0 20 4:40 0

59


1 Grandis 12 0 24:4 24

2 CJSO 9 3 20:7 18

3 Aušra 5 7 14:15 10

4 Kazimieraičių

Gymnasium

4 8 9:17 8

5 IV Gymnasium 0 12 0:24 0

LFLS Left

Volleyball and seventeen other branches of sport were included in the

program of the First National Olympiad of Lithuania of 1938. 16 strongest

teams of men and women each were selected to the Olympiad (LCVA, F.939,

ap. 1, b. 798, l. 7-9, 22, 26, 27, 37, 41).

Table 11: Participants of volleyball competitions of men of the First National Olympiad of Lithuania

Kaunas Sport Circuit

1 Aušros Gymnasium of Boys

2 Central Sport Organization Club of Young

Lithuanians

3 Riflemen’s Sport Club Grandis

4 IV Gymnasium

5 Academic Sport Club

6 Third Gymnasium

7 Jėzuitų Gymnasium

8 LFLS

Klaipėda Sport Circuit

1 Vytauto Didžiojo Gymnasium

2 Klaipėda Region Lithuanian and Garrison

Sport Union

Šiauliai Sport Circuit 1 Šiauliai Sport Organization of Young

Lithuanians

Marijampolė Sport Circuit 1 Vikaviškis Gymnasium of Men

Telšiai Sport Circuit 1 Telšiai Government Gymnasium

Panevėžys Sport Circuit 1

Ukmergė Sport Circuit 1

........................... 1

Total 16 Teams

60

Table 12: I Participants of volleyball competitions of women of the First National Olympiad of

Lithuania

Kaunas Sport Circuit

1 Riflewomen’s Sport Club Grandis

2 Šv.Kazimiero Gymnasium of Girls

3 Central Sport Organization Club of

Young Lithuanians

4 Aušros Gymnasium of Girls

5 IV Gymnasium

6 LFLS

7 M.Pečkauskaitės Gymnasium

8 Šv. Širdies Kongr. Gymnasium

Klaipėda Sport Circuit 1

2

Šiauliai Sport Circuit 1 Šiauliai Sport Organization of

Young Lithuanians

Marijampolė Sport

Circuit 1 Alytus Government Gymnasium

Telšiai Sport Circuit 1 Telšiai Government Gymnasium

Panevėžys Sport Circuit 1 Panevėžys Gymnasium of Girls

Ukmergė Sport Circuit 1

.............................. 1

Total 16 Teams

During the preparation for volleyball competitions of the National

Olympiad, it was foreseen the team that would win two sets would win the

match. It was foreseen the competitions would be organized on the national

playground if the weather was good and in the hall of HPC if it was bad.

The team of Vilnius Lithuanians became winner of volleyball

competitions of men of the First National Olympiad of Lithuania and it

consisted of Večkys, Astašauskas, Juknevičius, Kvaraciejus, Petruškevičius,

Skrodzkis, Žydelis; the volleyball players Švamburys, Puskunigis, Paplauskas,

Šembergas, Pivoriūnas, Freimanas, Domarkas from Šiauliai JSO won the silver

medals; the team CJSO consisting of Baltrūnas, Mykolaitis, Daudaras, Šačkus,

Variakojis, Bertašius, Miniukas won the bronze medals (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b.

1237, l.8).

The volleyball players Vaškelytė, Didžiulytė, Abramčikaitė,

Liutkevičiūtė, Klibavičiūtė, Urbonavičiūtė, Mockūnaitė, Stankevičiūtė,

Šlekienė, Sakaauskaitė from the team CJSO won the gold medal in the group of

women; the Sport Union of Latvian Lithuanians represented by the volleyball

players from Riga and Liepaja Kirevičiūtė, Didžiulytė, Strazdaitė, Rudytė,

Visockienė, Balceraitė won the silver medal; the volleyball players Vitartaitė,

61

Vitartaitė, Vilcinaitė, Ruplinskaitė, Čypaitė, Dievaitytė from Šiauliai JSO won

the bronze medal (LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 1237, l.8, 42).

However, volleyball did not become popular: the championship

organized in 1939 was not completed and there was no championship in 1940

at all (Bertašius, 1999).

1929-1939 is the period of the beginning of volleyball in Lithuania: the

first match was played, the championships of women and men were organized

and it was reached that volleyball and seventeen other branches of sport were

included in the program of the first national Olympiad of Lithuania in 1938.

However, volleyball was not a very popular branch of sport in Lithuania in the

above-mentioned period.

Correspondence:

Daiva Majauskienė

[email protected]

Phone: + 37037302626

62

mailto:[email protected]

REFERENCES

A.B. (1932). Moterų sporto šventė. Mūsų sportas, 14, 3.

Bertašius, A. (1999). Lietuvos sporto žinynas 1919-1940. T.1., V. LSIC.

Diržius. (1934). Orasvydžio technika. Kūno kultūra ir sveikata, 1, 765.

Narbutas, J. (1934). Orasvydis. Kūno kultūra ir sveikata, 1. 734.

Narbutas, J. (1978). Sportas Nepriklausomoje Lietuvoje. T.1-2. Chicago.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 238, l. 45, 47,106.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 244, l.7, 11, 16-17.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 245, l. 3, 151.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 246, l. 18.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 340, l.12, 28.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 488, l. 31, 158.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 494, l. 28-30, 32, 34.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 603, l. 313.

LCVA, F.939, ap. 1, b. 798, l. 7-9, 22, 26, 27, 37, 41.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 1017, l.42.

LCVA, f.933, ap. 1, b. 1237, l. 8, 42.

(1934). Orasvydžio žaidimo technika. Kūno kultūra ir sveikata, 45, 684-685,

689.

(1938). SELL Orinio ir krepšinio varžybos. Fiziškas auklėjimas, 2, 55.

63

ROMANIA

THE BEGINNINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLLEYBALL IN ROMANIA

Ioan Turcu, Transilvania University of Brasov, Faculty of Physical

Education and Mountain Sports, Romania

Gheorghe Balint, Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacau, Faculty of

Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, Romania

The beginnings of the volleyball game in Romania are linked, like in

other countries, to the invention of this wonderful and coveted sport by William

Morgan, director of Physical Education at a college in Holyoke, Massachusetts,

Mass. This teacher gave us the opportunity to practice or watch the volleyball

of all fans around the world. Without his inspiration, we would not have had

the opportunity to publish the following lines.

Enriching its content, the volleyball game has gained a growing

popularity and spread, practically encompassing the entire world.

The volleyball game, along with other sports and sports games, takes an

important place in the Physical Education system. Through its practical,

hygienic and educational value, it is an important part of sports activity,

representing a form of ludic manifestation of physical exercise. It combines the

positive sanotrophic effects of sport and physical exercise with the educational

influences of the game. It has a wide spread among the youth and other

population categories. Due to its characteristics it positively influences the

physical development and great functions of the body and it contributes to the

development of motor skills and the formation of personality.

The volleyball game is characterized by its attractiveness and

accessibility. It does not require organizational conditions and complicated

materials. It can be practiced both indoors and outdoors. It offers the possibility

of gradating the effort corresponding to the age and the degree of training and

has a positive influence on the strengthening of the health, physical and psychic

detention, ensuring a harmonious physical development of those who practice

it.

If practiced at the level of performance, the game is characterized by

dynamism and spectacle, and the popularity of the competitions provides it

with an important place in the sports discipline.

All this gives volleyball unquestionable biological and pedagogical

valences and a well-defined position in the Physical Education and Sport

system in the fields of: Physical Education, Sports for All and Performance

Sport.

64

As a means of physical education, volleyball is present in the Physical

Education classes at all levels in the form of dynamic volleyball games and

global games, and its systematization is included in the content of physical

education programs.

It is practiced for recreational purposes by young people and the elderly,

in organized forms (school, university, institution or neighborhood

championships, etc.) or spontaneous. As a performance sport it is practiced and

organized in form of Junior, Youth or Seniors Championships, Balkan

Championships, European Championships, World Championships and Olympic

Games.

The game is a complex activity, predominantly motric and emotional,

spontaneously performed according to predetermined rules, recreational,

sporting and at the same time it is an adaptation to the social reality. Among the

characteristics of the game we remember that it is a natural, free, spontaneous,

attractive, total, disinterested, creative-compensatory activity.

The athletic game is a system of exercise in form of a game with a

specific object with specific dimensions and form, whereby two teams or two

opponents compete in accordance with organizational or development rules.

In order to define the notion of sports game, three elements are taken into

account:

the player’s activity;

the ideas for the game gathered in the game design - setting the best

ways to drive a system of principles and rules of action that determine

what the players have to do;

the rules of the game - official normative act that specifies all the

necessary details regarding the organization and conduct of the game.

All elements are dynamic, subject to perfection, evolution, and find

themselves in close correlation. (I. Bota, D. Colibaba-Evulet, 1998)

Over time, the volleyball regulation has been aware of various changes

that have been introduced in its practice, either in terms of balancing the game

by approaching defense efficiency to that of attack or commercial reasons

(radio, television, marketing, etc.).

As a result of the evolution of the rules of the game, there are important

changes in its content, in the sense of enriching it with new elements of

technique and tactics aimed at immediate purpose and game tasks. Along with

the service and the passing of the ball, there are tendencies in the organization

of the game, in the idea of sending the ball in the adversary field as difficult as

possible - with an attack blow. As a reply, the jam and even the plunger appear

as defenses.

Improving the organization of the game results in the tendency of the

players to specialize as hitter or setter on one hand, and on the other hand, the

requirement of rotation requires some multilateralism on their part.

65

By looking back at the evolution and character of the game from the

beginnings, we can recognize a few relative stages. Therefore the period

marked by the emergence of the game and its relative stabilization in 1934 with

the appearance of the Stockholm Technical Commission may be considered a

period of pioneering, searching and crystallizing of the game of volleyball. The

interval 1934-1964 can be considered as the beginning of modern volleyball,

characterized by dynamism, a high degree of technicality and a greater

accessibility to the high-performance game of practitioners. The 1964 period to

date, which we call the contemporary or current period, is a time when a new

type of game is launched, characterized by the dominance of the motor-driven

power and speed at the expense of technique and imagination, by the

appearance of the so called "Gigantoid" players and by diminishing the number

of phases of great show.

A retrospective on the content of the game and its evolution in the

technical-tactical plan according to the period settings above is highlighting the

following aspects, considered of course at the level of the performance teams

(A. Prescorniţă, 2003):

The pioneering period in the volleyball game was a period of searching

and crystallization in the field of the technique of striking and playing the

ball. Of the many possibilities of ball intervention, a number of

"techniques" have had a relative short life while others have established

themselves, being present in the current game as well. We exemplify in

the first group the high-rotating "reverse" ball service printed on the ball,

the "pushed" service with the fingers of the kicker's arm, the cubital part

of the forearms, the "pinned" kick, the kick off the leg. As current

elements in the game remain the following: variations of the top-of-the-

front service, the “classic” passing with two hands overhead, the

variations of the hitting by jumping on both legs, etc. From a tactical point

of view, attempts are made to organize the attack game, at first without

specialization in posts, and later in various formulas related to the number

of setters and hitters, and for the defense the dominant law - "the ball does

not hit the ground".

The period of crystallization of the modern game bears the mark (by the

appreciation of many specialists) of the domination of the attack over the

defense. One of the basic technical elements, the service, was usually

done in force - from the front ("Polish") or from the top ("rotatable").

Participation in the take-over was done by the whole team (except the

setting player), this action being performed, in spite of the service force,

with the "cup" with two hands overhead. Hitters mainly used the

following methods, apart from the classic attack with balls with a "normal

trajectory": attack from "short balls", the "wheel" attack, attack from a

"block out", the dink attack. The blocking was a passive act, while the

palms, according to the regulation, could not stop the attack in the

adversary field by an active movement of the arms. The "back" and “side”

66

plungers were used as to give a higher precision to the balls played this

way as opposed to the forward plunger. As a result of these aspects, the

technical level of the players has much more influence on their

performance than their size and physical qualities. The ball remained

longer in the game, the phases were longer, the possibilities for recovering

the ball were higher, the playing area was practically extended beyond the

limits of the playing field. The dominant game system was 4T + 2R that

used the combined attack and, as a rule, defending the retired Z6 player.

The current or contemporary period is characterized by the fact that the

blocking becomes an immediate means of the immediate defense.

Through its aggressiveness, the action of blocking the attack can be done

in the adversary field by passing the palms over the net. The service

evolves from the "floating" manner to the jump force service. Two-handed

lower hands raise has a high level of precision and technicality, becoming

the main means of receiving strong balls from the opponent. From a

tactical point of view, it generalizes the 5T + 1R game system, with

players specializing in both attack and defense phases. Super-

specialization occurs in posts and tasks ("center", "fake", "attack" players,

etc.) as well as the "libero" player.

Changes to the regulation have been done and will continue to be done

in the future. They were initiated in order to contribute to the dynamics of the

game, to balance the attack with the defense, in general, to make the game more

beautiful. To the same law - the regulation in force - there were and there are

different interpretations of a subjective nature. However, they have been

initiated by the competent forums and "arbitration lines", which, under the

same regulation, left the game be freer or showed a higher exigency. It is the

place and the moment to show that the arbitration has also had a negligible

contribution to the evolution of the game. Therefore, at the Tokyo Olympic

Games in 1964, in addition to the essential regulatory changes, it was decided

that the "General Arbitration Line" be very exigent towards receiving the

service and taking over from the attack, actions that until then most of the time

were done with two hands overhead and by that were rising various

interpretations and discussions.

As a result, the technical arsenal of the game improves and the hitting of

the ball with two hands below, considered until then a "primitive" action,

devoid of refinement and accidental, rises to a high level of technicality and

precision . Things do not stop here, and the underhand serve with two hands is

replaced by the "float" serve that initially causes serious problems to the hitter

segment, obviously less skillful than the "cup" ball with two hands overhead.

The main technical acquisitions - the aggressive and active blocking, the two-

handed take-over and attack, the float serve - have immediate repercussions

both for the attack tactics (the three moves and finishing) and in the defense

tactic (broader possibilities of self-delivery, etc.)

67

There are also changes in game systems, using the 5T + 1R system,

which obviously favors the number of shooters the attack stage.

In order to overcome the aggressive blockade, more and more tall attackers

appear, the average height increasing from 1.86 - 1.87 m in the years 1965-

1970, 1.92 - 1.94 m since the 1980s and with tendencies toward gigantism,

many teams having 1-2 players over 2 m at present. Talia is complemented by

physical qualities (particularly force and detent). Unfortunately, gaining in

strength and in height, the attack loses technical and orientation, but instead,

there are new versions of technical procedures. As a result, the second-line

attack and the jumping service appear and gain more ground.

Surely the evolution of the game can be discussed from a number of

points of view and will continue to be a permanent one as long as volleyball is

played.

Statistics based on results from male and female teams in major

competitions such as World Championships, European Championships, World

Games, Olympics, plus the results of some club teams in the European

Champions Cup and the Cup of Cups, has in the past put Romania on an

honorable 8th place in the world hierarchy of volleyball. This place is more

honorable as the level of craftsmanship revealed by the big competitions is

higher because of the competition created by a large number of competitors.

Volleyball is currently the sport with the largest number of national federations

affiliated to the FIA - 209 affiliated countries in 1992.

Romania was one of the countries where this sports game was adopted

very quickly after its international recognition, 1919 - 1920 being mentioned as

years when volleyball entered the territory of our country. Introduced by US

soldiers in missions in our country, it seems that the first games were played

with partners from Romanian pupils, students or soldiers.

The Encyclopedia of Physical Education and Sport in Romania notes

that in the competitions organized after the appearance of the volleyball game

in our country, the technical-tactical actions were quite simple and few, as

follows: the service was executed from the bottom rather than the top, taking

over the ball and raising it the attack is executed mainly with two upper hands

and rarely with two lower hands (with a plunger in extreme situations), the

attack is executed on one leg and rarely beating on both legs, etc. From a

tactical point of view, combinations in attack were without the entry of the

second line builder, dominating the device with the player in the six advanced

area, etc.

It can be said that the current volleyball game, which is only in the hall,

is different from the one played at the beginning when playing in the open air.

It seems that the first volleyball ball flew over the net in our country in

1919. The schoolchildren learned this sport from the military missions present

in the country at that time. There is no proof of an official activity sustained

between 1919-1928. There have been some fun games, and later games

between school teams.

68

The first international meeting was recorded in 1927, between the

students from ONEF Bucharest and a Turkish team at Eforie. The team of the

Romanian students won with the score of 3-1. During this time several groups

such as Turda, Viforul Dacia and others who organized volleyball games were

founded.

The date of September 24, 1928 marks the beginning of the official

activity with the founding of the governing body for volleyball and basketball

team of F.R.B.V. (Romanian Basketball and Volleyball Federation).

From that year until 1948, volleyball and basketball went hand in hand.

Most of the athletes who practiced one of these sports practiced the other as

well. We quoted from the work "The Almanac of the Romanian Volleyball"

published by the authors N. Mateescu and M. Popescu in 1966 in Bucharest, in

the Union of Physical Culture and Sports Publishing House.

Other authors designate 1931 as the year in which F.R.B.V. (Romanian

Basketball and Volleyball Federation), this federation managing to "determine

the vast majority of players and players to specialize and legitimate for both

sports, either at the same club or at different clubs".

It is certain that in 1948 the two games split up as the Central Volleyball

Commission (by some authors) or the Central Volleyball Inspectorate (by other

authors) emerges, a forum for organizing and developing the game.

In 1946, when the first edition of the “Balkaniade” took place in

Bucharest, the Romanian (male and female) teams were the winners of this

competition.

The representative male formation of our country participates in 1949 at

the first edition of the World Championship in Prague, ranking the 4th place.

As a result, the first national male championships were held in 1949 and

females in 1950. From this date the national competition for the two sexes takes

place regularly on different levels (Division A, Division B, Super League,

University Campuses, etc.).

Since 1955 the National Junior Championship is organized as well.

In 1958, after a period of changes in the name of the federation, it comes

back to being called the Romanian Volleyball Federation, which has its own

independence. The competitive system is changing as well. Therefore, since

1949, the local championship teams have been promoted to the central

championship on the basis of a pyramid hierarchy, and in 1954 the divisional

competition system is introduced.

The large number of teams will lead to the emergence of two

competitive volleyball structures: Division A and Division B.

Since 1969, the school championship has been replaced by the Junior

Division and later the competition for cadets and hopes is also improving.

Since 1970, the republican championship has been established and in the

same year the children's championship (Minivoleyball).

69

Figure 1. Volleyball match at the “Tineretului” Stadium in Bucharest, in the competition "Unity of

Youth Cup" (1948)

The volleyball tournament in Romania has flourished since it was

organized on different stages and on several levels (Regional or County

Championships, Division B, Division A, etc., Romanian Cup, University

Championships, School Championships, Junior Championships, SE, etc.) as

well as periods of recession in which a whole series of competitions mentioned

above simply disappeared either because of financial deficiencies or because of

deficiencies in the mass of combatants.

The representative teams of the Romanian volleyball, at the level of the

national team or at the level of leading club teams, have recorded over the years

a series of results worth mentioning:

In 1956 at the World Championships in Paris, both the National Team of

Boys and the Women's Team won 2nd place.

In 1958, on the occasion of the European Championships in Prague, the

Men's National won 2nd place.

In 1960, at the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Men's

National League is ranked No. 3.

In 1962, at the World Championships in Moscow, the Men's National

team ranks 3rd.

In 1963, on the occasion of the European Championships held in

Bucharest, the representative teams of our country are ranked 1st in boys

and 3rd place in girls.

In 1966, at the World Championships in Prague, the male representative

team of our country ranks 2nd.

70

In 1971, at the European Championships held in Milan, the male

representative team of our country ranks 3rd.

In 1977, at the European Championships held in Helsinki, the male

representative team of our country ranks 3rd.

In 1980, at the Olympic Games in Moscow, the same male representative

team of Romania ranks 3rd.

Figure 2. The volleyball match between CSC Army and ATK (Czechoslovakia), score 0-3 (1949)

Also, at the World Championships, a series of leading men's and

women's ranks were achieved, among which the titles obtained in 1954, 1957

and 1990 in the female and 1961 and 1981 in the male were distinguished.

We quoted from the work "Volleyball in education" by V. Ghenadi et

al., Plumb Publishing House, Bacau, 1998.

At club team level, the best results were obtained by the teams:

1. Rapid Bucharest won the European Champions Cup in 1961, 1963 and

1965 and ranks second in 1960, 1962, 1966 and 1967.

2. Dinamo Bucharest won the European Champions Cup in 1966, 1967 and

1981 and ranks second in 1968, 1974 and 1977.

3. Steaua Bucharest ranks second in 1969 and 1979.

In Cup Of Cups:

1. Dinamo Bucharest won the trophy in 1979.

2. Steaua Bucharest ranks second in 1977.

71

In the Balkan Cup:

1. Explorari Baia Mare won the trophy in 1979 and 1980.

On the female teams things were weaker, only Penicilina Iasi and Dinamo

Bucharest managed to get a 3rd place in the first two Cup of Cups editions

1973 and 1974.

The above data can be found in the "Volleyball" work of Mr. Octavian

Bâc, published at the University Publishing House of Oradea, 1999.

Figure 3. Women's volleyball match between Dinamo Bucharest and Traktor Schwerin teams in

R.D. German (score 1-3 in sets), counting for the Cup Cups, played in the Dinamo in Bucharest (1975)

After 1980, the Romanian national teams entered a weak stage, the

results gained internationally being far from those of the previous decades. The

only notable results achieved in the last years are the ones obtained by the

female university teams at 1991 Universities (Shefield) - 2nd place, and 1993

(Buffalo) - 1st place and the performance of the U Cluj Club male team

managed to qualify for the finals in the Cup of Cups competition in 1996.

The qualifying of the national women's team in the European

Championship final round in 2004 can also be considered a success and offers

the chance for a revival of the volleyball in the near future.

72

Only in 2016 CSM Bucharest will win the first European cup for the

Romanian women's volleyball. CSM girls win the Challenge Cup after a clear

victory over the Turk team in Trabzon, score 3-1, the same in both games as the

host and as the visitor team. The Challenge Cup is the third European value

competition after the Champions League and the European Volleyball

Confederation Cup.

Several teachers, coaches, athletes, doctors, psychologists, referees,

journalists, representatives of FRV and the leadership of sports clubs in our

country contributed to the development of the Romanian volleyball.

Due to the long and laborious volleyball activity in Romania, the leadership of

the International Volleyball Federation awarded the silver medal to the

Romanian Volleyball Federation in 1974.

Among the representative figures that led to the development and

affirmation of the Romanian volleyball, we must remember, in the male

competition - Constantin Chiţigoi, Marius Cătă-Chiţiga, Aurel Dobincă,

Laurenţiu Dumănoiu, George Eremia, Gheorghe Ferariu, Cornel Oros, Marian

Păuescu, Nicolae Sotir, and the female competition- Tatiana Avacum, Sonia

Colceru, Doina Corbeanu Ivănescu, Doina Moţ Vinţan, Rodica Gherasim

Şiclovan, Despina Mavrocordat etc.

At the same time, since 1993, beach volleyball has more and more

followers in Romania. The championship organized by FRV is attended by

both male and female teams. The two teams, each consisting of two players,

face each other on a sand field, competing in a set or in the three-set variant.

Our national teams participate in international beach volleyball competitions,

usually qualifying for the European or World Championships for this sports

game.

Therefore, in Greece, at the European Youth Championships, the female

couple Cristina Androhovici and Laura Dulceanu won the third place bringing

home the bronze medal.

In the present in Romania the strongest teams are grouped in the

Division A1, both male and female. Therefore, the national volleyball

championship includes 12 male teams (Steaua Bucharest, Tricolorul LMV

Ploiesti, Arcada Galati, ACS Vollei Municipal Zalău, CS Municipal Bucharest,

SC U Craiova, Dinamo Bucharest, Unirea Dej, Stiinta Explorari Baia Mare,

Universitatea Cluj, CSS 2 CNE Baia Mare, CSU Universitatea de Vest

Timisoara) and 10 female (CSM Bucharest, CSM Vollei Alba Blaj, CSM

Targoviste, Stiinta Bacau, UVT Agroland Timisoara, CSM Lugoj, Dinamo

Bucharest, CSU Medicina CSS Tirgu Mures , Universitatea NTT Data Cluj,

ACS Penicilina Iasi).

Finally we are proposing some directions for developing the volleyball

game at a national and global level.

The modern volleyball game is characterized by the speed and variety of

playing, through the continuous improvement of the action, the striking pitch of

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the ball, the creativity in building attack combinations and the flexibility in

choosing the defense system.

The emotional content of the game has also increased, especially

following regulatory changes and the introduction of the tie-break rule.

In the future, specialists in the field expect the main directions of the game

development to increase the flexibility in team strategy and tactics, to develop a

players' mental training and to gradually eliminate the differences between the

content of the game played by the female teams and the one played by the male

teams. (Flavia Rusu).

At the level of high-performance teams, we are witnessing an

acceleration of the pace of the game, increasing the number of attack

simulations, and altering the distribution of attack actions along the net, with

the goal of increasing uncertainty and preventing the effective organization of

the blocking of the opponent team. There is also an increase in the serving

force, which is more and more becoming a weapon for attacking the other team.

On a technical level we foresee a development of the volleyball game

based especially on the following factors:

Upgrading the degree of individual technical mastery alongside with its

harmonization and fitting into the collective action;

Acquiring and perfecting as many variations of the game actions as

possible, associated with the individual peculiarities of the players;

Developing the creativity and the possibilities to apply the known actions

in order to maximize the individual and collective potential, as well as to

find the opponent's weaknesses;

Increasing the degree of technical stability in the given playing conditions

and in the moments of responsibility;

Modifying the motric structure and pace of execution according to the

game situation;

Increasing the number of execution options of the finishing actions by

increasing the ball impact force and motric precision.

On a tactical plan, the factors that can contribute to the improvement and

development of tactical aspects are:

Increasing the premeditation and anticipation of tactical behavior

according to the strong and weak points of the team and its opponent;

Developing the possibilities to impose an uncomfortable gameplay on the

opponent;

Developing the capacity for operational thinking and efficient solving of

game situations. Developing operational intelligence;

Developing the ability to conceal and mask true intentions;

74

The most important elements of progress in the volleyball game are:

The use of training methods and means specific to other sports disciplines

in the training process;

The introduction of Informatics in the training process; the use of media

techniques in the orientation and interpretation of the training, as well as

in the analysis and optimization of the training and the preparation of the

official games.

The increase of the number of testing games along with optimizing the

ratio of training and official games.

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REFERENCES

Ackerman J., Schinger Power A. – Volley-ball, Vizot, Paris, 1992.

Bâc, O. - Volleyball, University of Oradea Publishing House, Oradea, 1999.

Bota, I., Colibaba-Evuleţ, D. - Sports Games. Theory and Methodology, Aldin

Publishing House, Bucharest, 1998.

Croitoru, D. - Volley, ANEFS Publishing House, Bucharest, 2000.

Drăgan, A. - Volleyball, Basic Concepts, Romania Publishing House of

Tomorrow, Bucharest, 2002.

Fântâneanu, E. - Volleyball. Small Encyclopedia, Sport-Turism Publishing

House, Bucharest, 1981.

Ghenadi, V. et al. - Volleyball in Education, Plumb Publishing House, Bacau,

1998.

Hebert, M. - Insights and Strategies for Winning Volleyball, Leisure Press,

Champaign, Illinois, 1991.

Mateescu, N., Popescu, M. - The Almanac of the Romanian Volleyball,

Publishing House of Physical Culture and Sports Union, Bucharest,

1966.

Păcuraru, A. et al. - The Volleyball, a Teacher's Manual, Helios Publishing

House, Iasi, 2000.

Prescorniţă, A. - Volley, Transilvania University Publishing House, Brasov,

2003.

Rusu, F. - Volleyball Course, FEFS Publishing House, Cluj Napoca, 2008.

Şerban, M., P. de Hilerin - Volleyball, Strategy and Tactics, Sport-Turism

Publishing House, Bucharest, 1984.

Tudor, S. - Volleyball, S.C. Chiro S.R.L. Bucharest, 1998.

Turcu, I. - Volleyball - IFR Course, Transylvania University Publishing House,

Brasov, 2008.

Turcu, I., Drugau, S. - Volleyball. Systems of action from initiation to

improvement, Transilvania University Publishing House, Brasov,

2009.

https://www.frvolei.ro/pagini/5_oficiali/resurse_arbitri/2015/Regulamentul%20

jocului%20de%20volei%202015.pdf

https://www1.agerpres.ro/flux-documentare/2017/06/09/istoria-sportului-

romanesc-volei-08-48-35

76

https://www.frvolei.ro/pagini/5_oficiali/resurse_arbitri/2015/Regulamentul%20jocului%20de%20volei%202015.pdf

https://www.frvolei.ro/pagini/5_oficiali/resurse_arbitri/2015/Regulamentul%20jocului%20de%20volei%202015.pdf

https://www1.agerpres.ro/flux-documentare/2017/06/09/istoria-sportului-romanesc-volei-08-48-35

https://www1.agerpres.ro/flux-documentare/2017/06/09/istoria-sportului-romanesc-volei-08-48-35

RUSSIA

THE HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN RUSSIA

Sobyanin Fedor Ivanovich, Faculty of Physical Culture, Belgorod

state national research University

Zhilina Larisa Vasilyevna, Faculty of Physical Culture, Belgorod

state national research University

Kadutskaya Larisa Anatolievn, Faculty of Physical Culture,

Belgorod state national research University

Shipulin Gennady Yakovlevich, President of the volleyball club

«Belogorie», city of Belgorod, Russia

Khtey Taras Yurievich, President of the volleyball Federation of

Belgorod region of Russia, Olympic champion

Bogacheva Elizaveta Alekseevna, Departement of Pedagogy and

Psychology of Health Institute of Educational Development of

the Belgorod region

In Russia, volleyball first was introduced in the 1920s and in the

beginning was solely seen as entertainment; amateur, often mixed teams of

different age engaged in the game on the streets, beach, in courtyards.

According to many authors, volleyball was first played by the creative

intelligentsia in Moscow1. Volleyball quickly evolved from a recreational

amatuer sport to popular professional sport. There are three stages in the history

of the game in the USSR.

The first stage covers the period from its introduction in 1920s to the

beginning of the Second World War in 1941. At this stage, there emerged

administrative bodies that governed the rules as volleyball was developing into

a professional sport. For example, the first rules for volleyball in the USSR

were approved by the Physical Education Council in Moscow in 1925.

Two years later, the Moscow Volleyball Championship started

regularly, and in 1928 volleyball was included in the program of the first All-

Union Spartakiad2 and organized a permanent judging panel. Women and men

started to play volleyball at the same time. However, tactically the game was

still very monotonous: usually a pass was made to zone 3, then 4 and

immediately the ball was tossed onto the opponent team's site.

Only in 1928 for the first time they began to use the attacking blow and

the return blocking against it.

In the 1930s, the geography of volleyball teams was noticeably

expanded, and the number of different competitions in this sport increased.

1 Железняк, Юрий, и Портнов, Юрий. 2001. Спортивные игры: техника, тактика

обучения. Учебник. М.: Издательский центр «Академия». 2 https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki.

77

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki

Competitions became so popular that volleyball matches were held almost

everywhere every weekend with a large number of not only competitors, but

also spectators. There was a growing need for the organization of the All-Union

Volleyball Federation. In 1932, the All-Union Volleyball Section was created,

which temporarily performed functions as a federation of volleyball3. The level

of volleyball is gradually rising and there is a need to hold competitions with

foreign rivals. However, at that time there was only one international meeting

with the Afghan team in 1935, in which the USSR team assertively won.

In the late 30s, club volleyball begins to develop, leading teams are

formed, outstanding athletes appear, an active sporting struggle between them

begins. Basically, rivalry is observed between the teams of Moscow and

Leningrad.

The second stage of the development of volleyball in the USSR can be

ascertained approximately from 1946 to 1991. It was characterized by the solid

development of volleyball as the most popular sport in the country, structural

and organizational design, improving training, a sharp rise in the skill level of

athletes and teams, reaching a broad international arena, achieving the highest

sport results. Simultaneously, volleyball is included in the section of the

academic discipline "Physical Culture" in general education, secondary special

and higher educational institutions. In addition, methodological

recommendations, manuals, textbooks and training programmes were

developed and published.

Children's sports clubs and other institutions for professional sports were

opened in large numbers. Integrated scientific groups were created which

conducted research including doctoral dissertations and prepared publications.

These elements contributed to the improvement of the technical, tactical,

physical and other elements of the game and development of skills of teams and

individual volleyball players and emergence of attacking techniques in

volleyball.

Figure 1. The 1968 Olympics. The game of the USSR-Japan teams.

3 Свиридов, Владимир.2016. Волейбол. Энциклопедия. М.: Человек. Спорт.

78

After the formation of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) in

1947, this sport began to develop actively in different countries, including the

USSR. In 1948, the All-Union Volleyball Section was admitted to the

International Volleyball Federation. In 1959 the All-Union Volleyball Section

was transformed into the All-Union Volleyball Federation.

Figure 2. USSR male volleyball team, champions of the 1980 Olympic Games.

Since 1947, international meetings on volleyball have been resumed,

and from 1948 to 1991 the male and female teams of the USSR have

systematically competed in European, World, Olympic and many other

competitions, achieving the highest results and being among the world leaders.

The third stage begins in 1992 after the collapse of the USSR and

continues to the present. This period is characterized by a certain weakening of

the centralization of volleyball management and the emergence of strong teams

not only in the capital and the largest cities of Russia, but also in provincial

cities, among which the men's team “Belogorie” (Belgorod) and “Uralochka”

(Ekaterinburg). In the first years of the new stage, Russian volleyball continued

to function as inertia in the same way as the Soviet period, but there were

already cardinal changes in it. Later, there was a restructuring of volleyball in

Russia, a radical change in the coaching staff, a change in the game concept,

the introduction of new training and competitive technologies. The average

height of men and women increased which is an important factor in

international sports. The average male sportsman is slightly above 2 meters,

and for the tallest players are above 210 cm. For example, the Olympic

champion in 2012, Dmitry Musersky is 219 cm and is considered one of the

highest volleyball players in the world. An outstanding volleyball player among

women, two-time world champion, Honored Master of Sports of Russia and the

best Russian athlete of 2010 - Ekaterina Gamova is 202 cm. The height of

volleyball players in the Russian team is becoming the subject of special

79

attention, including scientific research4. However, a number of specialists, for

example, coach G. Shipulin believes that height is not the main factor of

success in volleyball.

All this eventually allowed the men's and women's national volleyball

team to stay in the world elite, successfully adapt to new internal and external

conditions.

It should also be noted that at the end of the second and the beginning of

the third stage of volleyball development, beach volleyball began to develop in

Russia, as it had already been seen as independent sport.

At the first Russian championship in 1993 the winners were female and

male couples from St. Petersburg. Since 1995 All-Russian competitions in

beach volleyball are held regularly on a specially developed system. Since the

second half of the 90s international competitions in beach volleyball with the

participation of the Russian national team have been organized. Some

competitions are held in Russia. Among them there are such competitions as

the stage of the World Tour in Volleyball (Moscow, 1998), the finals of the

European Championship (Moscow, 2005, Sochi, 2009) and others. The leading

sports powers in beach volleyball are still the teams of the United States of

America and Brazil, but Russian volleyball players are gradually improving

their skills. The highest achievements of Russians in the Olympic Games are

the 4th place of the male pairs K.Semenov and V.Krasilnikov and the 5th place

of the female pairs E. Birlova and E.Ukolova (Rio de Janeiro, 2016). But

already in 2017 the male and female pairs of Russia in the European

Championship U20 won all the gold medals5 and this fact is very encouraging.

The achievements of Soviet and Russian athletes in volleyball are known

throughout the world (Table 1 and 2). Among the most famous men's volleyball

teams can be identified “Dynamo” (Moscow), “Motorist” (Leningrad), “MAI”

(Moscow), “CSKA” (Moscow), “Belogorie” (Belgorod). The most famous

women's volleyball teams are "CSKA" (Moscow), "Dynamo" (Moscow),

"Locomotive" (Moscow), "Uralochka" (Yekaterinburg).

4 Селезнева, Ольга. 2012. Начальное обучение техническим приемам волейбола

высокорослых девочек 13-14 лет. Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. Белгород. 5 http://volleyplanet.ru/2017/09/14/

80

Table 1. Achievements of the men's national team of the USSR and Russia in volleyball at the Olympic Games

Medal Place Year

gold Tokyo 1964

gold Mexico 1968

bronze Munich 1972

silver Montreal 1976

gold Moscow 1980

silver Seoul 1988

silver Sydney 2000

bronze Athens 2004

bronze Beijing 2008

gold London 2012

The most outstanding coaches of Russian volleyball teams are

M.Sungurov, N.Mikheev, A.Yakushev, J.Kleshchev, J.Zheleznyak, V.Platonov,

N.Karpol, G.Shipulin. Many famous Russian athletes are the volleyball elite:

L.Buldakova, A.Chudina, N.Smoleeva, T.Tretyakova, L.Sokolova,

E.Artamonova, E.Gamow, N.Fasakhov, N.Burobin, G.Mondzolevsky,

Yu.Vengerovsky, A.Savin, V. Kondra, S.Tetyukhin, D. Musersky, T. Htey and

others.

Table 2. Achievements of the women's national team of the USSR and Russia in volleyball at the

Olympic Games

Medal Place Year

silver Tokyo 1964

gold Mexico 1968

gold Munich 1972

silver Montreal 1976

gold Moscow 1980

gold Seoul 1988

silver Sydney 2000

silver Athens 2004

At present, there is continuity in Russia in volleyball specialists, both

among the coaches and among the volleyball athletes. In each of the stages of

development of Russian volleyball the outstanding results of the performance at

the largest international competitions are seen. Tables 1 and 2 presents the

achievements of the men's and women's national teams of the USSR and Russia

in volleyball, excluding the performance of teams under the flag of the CIS

(Commonwealth of Independent States) at the Olympic Games in 1992 in

Barcelona.

It should be mentioned that the the men's volleyball team and the club

“Belogorie” (Belgorod) achieved significant success and played an important

81

role in the development of Russian volleyball during the transition to the new

social and economic conditions of Russia's development after the collapse of

the USSR and became the most outstanding Russian volleyball team. The

history of the club began in 1976 with the creation of the volleyball team

"Technologist" (1976-1981). The first coach of the team was Honored Master

of Sports of the USSR, Olympic champion Vengerovsky Y. Under his

leadership the team won the republican student competitions and took second

place at the All-Union competitions.

Figure 3. Team "Technologist" (Belgorod) in the late 70-ies.

In 1989 G. Shipulint took the post of the head coach of the team under

the new name "Agrarian" and in 1991 the team for the first time played at the

USSR Championship and participated in the USSR Cup. From this moment the

team is gradually consolidated at the all-Russian level and enters the

international arena. In the mid-nineties the team became the medalist and

winner of the Championships and Cups of Russia. In 1996, the strongest

players of the team S. Tetyukhin and V. Hamutskyh were invited to the Russian

national team and participated in the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Until this

moment the Belgorod players are regularly invited to the Russian national

team. In 1997 the club "Belogorye" became champion of Russia for the first

time. At the same time the organizational talent of G. Shipulin who became the

coach of the Russian national team was revealed. He worked in this position

from 1998 to 2004. As the head coach of the Russian team, he led the team to

victories in the European and world championships, as well as to silver and

bronze medals at the Olympic Games (Table 1). From 2004 to 2008 Shipulin

led beach volleyball and did a lot for its development in the Belgorod region

82

and in Russia as a whole. In his coaching and organizational work, he

constantly showed his creative abilities, a scientific approach to solving

emerging problems, and in 2002 successfully defended his candidate's thesis on

volleyball6.

Figure 4. Honored coach of Russia G. Shipulin with his team "Belogorie" - the winners of the

Russian Cup in 2014.

Y. Vengerovsky and G. Shipulin made a great contribution to the

development of the “Belogorie” Volleyball Club first at the local level and then

at the All-Russian and international level. Vengerovsky created the first model

of the team, then Shipulin ensured continuity in coaching and brought the team

to the heights of sportsmanship. He and his colleagues managed to create the

most titled volleyball club in Russia.

Several generations of high-class world-class volleyball players have

been trained: S. Tetyukhin, V. Hamutsky, R. Yakovlev, A. Kosarev, S.

Baranov, A.Verbov, D. Musersky, D. Ilyinykh, T. Htey, A. Bogomolov, A.

Kozakov, I. Kolodinsky and others.

6 Шипулин Г.Я.. 2002. Анализ соревнований высококвалифицированных

волейболистов как основа построения соревновательно-тренировочной

деятельности в классическом волейболе. Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. М.

83

Figure 5. Sergey Tetyukhin - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, the only winner of four Olympic

medals in men's volleyball.

The volleyball club "Belogorye" had the following achievements in 1994-2016:

8-time champion of Russia, 8-time winner of the Cup of Russia, 6-times silver

medalist of the Russian championship, 3-time bronze medalist of the Russian

championship, 2-time winner of the Super Bowl Russia, the 3-time winner of

the Champions League, the winner of the Cup of CEV, the winner of the club

world championship, etc. Some athletes are silver and bronze medalists of the

Olympic Games and Olympic champions.

Figure 6. Dmitriy Musersky - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Olympic champion (2012).

84

The appearance of such strong volleyball players, volleyball clubs,

teams and training centers for volleyball players in the provincial cities of

Russia (Belgorod, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Odintsovo, etc.) exacerbates rivalry

between teams within Russia, expands the geography of volleyball, and

stimulates sportsmanship.

Figure 7. Taras Htey - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Olympic champion (2012).

The development of volleyball as professional sport in Russia was

impossible without special methodological and scientific support. The first

methodological materials and researches on volleyball began to appear even

before the outbreak of World War II. But more fundamentally educational,

methodical and research activities in volleyball began to develop from the late

40's and early 50's of the 20 century. Volleyball as a scientific discipline in

Russia studied the problems of jumping in volleyball7, the development of

methods for individualizing the physical training of volleyball players with the

use of genetic analysis8, the application of a differentiated approach to

improving jumps in beach volleyball based on biomechanical analysis, the

development of physical qualities of volleyball players, the individualization of

7 Иоселиани, Дмитрий. 1955. Методика развития прыгучести у волейболистов с

использованием специальных снарядов. Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. Л. 8 Артамонова, Анна. 2011. Индивидуализация скоростно-силовой подготовки

волейболисток учебно-тренировочной группы на основе генетической

предрасположенности к развитию определенных физических качеств.

Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. Шуя.

85

training volleyball and volleyball players, improvement of judging in

volleyball, building long-term training of volleyball teams, conducting

educational and medical control in the training process, the initial training

technique volleyball and many others.

In conclusion, it should be noted that volleyball in Russia has a fairly

informative and instructive history; it went through several stages in its

development. Over the past years, volleyball has been comprehensively formed

not only as a popular sport in Russia, but also as a kind of physical recreation, a

means of health improving of population, an academic discipline in

educational institutions, and a field of scientific research. Currently in Russia

volleyball is at a high level, so there is every reason to believe that in the near

future it will continue to develop actively.

86

REFERENCES

Артамонова, Анна. 2011. Индивидуализация скоростно-силовой

подготовки волейболисток учебно-тренировочной группы на

основе генетической предрасположенности к развитию

определенных физических качеств. Диссертация кандидата пед.

наук. Шуя.

Железняк, Юрий, и Портнов, Юрий. 2001. Спортивные игры: техника,

тактика обучения. Учебник. М.: Издательский центр

«Академия».

Иоселиани, Дмитрий. 1955. Методика развития прыгучести у

волейболистов с использованием специальных снарядов.

Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. Л.

Свиридов, Владимир.2016. Волейбол. Энциклопедия. М.: Человек. Спорт.

Селезнева, Ольга. 2012. Начальное обучение техническим приемам

волейбола высокорослых девочек 13-14 лет. Диссертация

кандидата пед. наук. Белгород.

Шипулин, Геннадий. 2002. Анализ соревнований

высококвалифицированных волейболистов как основа

построения соревновательно-тренировочной деятельности в

классическом волейболе. Диссертация кандидата пед. наук. М.

http://volleyplanet.ru/2017/09/14.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki.

87

http://volleyplanet.ru/2017/09/14

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki

SERBIA

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF VOLLEYBALL

IN SERBIA AND ACHIEVING THE SPORT OLYMP

Dejan Milenković, Faculty of sport, University „Union-Nikola

Tesla“, Belgrade, Serbia

Milena Momirović, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš, Serbia

Nenad Živanović, FIEP Europe - President of the Section of History

of Physical Education and Sport

Summary: Volleyball in Serbia appeared in the twenties of the previous

century, however, the sport reached the competitive level only after the Second

World War when this sport had it fresh start. Although in the course of its

development in Serbia, volleyball, striving for popularity, had competitors in

football, basketball, water polo, handball, it slowly, by achieving good results,

won its present position. Now it is a trophy Serbian sport in both women's and

men's competitions. The aim of this paper is to present the appearence and

development of volleyball in Serbia, both at the club and at the representative

level, the advancement of the results in international competitions involving

Serbian male and female volleyball players and the achievement of the sports

olymp, or the position of one of the trophy Serbian sports.

Key words: volleyball, national team, clubs, international competition.

INTRODUCTION

Observed from the present perspective, with a sufficient historical

distance, it can be said for the 19th century that it represents a significant period

for the development of modern sports. Different sports systems have been

established, and the need for physical exercise is emphasized1, many new,

today very popular sports were created, sports rules were adopted, the modern

Olympic Games were launched. Volleyball was one of the many sports formed

in this century.

The history of the occurrence of volleyball interweaves with the

emergence of another American sport, basketball. Namely, the creator of

basketball, Professor James Naismith and his colleague William Morgan, who

was associated with the occurrence of volleyball, met at the Springfield

College, where Naismith taught, and Morgan studied. When William Morgan

1 More about this in: Nenad Živanović and Zoran Milošević, „Organised

physical exercising of the 19th century:the need, politics, ideology“, Physical

education and sport through the centuries, 4, 2 (2017): 14-27.

88

finished his studies, he became a professor of physical education at a college in

Holyoke, a town near Springfield. He was also the head of the Young Men's

Christian Association and in need of a new game that would be less violent

than basketball. Using the rules of badminton, tennis, basketball and handball,

in 1895, he created the mintonette. After the first demonstration of the

mintonette next year, a new name, volleyball, was proposed, the name that has

remained to this day2. In the first phases of sport, the rules were changed very

often and differed significantly from today's ones. Active acquaintance of the

rest of the world with volleyball occurred during and after the First World War

through US military troops stationed abroad, primarily in Europe and Asia3.

The volleyball was first accepted by institutions and organizations that

brought youth together, including schools, churches, factories and the army.

Originally, the sport was transferred to Canada, then to India (1900), and in

1905 volleyball was played in Cuba and the rest of Central and South America

(Puerto Rico 1909; Peru 1910; Uruguay 1912; Brasil 1917). At the beginning,

on the American continent, volleyball was a casual, fun activity with very

different rules from country to country. It could be watched being played at

beaches, in sports and recreation centers, schools, colleges, clubs. Volleyball

also found its way to the Philippines (1910), China (1913) and Japan (1917)4. It

arrived in Europe via France in 1917 during the First World War. Later it

spread to Poland and Czechoslovakia (1919) and the Soviet Union (1922). Due

to organizing various competitions, Europe became a center of good volleyball.

Since 1923, volleyball arrived in Africa5.

The increasing popularity and prevalence of volleyball in the world led

to the establishment of the Volleyball Commission in 1934 in the international

advisory board of sports federations in Sweden. It was then suggested that

volleyball became an Olympic sport since the 1940 Olympics. Due to both the

known circumstances that the world experienced at that time and the Second

World War, the introduction of volleyball into the Olympic family was

postponed until 1964, when the first Olympic tournament was played in Tokyo,

where the Soviet Union won the men's competition of 10 teams, and the

national team of Japan won female competition of six teams. In the meantime,

immediately after the end of the Second World War in 1947, the International

Volleyball Federation (FIVB) was formed6.

2 Radomir Kostić, Volleyball - technique and tactics (Ниш: СИА, 1999).

3 Volleyball history in Serbia,

https://arhivirano.ossrb.org/savez/informacije/istorijat-odbojke-u-srbiji.html

(found 29. 3. 2018). 4 Radomir Kostić, Volleyball - technique and tactics (Ниш: СИА, 1999).

5Marijan Flander (ed). Encyclopedia of physical culture. Загреб: Yugoslav

lexicographic institute, (1975), 664. 6 Radomir Kostić, Volleyball - technique and tactics (Ниш: СИА, 1999).

89

In addition to the Olympic Games competition, continental

championships were organized (the first European championship was held in

Rome in 1948) and also the world championship (the first was held in Prague in

1949). Out of major men's competitions, the World League has been played

every year since 1990 to 20177, and World Cup in women's competition (1993-

2017)8. Since 2018, both competitions will grow into the League of Nations

9.

This paper presents the historical moment of the appearance of

volleyball in Serbia and its further development before and after the Second

World War. The period of development of Serbian volleyball in the former

large state, as well as later state structures, was shown up to the present period

of independent statehood of Serbia. The last 20 years that are considered the

boom and peak of Serbian volleyball are specially highlighted.

THEORETICAL BASIS

In order to collect relevant data to be used in writing this paper, the

descriptive-explicit method, the historical method, the analytical-interpretation

and the method of theoretical analysis were used. An overview of data from

print and internet sources has been performed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The appearance of volleyball in Serbia and the period until 1945

The demonstration of volleyball in Serbia was carried out by William

Weiland in 1924 in Belgrade and Novi Sad. This professor of folklore and folk

sports from Oakland, California, was also known for demonstrating basketball

in Serbia. Regardless the fact that people of this area had already been familiar

with volleyball, William Weiland's arrival was recorded as the moment of the

beginning of volleyball in Serbia. In the Red Cross organization, Weiland held

7 FIVB Volleyball World League,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIVB_Volleyball_World_League (found 30. 3.

2018). 8 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIVB_Volleyball_World_Grand_Prix (found 30.

3. 2018). 9 FIVB Volleyball Nations League,

https://www.fivb.org/en/volleyball/Calendar.asp (found 30. 3. 2018).

90

a series of lectures for teachers and Sokol's predecessors, introducing them to

this American game10

.

A year before Weiland's arrival, the book Gymnastics for Schools,

Society and Army, by Anthony Brazdil was published in Belgrade, in which,

among other things, the volleyball rules were presented and summarized. The

Ministry of Education approved this book as an additional textbook for teachers

and students of elementary and secondary schools. There was also the edition

of translated American volleyball rules by V. Janković, published in the 1931

in Gymnastics magazine. When the Sokol Association was invited to

participate in the 1932 Sokol rally in Prague, the volleyball competition was

also included. In 1930, a tournament of the Sokol Association in volleyball was

organized in Belgrade11

. There were no organized volleyball competitions

before the Second World War in Serbia, but this game was very actively played

in Sokol organizations and represented one of the exercises and additional

sports. In the framework of the physical exercise system, Sokol activists

introduced ball games - refusing the ball over the net12

. Sokol competitions

were organized in parishes as parish championships. Sport was very popular at

faculties, colleges and gymnasiums. Since volleyball did not require special

conditions regarding the terrain or costly props, it used to be played in resorts,

on beaches, in parks13

. At the international level, the first appearance of the

national team of the former country was recorded at the tournament in Prague

in 1932 14

.

During the occupation in World War II, volleyball was played by the

partisan military units of the National Liberation Army and by the youth in

liberated territories. However, this game was also presented in occupied cities,

primarily in Belgrade, where many competitions were held, and more and more

sports associations and clubs formed volleyball sections.

10

Volleyball history in Serbia,

https://arhivirano.ossrb.org/savez/informacije/istorijat-odbojke-u-srbiji.html (п

found 29. 3. 2018). 11

Marijan Flander (ed). Encyclopedia of physical culture. Загреб: Yugoslav

lexicographic institute, (1975), 664. 12

According to: Encyclopedia of Niš, Sport, text of Volleyball in Niš, Ž.R.,

278. 13



(found 29. 3. 2018). 14

Marijan Flander (ed). Encyclopedia of physical culture. Загреб: Yugoslav

lexicographic institute, (1975), 664.

91

Volleyball in Serbia after World War II (period in SFR Yugoslavia

1945-1992)

After the end of the Second World War, volleyball became popular in

the army and in youth voluntary work actions. It is believed that during the

1947 and 1948 voluntary work actions on the construction of the Belgrade-

Zagreb highway, the railways of Šamac-Sarajevo, Novi Beograd and Železnik,

about 25.000 volleyball matches were played15

. The former state of Yugoslavia

was one of the 14 founders of the International Volleyball Federation in 1947.

Courses for volleyball instructors were organized in the Partizan physical

exercise society. In 1946, the Physical Association printed a pocket format

publication Volleyball Rules in 14 chapters16

.

As in other sports, in volleyball as well, the formation of sections in

sports clubs was started followe by the formation of independent volleyball

clubs The first organization that took care of volleyball was the Volleyball

Association (Volleyball Committee) within the Federation of Physical Culture

of Yugoslavia (1946), and then on February 13th, 1949, the Volleyball

Federation became an independent sports organization17

. Sub-associations in

the regions and cities are formed, and national championships in both

competitions and in different age categories followed. The first national

championship tournament in both competitions, attended by both republic and

provincial teams, was held in Subotica in 194518

.

On the international scene, the Serbian male volleyball club Spartak

from Subotica should be highlighted since in 1976 it won the third place in the

1976 European Champions Cup (now CEV Champions League)19

, while the

female club Red Star Belgrade was the fourth in Europe the year before20

. Male

volleyball club Partizan was twice runner-up in the Challenge Cup (formerly

15

Ibid. 16

Radomir Kostić, Volleyball - technique and tactics (Ниш: СИА, 1999). 17



(found 29. 3. 2018). 18

Radomir Kostić, Volleyball - technique and tactics (Ниш: СИА, 1999). 19

CEV Champions League,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Champions_League (found 29. 3. 2018). 20

CEV Women's Champions League,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Women%27s_Champions_League (found

29. 3. 2018).

92

CEV Cup) in 1984/85 and 1989/9021

. In that same cup, only in women's

competition, Red Star was the third in the 1985/8622

.

During the period when Serbia was the constituent part of the Socialist

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, volleyball on the international scene in both

national teams, male and female, did not record the results that would have

placed it among the trophy sports of the former state. Nor it can be said that our

country was on the map of volleyball forces, neither on the continental nor on

the world level. Apart from some of the results of valuable attention at the

European Championship (the third place in the women's competition in 1951 in

France, two third places in the men's competition in 1975 in Belgrade and in

1979 in France), which only hinted possible opportunities, there were no major

results in continuity on big competitions. The World Championship and the

Olympic Games for both Yugoslav selections were mostly just nice wishes. If

they did qualify, our national teams ended far from the winning stand.

Top international results (1995 - )

After the break-up of the former state and international embargo which

did not allow our national teams and clubs to perform on the international

stage, the situation in men's volleyball has changed drastically. In the mid-90s

of the 20th century, a new talented generation of Serbian volleyball players

emerged, which in a short period of time showed both Europe and the world a

top-level volleyball in Serbia. The third place at the 1995 European

Championship in Greece may have been a surprise at that moment, but the

bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics next year signaled the emergence of a

new volleyball force in the world. The competitions that followed in the next

20 years, up to these days, confirm the excellent status of Serbian volleyball,

which has won many medals. The silver medal at the 1998 World

Championship in Japan, a brilliant performance at the 2000 Olympic Games

with gold medal, and the first European championship title a year later in the

Czech Republic, established a new world order in volleyball. Also, we should

mention the success of clubs’ performances when Vojvodina volleyball club

from Novi Sad won the third place in the 1996 Champions League23

. In 2015,

21

CEV Challenge Cup, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Challenge_Cup

(преузето 30. 3. 2018). 22

CEV Women's Challenge Cup,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Women%27s_Challenge_Cup (found 30. 3.

2018). 23


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Champions_League (found 29. 3. 2018).

93

the same club won the Challenge Cup 24

, which is the only european cup won

by a Serbian volleyball club.

Figure 1. Vladimir and Nikola Grbić with gold medals in Sydney 2000.

However, it is not only the team success of our national team that is

worth the attention. Our volleyball players have been very often declared the

best in the competition or were members of the best lining. Ivan Miljković was

the best player of the World League (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005), the World

Champions Cup (2001) and the European Championship (2001 and 2011)25

.

Nikola Grbić was the best setter of four European (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005)

and one world championship (2010) and the best European player for 200726

,

while his brother Vladimir was the best European volleyball player in 200027

.

Both brothers are members of volleyball Hall of Fame.

In the women's competition, the rebirth of Serbian volleyball happened

10 years later, in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century. Initially,

female volleyball players cheered us up with third place at the 2006 World

Championship in Japan, in order to complement many more medals at the most

important competitions, two European titles (2011 and 2017), Olympic silver in

2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, etc.

24


(found 30. 3. 2018). 25

Ivan Miljković, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Miljković (found 29. 3.

2018). 26

Nikola Grbić, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Grbić (found 29. 3.

2018). 27

Vladimir Grbić, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Grbić (found 29. 3.

2018).

94

It is interesting to say that at one point Serbian volleyball had a

champion of Europe in both men's and women's competitions. This happened in

2011 when women’s volleyball team celebrated in Belgrade, and male’s

volleyball players in Vienna in Austria.

Figure 2. Maja Ognjenović (10) and Jovana Brakočević (2)

The individual achievements of our volleyball players are also

significant. Maja Ognjenović was three times the best setter both in European

league (2010, 2011 and 2012) and the European Championship (2007, 2011

and 2015)28

. In 2011 Jovana Brakočević was the best player of the European

League and European Championship29

. Tijana Bogdanovic was the best player

in the 2017 European Championship30

.

Women's club volleyball in Serbia in this period is related to the success

of the Red Star and Jedinstvo Užice volleyball clubs. Jedinstvo was runner-up

in 2001/02 CEV Cup (formerly the Cup Winner’s Cup), while Red Star

28

Maja Ognjenović, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maja_Ognjenović (found

29.3.2018). 29

Jovana Brakočević, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jovana_Brakočević (found

29.3.2018). 30

Tijana Bogdanović, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tijana_Bošković (found

29.3.2018).

95

repeated the same result in the 2009/10. In 2007/08. and 2010/11. Red Star took

the third place in CEV Cup31

.

The fans in Serbia no longer ask whether the medal will be won, but

which color its glitter will be. In such situation, both our national teams feel

great pressure, or as it can be often heard the 'imperative of victory', but so far

they have shown that they can successfully fight with such expectations. More

importantly, the top results have contributed to the greater interest of younger

generations who begin to train this sport and with good professional work,

worthy successors of the previous trophy generation appear.

Table 1: Мen’s national volleyball team at international stage32,33

Gold Silver Bronze

European

Championship

Czech Republic 2001.

Austria/ Czech

Republic 2011.

Netherlands 1997.

Yugoslavia 1975. France 1979.

Greece 1995.

Austria 1999. Italy/Serbia and

Montenegro 2005.

Russia 2007.

Denmark/Poland

2013.

Poland 2017.

World

Championship / Japan 1998. Italy 2010.

Olympic Games Sydney 2000. / Atlanta 1996.

World League Kraków 2016.

Madrid 2003.

Belgrade 2005. Rio de Janeiro 2008.

Belgrade 2009.

Rio de Janeiro 2015.

Belo Horizonte 2002. Rome 2004.

Córdoba 2010.

31

Women's CEV Cup, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_CEV_Cup

(found 30.3.2018). 32

Men’s national volleyball team of Serbia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Одбојкашка_репрезентација_Србије (found

29.3.2018). 33

Men’s national volleyball team of Yugoslavia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Одбојкашка_репрезентација_Југославије

(found 29. 3. 2018).

96

Тable 2: Women’s national volleyball team at international stage 34,35

Gold Silver Bronze

European

Championship

Serbia/Italy 2011.

Azerbaijan/Georgia

2017.

Belgium/Luxembourg

2007.

France

1951.

Belgium

/Netherlands

2015.

World

Championship / / Japan 2006.

Olympic

Games / Rio de Janeiro 2016. /

European

League

Turkey 2009.

Turkey 2010.

Turkey 2011.

/

Czech

Republic

2012.

World Cup / Japan 2015. /

World Grand

Prix / /

China 2011.

Japan 2013.

Chinа 2017.

CONCLUSION

Modern sport quickly found its way and it settled in Serbia. Through the

first sport associations, sections, sokol movement, followed by assets and clubs,

it can be noticed that sport competition is very close to the people in this

country, that they enjoy and rejoice in it while they are participating in sporting

competition or watching it. There is particular love for collective sports, for

sports with a ball. Therefore, it is not surprising that volleyball has found its

way and that the people in Serbia have loved it.

Volleyball came to Serbia in the 1920s, however, it did not come to

develop into a competitive sport due to the proximity of the World War II

which followed. After its completion, this sport had its fresh start. At first,

striving for popularity, volleyball had competitors in football, basketball, water

polo, handball, but it still managed to fight for its place. Now it is a trophy sport

in Serbia both in women's and in men's competitions. Younger categories, also

34

Women’s national volleyball team of Yugoslavia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Женска_одбојкашка_репрезентација_Југослави

је (found 29. 3. 2018). 35

Women’s national volleyball team of Serbia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Женска_одбојкашка_репрезентација_Србије

(found 29. 3. 2018).

97

achieve successes and brilliant careers are expected of them. Two Serbian

players are in the volleyball Hall of Fame, brothers Vladimir and Nikola Grbić,

and many more of our players have printed and still print out pages of

volleyball history in the world. Dejan Brđović, Vesna Čitaković, Željko

Tanasković, Maja Ognjenović, Vladimir Vujević, Anja Spasojević, Đula

Mešter, Vladimir Batez, Jovana Brakočević, Ivan Miljković, Nataša

Krsmanović, Andrija Gerić, Suzana Ćebić, Dragan Stanković, Jelena Nikolić,

Vasa Mijić, Tijana Bošković, Slobodan Boškan, Ivana Đerisilo and many

others.

Apart from female and male players, the trophy trainers who are part of

the success of volleyball sport in Serbia should not be neglected. In the men's

team, it is Zoran Gajić, and in the women's it is Zoran Terzić. The coaching

name of Zoran Gajić is connected to the creation of a successful male

volleyball generation. He is a cold-blooded, calm volleyball strategist, who

established the cult of national team, which his successors could only follow.

And they followed, through Igor Kolaković, to the current selector Nikola

Grbić. The same can be said for Zoran Terzić, who has been leading the

women's volleyball national team of Serbia for 16 years and for whom as a

selector all the successes of Serbian women's volleyball have been tied up.

Also, it should be noted that the volleyball official Aleksandar Boričić,

formerly a national team player, now official (formerly president of the

Volleyball Association and now the president of the European Confederation -

CEV), established a great organization in the Volleyball Association of Serbia,

which has been a successful sports collective for years. The good functioning of

the Association has contributed to the results on the court.

It remains to be hoped that the good foundations established in Serbian

volleyball will continue to take this sport to new trophies in all future

competitions. There is both talent and professional work, so we should only

continue watching, enjoying and cheering up for Serbian female and male

volleyball players.

98

Figure 3. Serbia women's national volleyball team, European champion 2017.36

Figure 4. Serbia men's national volleyball team, World league champion 2016.37

36

https://sport.blic.rs/ostali-sportovi/odbojka/zlatne-gracije-odbojkasice-srbije-

na-tronu-evrope-bez-poraza/19wwtfe. 37

http://www.skandalozno.rs/region/tresla-se-dvorana-pogledajte-kako-

sampioni-pevaju-himnu-boze-pravde-video.

99

REFERENCES


(found 30. 3. 2018).


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Champions_League (found 29. 3.

2018).

CEV Women's Challenge Cup,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Women%27s_Challenge_Cup

(found 30. 3. 2018).

CEV Women's Champions League,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEV_Women%27s_Champions_Leagu

e (found 29. 3. 2018).

Encyclopedia of Niš, Sport, text of Volleyball in Nis, Ž.R., 278.

FIVB Volleyball Nations League,

https://www.fivb.org/en/volleyball/Calendar.asp (found 30. 3. 2018).

FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIVB_Volleyball_World_Grand_Prix

(found 30. 3. 2018).

FIVB Volleyball World League,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIVB_Volleyball_World_League

(found 30. 3. 2018).

Flander, Marijan (ed). Encyclopedia of physical culture. Загреб: Yugoslav

lexicographic institute, 1975, 663-675.

http://www.fivb.org/visasp/ShowImage.aspx?No=201130131.

http://www.skandalozno.rs/region/tresla-se-dvorana-pogledajte-kako-sampioni-

pevaju-himnu-boze-pravde-video.

https://sport.blic.rs/ostali-sportovi/odbojka/priznanje-za-legende-koje-su-

osvojile-31-medalju-vanja-i-nikola-u-aleji-slavnih/f3kexvk.

https://sport.blic.rs/ostali-sportovi/odbojka/zlatne-gracije-odbojkasice-srbije-

na-tronu-evrope-bez-poraza/19wwtfe.

Ivan Miljković, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Miljković (found 29. 3.

2018).

Jovana Brakočević, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jovana_Brakočević (found

29.3.2018).

Kostić, Radomir. Volleyball - technique and tactics. Ниш: СИА, 1999.

100

Maja Ognjenović, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maja_Ognjenović (found

29.3.2018).

Men’s national volleyball team of Serbia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Одбојкашка_репрезентација_Србије

(found 29.3.2018).

Men’s national volleyball team of Yugoslavia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Одбојкашка_репрезентација_Југосла

вије (found 29. 3. 2018).

Nikola Grbić, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Grbić (found 29. 3. 2018).

Tijana Bogdanović, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tijana_Bošković (found

29.3.2018).

Vladimir Grbić, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Grbić (found 29. 3.

2018).


https://arhivirano.ossrb.org/savez/informacije/istorijat-odbojke-u-

srbiji.html (found 29. 3. 2018).

Women’s national volleyball team of Serbia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Женска_одбојкашка_репрезентација_

Србије (found 29. 3. 2018).

Women’s national volleyball team of Yugoslavia,

https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Женска_одбојкашка_репрезентација_

Југославије (found 29. 3. 2018).

Women's CEV Cup, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_CEV_Cup

(found 30.3.2018).

Živanović Nenad i Zoran Milošević. „Organised physical exercising of the 19th

century:the need, politics, ideology“, Physical education and sport through the

centuries, 4, 2 (2017): 14-27., 4, 2 (2017): 14-27.

101

SLOVAK REPUBLIC


IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC

František Seman, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of

Physical Education and Sports

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of volleyball "on the other side of the Atlantic" has not

yet meant that this sport finds a relatively fast path to the European continent.

While gradually expanding to the American continent, for the Central European

region was to the end of the First World War unknown.

In the case of the geographical location of Czechoslovakia, one of the

most well known facts about volleyball development is the most conspicuous:

Sometimes, in 1919, the US Expeditionary Forces divided 16,000 volleyball

balls not only for their soldiers but also for allies' troops. This was a significant

stimulus to volleyball development in many European countries, including the

former Czechoslovakia. The background of this is depressing, however,

because this army has come to Europe to participate in the end of the world's

most brutal conflict - the First World War or La Grande Guerre (Great War).

Soldiers who spend time between combat actions by volleyball (as evidenced

by several of the period photographs) did not know that this game would start

to expand quickly after the end of the bloody conflict and find its now virtually

irreplaceable place among sports games in many countries, Czechoslovakia

including.

The ball, net (or piece of cord stretched on two stakes), a few lines and

good friends who are willing to compete in the sports field not for fame or

money, but only for the very ordinary joy of the game - it is possible to briefly

characterize the basic attributes of volleyball in complete beginnings of its

development in Czechoslovakia. The fact that this game can be devoted to and

indulged in any, at least somewhat acceptable terrain, is still approaching them.

In the beginning, volleyball really looked like this. Over time, however, this

sport has also established itself as a phenomenon that has gained backdrop to

regular or single-time sports competitions. This was another dimension of his

further development. Regular sports training has brought to the sport other

elements that did not appear in its recreational form. Volleyball's sporting value

has reached a higher level: spikes, blocks, game combinations development,

and volleyball game systems have made an attractive sport for the spectator

and, at the same time, an imaginative magnet for volleyball players. Sports

patterns and icons that the youth wanted to resemble appeared.

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On the other hand, it is necessary to remember that volleyball, over time,

come to schools where it has a solid and irreplaceable position. Compared to

other sports games that are in the curriculum of physical and sports education,

volleyball provides one great advantage - unlike basketball or other sports

games implemented in schools, it is non-contact sport. This, to a certain extent,

is predestined to be in many cases an imaginative leader of school sports

competitions in sports games.

Neglecting cannot even establish volleyball gradually either within

multi-sport clubs and divisions or within separate volleyball clubs. This implies

the need for the creation of its governing bodies at national level - national

volleyball sports federations.

All these facts we can found in the development of volleyball in

Slovakia in different periods of sport development as a phenomenon in our

country. In this context, it must be underlined that Slovakia, as part of

Czechoslovakia or as a separate state, has certain specificities in the area of

development and management of sport. We have tried to capture and present

this work so that it is also understandable for any reader from another country

who has no deeper knowledge of national sports history in Slovakia.

METHODS

In the case of the processing of this paper, we proceeded in the standard

way, which is typical for the area of historiography. As far as heuristics is

concerned, we have begun to gather evidence on the subject of research. We

obtained the materials in connection with the emergence and development of

volleyball in Slovakia from different places. Libraries have been helpful,

especially the University Library in Bratislava, which focuses not only on

books, but also on newspaper and magazine stories.

First, given the popularity of volleyball and the existence of more

synthetic works in this area, it is worth mentioning secondary resources. These

were relatively easily available in the form of more or less thematic

publications dealing with the development of volleyball in Slovakia, whether in

the context of Slovakia or in the context of Czechoslovakia. At the outset of

these publications, we note in criticism that in many cases, their authors were

people who did not have a deeper knowledge of the methodology of historical

science, and therefore we were reluctant to verify much information in other

sources.

Here we come to the level of the primary, that is, the primordial sources.

The original archival sources are in this area in Slovakia especially in earlier

times, either nonexistent or inadequate as regards their verbal value. For that

reason, we were forced to turn to other primary sources, which are periodicals,

periodic printing. We have been more successful in this area and we have had

plenty of different information that we have used at work. However, the press

and the periodicals are very much conforming to the political system, especially

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in the totalitarian regimes, which in this case were the two - nation

totalitarianism during of the Second World War and the existence of the

wartime Slovak Republic and the communist totalitarianism from 1948 to 1989

in Czechoslovakia. The propaganda issues of both totalitarian regimes in the

press, we ignored. However, it should be underlined that there was not much

space for political propaganda in the sports pages of newspapers and

magazines. In the case of the first totalitarian regime in the wartime Slovak

Republic, this was, in our opinion, more visible.

Good sources were the collections of various organizations and bodies

that governed sport. Since the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918 - 1938), we

have had relatively little of them. From the time of the wartime Slovak

Republic (1939 - 1945) none. However, from the period of communist

totalitarianism and the existence of the restored Czechoslovak Republic, or

from 1960 to 1990 of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the collection

material was sufficient, especially from the provenance of the Czechoslovak

Union of Physical Education, as the highest governing body of physical

education, sport and tourism in the territory of Czechoslovakia.

We did not focus on the memories of meeting participants or sporting

events due to sufficient source material with better informative value. There are

no images in this work. We note that we did not even contest the video

materials of the type of recordings in the volleyball and so on. Internet

resources have been limited to the necessary extent.

Volleyball has developed in Slovakia over several historical periods,

each of which is specific in terms of both socio-political and sports (and

volleyball) development. It is the character of the state and the associated

development of sport on several levels. By these levels, we understand the

development of sport, in this case volleyball, in physical education

organizations, in sports organizations in schools, in armed forces (army and

police). This includes volleyball that is not organized, that is, volleyball for the

broader population of leisure activities also. The period during which volleyball

developed in Slovakia has its own characteristic, which we had to take into

account. Here we will briefly introduce them for a better understanding of the

overall development of volleyball in the socio-political context:

1. Existence of the First Czechoslovak Republic (1918 - 1938) as a state

with parliamentary democracy and the existence of associations on a

different basis.

2. The existence of the wartime Slovak Republic (1939-1945) as a

totalitarian state, which was created according to the model of Nazi

Germany, when the regime controls the life of the population on every

aspect and for control purposes unites the associations under joint

governing bodies.

3. The existence of the renewed post-war Czechoslovak Republic (1945 -

1948), in which the communist party comes first and the period we call

as a period of limited democracy.

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4. Existence of the Czechoslovak Republic, or since 1960, the

Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1948-1989), as a totalitarian state in

which the communist party has the power and, as in the case of the

Slovak Republic, establishes unified or sole governing organizations, in

order to better control and manage the physical education, sporting and

tourist life.

5. The existence of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (1990-1992) as

a state with a parliamentary democracy and the existence of associations

on a different basis.

6. The existence of the Slovak Republic after the split of the Czech and

Slovak Federal Republic (since 1993) as a state with a parliamentary

democracy and the existence of associations on a different basis.

This short distribution of regimes on the territory of Slovakia will be the

basic guideline according to which we will proceed at work and the individual

chapters of the result part of the work will have names in the sense of this

division. In the history of sport in Slovakia, on the territory of Slovakia we can

distinguish the two other periods that preceded the year 1918. Since we did not

record volleyball in Slovakia during these periods, we will not deal with them.

RESULTS

Volleyball in Slovakia during the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918

- 1938)

The definitive end of the Great War (November 11, 1918) was

approaching. The founding of the first independent state of the Czechs and

Slovaks (28.10.1918) - the Czechoslovak Republic, preceded it. In the First

World War, many states fought not only from Europe but also from overseas,

including the USA. Allied troops of Agreements after the final defeat of the

Central powers remained in Europe. On the territory of Slovakia, troops of the

Agreement remained in some towns, the most important of which were

volleyball establishments were military homes (there were 20 in Slovakia) and

they were decisive in the northern Slovak town of Žilina, which was the center

of YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) in Slovakia. It was in this town

that the first volleyball match ever took place within Czechoslovakia. YMCA

arrived in Žilina on April 20, 1919 and resided in the military quarter. At the

end of April 1919, the first volleyball match was with the participation of

soldiers and officers played. Thanks to the initial development of volleyball, the

captains Machotka and Kostelnik and Lieutenant Cingeľ had the honor. Real

school in Žilina was the second base of developing volleyball. In October 1919,

a first course for volleyball instructors took place in Žilina. This weekly course

attended representatives of clubs from all over Czechoslovakia and

undoubtedly had a key role in the further development of volleyball in

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Czechoslovakia. At the end of 1919, volleyball clubs were within the physical

education organizations Sokol and Makabi established and there were eight

volleyball teams in the town that were regularly meeting to game.

Volleyball has also found its way into workers physical education

organizations. In the course of several months, it has been playing in the

villages around Žilina. Women began to play volleyball in 1920. The pupils of

the Žilina Real school have done a lot of work on volleyball development since

they helped organize tournaments and perform demonstrations of this game in

other Slovak towns - Martin, Ružomberok, Zvolen, Čadca, Banská Bystrica and

Bratislava (Kapusta, „Volejbal,“ 352-354).

Catholic physical education organization Orol, established on a

confessional-political basis (catholicism and the Slovak People's Party), has

included volleyball in the offer of physical activities from the second half of the

20th century. Despite the popularity of this physical education organization

within Slovakia, volleyball did not have a more prominent position. In 1933,

Orol in Slovakia had 162 units within the nine districts. Volleyball was only

cultivated within 18 units (Hostačná, „Orol na Slovensku,“ 32). For Orol, it

was more typical of gymnastics and athletics.

Volleyball was an attractive sport and appeared in the range of motion

activities during YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) summer

camps. E.g., the offer of movement activities within YWCA summer camps in

Považské Podhradie includes of course volleyball and, in addition to it, athletics

or swimming („Letný tábor YWCA,“ 6).

Even the most important Czechoslovak physical education organization,

Sokol, despite the initial resistance to sport, has included volleyball in its

second half of the 20th century. In Sokol, volleyball became the no. 1 sport

shortly afterwards. However, Sokol did not have a solid position in Slovakia, as

in Bohemia. Nevertheless, members of this physical education organization in

volleyball paid attention to Slovakia. Sokol organized his volleyball

championships since 1927. The first Sokol master of Slovakia in volleyball was

a team from Bratislava (Machajdík, Športové hry starej Bratislavy, 85).

Since the late 20's of the 20th century (1929), the championship for

secondary school of volleyball has started to organize. They often played so

they had an autumn and spring part. In Nitra (1933) took place, for example, a

volleyball tournament for Pribina Cup and in Trnava (1933) Scouting

championships where volleyball was also held. Even in smaller Slovak towns

in schools, the academic secondary school teams were established.

Volleyball began at universities in Slovakia to appear in connection with

the activities of Academic YMCA Bratislava in 1922 at Comenius University

(Smotlacha, Kniha o vysokoškolském sportu, 441-442). Despite the protests of

catholic students against Academic YMCA, she received this permission to

build sports facilities, including volleyball playgrounds. Shortly, there were six

academic YMCA sections, including volleyball. Following ongoing protests by

catholic colleagues in the Moyzes Association, academics founded a new club

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called the Slovak Sports Club University in 1923, where most of the athletes of

the Academic YMCA passed. In this club, there were initially five sports,

including volleyball. In 1927, Slovak Sports Club University ended its activity

and the University Sports Bratislava was, with the strong support of the

Comenius University in Bratislava established. However, the volleyball section

was only set up in 1929. In connection with the activity of this club, we remind

that in 1930, this club gained a multi-sport field with playgrounds (including

volleyball) at Lafranconi, currently headquartered of Faculty of Physical

Education and Sports, Comenius University in Bratislava. According to

historical data, volleyball was the most popular sport (Bobrík a Seman, 90

rokov vysokoškolského športu na Slovensku, 29-33). "Academic YMCA has

transformed volleyball between the various layers of the population of the

Slovak metropolis and the surrounding area since 1922 as a game of folk

genre, which has been applied in a completely natural way and established

itself by its simplicity. Material affordability, understandable rules and overall

availability" (Machajdík, Športové hry starej Bratislavy, 74).

In 1924, a Volleyball and Basketball Union was founded in

Czechoslovakia, which started to organize Czechoslovak men's (since 1924)

and women's championships (since 1931), but in a tournament way. His

activity towards volleyball in Slovakia was not at first significant. During this

period, clubs from Prague dominated among men, clubs from Pilsen among

women.

In 1928, YMCA Bratislava released the first official rules for volleyball

and basketball, and in the same year, the first specialized sports course for

physical education teachers in secondary schools and teacher training institutes

was in Bratislava. F. M. Marek the promoter and expert of the American games

led it. Women played volleyball in Bratislava as well. E.g., in 1933 in YMCA´s

gymnasium played volleyball 25 women and they participated in tournaments

also (Machajdík, Športové hry starej Bratislavy, 81).

The Slovak volleyball players did not reach the championship titles in

Czechoslovakia during this period. In the 30's of the 20th Century, the

Czechoslovak championship was still as a tournament organized. The

championships according to the regions of Czechoslovakia (Bohemia, Moravia

and Silesia, Slovakia, Subcarpathian Ruthenia) were organized. In Slovakia, the

first championship was in Banská Bystrica in 1928 organized. Throughout the

period until 1938 YMCA Bratislava and Banská Bystrica dominated these

championships (Perútka and Grexa, Dejiny telesnej kultúry na Slovensku, 56).

In 1933, the Slovak Champion became the Volleyball Club of Banská Bystrica

(Plichta, „Volleyball,“ 201). The system of volleyball competitions was still

looking for. Three Slovak teams started in the 1934 at Czechoslovak

championships without much success. In the same year, in Slovakia, the men's

championship took place especially for Western and Central Slovakia (winner

of YMCA Bratislava) and especially for Eastern Slovakia and Subcarpathian

Ruthenia (winner of Sokol Košice). Female championships in Slovakia have a

107

poor performance level (Plichta, „Volleyball a basketball,“ 178-179). The

number of members in volleyball during that period cannot be determined

precisely because there was one common sports association for basketball and

volleyball. Volleyball had 3650 members in 1934. More details are missing

(Perútka and Grexa, Dejiny telesnej kultúry na Slovensku, 62).

The specialty within the Czech part of Czechoslovakia was the Tramp

Volleyball League. There was even the 1st, 2nd and 3rd league (Koutský, et.

al., Padesát let československé organizované odbíjené, 14). Tramping is an

unorganized movement of Czech and Slovak urban youth who spend free time,

filled with sport and physical activity, in the countryside. In Slovakia, tramps

played volleyball in tramping camps, not only during this period but also in the

following periods, especially during the period of communist totalitarianism

(Seman, „Tramping a pohybové aktivity,“ 75).

After the Munich events and the subsequent interruption of sports

relations between Slovakia and Czech lands, many Czech players and officials

left Slovakia.

This period of national sports history in terms of volleyball development

characterizes the penetration into physical education organizations and sports

clubs. YMCA and YWCA played the decisive role. In the physical education

organization Sokol, volleyball soon became the most popular sport. Significant

role in volleyball development played also secondary schools and universities.

In this period, Slovak volleyball players could not compete effectively with

Czech volleyball players and did not reach the title of Czechoslovakian master,

so men and women. Regular league competitions did not exist - the

Czechoslovak championship played in a tournament way. Volleyball did not

have its own sports association - it existed with basketball in one sporting

association.

Volleyball during the wartime Slovak Republic (1939 - 1945)

The Munich Agreement of autumn 1938 meant essentially the demise of

the democratic Czechoslovak Republic. In March 1939, the Slovak Republic

was established, but as a totalitarian state according to the pattern of Nazi

Germany. In this country, since the autumn of 1938, Slovak sports federations

have begun to be established, as is the case of totalitarian regimes, as well as

unified physical education organizations. The only physical education

organization was Hlinka's Guard and sport was under the control of the Slovak

Central Sports Council. This council centralized Slovak sports associations. Its

founding member was the volleyball union also, which existed in 1939-1942 in

a joint union with basketball and from 1942 separately. The official periodical

of this governing body promoted volleyball for women, through Matilda Pálfy,

which won on the XI. Olympics in 1936 in Berlin a silver medal in sports

gymnastics and was a famous person in Slovakia. She promoted volleyball as

108

follows: "... take the ball with us, a piece of cord that improves the volleyball

net and is playing" (Pálfy, „Ženský šport na Slovensku,“ 5).

Slovakia, as the vassal state of Nazi Germany, did not experience war

horrors and persecutions to such an extent as other European countries. For this

reason, sport has developed, although with some constraints resulting from the

overall political situation in Europe. Athletes could go on a foreign tour with

the associated countries (Germany, Hungary, Croatia, and Spain). Thus,

footballers, basketball players, boxers and tennis players. Volleyball

information on such international meetings is lacking.

The best volleyball in this period were in Bratislava, where several clubs

housed. The best performances provided ŠK Bratislava and University

Bratislava. In 1939, to ŠK Bratislava came to a larger group of excellent

volleyball players who helped the club to win four Slovak championship titles

in that period (Kšiňan, Šesťdesiat rokov Slovana, 118). In 1940, the Army

Competitor Section in the Slovak Army was established. He had 12 separate

sections and one of them was a volleyball section. However, in Slovakia

football and basketball were more popular. E.g. in 1942, the Slovak Volleyball

Union recorded 34 male and 12 female clubs with 368 registered players, which

was little. World War II events after 1943 have adversely affected volleyball

development (Kapusta, „Volejbal,“ 356-357). The activities gradually ceased,

and many volleyball players joined the anti-fascist resistance within the Slovak

National Uprising in 1944, with several of them died in the fighting.

A significant part of the development of volleyball in this dark period

had Hlinka's Guard (founded in 1938) as a paramilitary organization of Hlinka's

Slovak People's Party. In its periodical, Gardista the guard announced the

organization of the 1st Hlinka´s Guard´s Volleyball Championships in

Ruzomberok. The invitation is also a "recruitment" statement that the best

volleyball players are track and field athletes (Faga, „Volejbalové

majstrovstvá,“ 8). This periodical, promoting the totalitarian regime in Slovakia

and supporting the Nazi ideology, wrote relatively frequent about volleyball.

Volleyball was also popular as a sport of broad layers of Slovak youth. E.g. in

1941, it reported that in Bratislava there were about 30 volleyball playgrounds,

where in the case of good weather people played daily („Aj volejbal je šport“,

15). School sport has developed relatively well in the years of the Second

World War in Slovakia, compared to other Nazi oppressive states. It was

mainly about the undemanding sports that volleyball has to choose. Even

regular volleyball competition between high schools, even in the girls' category,

was organized („Dievčenský volejbal v Bratislave“, 8). A much better level of

performance had university volleyball. Traditional meetings between

University and Technology included not only competitions in volleyball, but

also in athletics, basketball and football futbale („Technika – Univerzita“, 7). In

the area of preparation of physical education teachers, volleyball was one of the

most important sports games. The preparation was within the Physical

Education Institute of the Slovak University.

109

In the totalitarian state of the Slovak Republic, volleyball did not have a

solid position. This was image by its position in the previous period. On the

contrary, basketball in Slovakia has somewhat strengthened its position. The

big denial was the fact that the state essentially destroyed YMCA and YWCA

organizations, which could help volleyball development. Their role was taken

over by the paramilitary Hlinka´s Guard, which could not ensure the

development of all sports not only in terms of organizational and material, but

in terms of the war situation also. Volleyball had a strong position at that time

rather than sports in schools or as a sport for the broader population.

Volleyball in the post-war Czechoslovak Republic (1945 - 1948)

After the end of World War II, life in Slovakia gradually renewed. In the

field of sport, all clubs and unions, which have been by cooperation with the

regime of the wartime Slovak Republic compromised, banned immediately.

The Slovak Central Sports Council, however, stood outside the structures of

Hlinka´s Garda, and for that reason was apolitical considered and after the war,

it was able to develop its activities. An important question during this period

was the unification of physical education, sports and tourism. The communist

party promoted the so-called organic model of unification. It is typical of

totalitarian regimes - the existence of one body governing which manages all

components. Other existing political parties and most sports entities have

promoted so-called federal model of unification. It is typical of democratic

regimes – the existence of one roofing organ within which all entities have

ideological autonomy and legal personality.

In the restored Czechoslovakia, the Slovak Volleyball Union began its

activity on June 15, 1945. Cooperation with Czech clubs has gradually

resumed. At the beginning of July 1945, the union organized the first

tournament, won by the Bratislava volleyball players. At the end of July 1945,

two Slovak men's teams took part in a tournament in Prague and were not

enough for the Czech teams. In Slovakia, there were only six volleyball teams

in the Slovak Volleyball Association in 1945 (in the competition were the best

Bratislava railway men). Three Slovak men's teams started at the October

Czechoslovak Championships. However, these were not enough for Czech

teams (Kapusta, „Úspešná práca volejbalistov,“ 5). The Czech and Slovak sides

agreed to establish a common volleyball headquarters for Czechoslovakia.

During 1946, volleyball in Slovakia consolidated and there were 28

clubs and 292 players (men and women). The Slovak men champion was the

team of Ružomberok and the women team of the Bratislava University. A

number of regional tournaments were also organized. Long-term competition

only existed between the Bratislava teams. The volleyball had weak

backgrounds and a low membership base with poor performance. Therefore,

Slovak volleyball players could not compete with Czech teams (Kapusta,

110

„Volejbal,“ 360). In 1947, the Fédération internationale de volleyball was

established, where Czechoslovakia belonged to the founding states.

After the elections in which the communist party won, it was clear that

the unification process of physical education, sport and tourism would take

place in an organic spirit according to a totalitarian template. It happened in

March 1948. A single organization called United Physical Education

Organization Sokol created. The democratization process has ended in the

sport.

During this period, significant continental and world events in male and

female volleyball began to be organized. In 1948, the champions of Europe

became men of Czechoslovakia (no Slovaks played in the team).

During a period of limited democracy, volleyball in Slovakia gradually

consolidated, but its membership was too small to compete effectively with

Czech volleyball. During the Second World War, when sport was relatively

developed in Slovakia, Slovak athletes "erased" a prominent Czech

performance advantage, for volleyball does not apply. In schools, this sport has

maintained its place.

Volleyball in communist totalitarianism in Czechoslovakia (1948 -

1989)

The communist party, after taking power in February 1948, unified

physical education, sport and tourism undemocratically into the United

Physical Education Organization Sokol. Sports federations, including

volleyball, did not trust this step, which proved to be justified. For each sport,

so-called headquarters created and they turned into sections according to the

Soviet pattern. Volleyball in Slovakia during this period was greatly booming

because at the end of 1952 it had an unbelievable 32 210 members (Perútka and

Grexa, Dejiny telesnej kultúry na Slovensku, 85), what he does not even have at

present.

In 1949, two important volleyball events held in Prague: the World

Championship of Men (Czechoslovak silver medal, without Slovakian

representatives) and the European Women's Championship. At this event,

where volleyball players also received silver medals, we record the first Slovak

part: player Mária Bernovská and coach Miroslav Rovný, later an important

pedagogue and scientist at Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, who led

the Czechoslovak volleyball women's team at the World Championships in

1952 in Moscow, ranked third.

In 1952, the management and organization of sport changed again. The

sport begins to govern the state (according to the Soviet model) and the

voluntary sports organizations according to the sectors of the national economy

created. Conditions for performance sports have grown globally, not

significantly but improved. The sports federations existed as sections in the

framework of governing bodies, which was not a good solution. Volleyball,

111

between 1952 and 1956, was the second most popular sport in Slovakia after

football.

Until 1954, the Czechoslovak championship played by a tournament

system, so regular league competitions did not exist yet - the league began to

play since 1955. This year, the Slovak men's teams (Červená hviezda

Bratislava, Slávia University Bratislava) and women (Slávia University

Bratislava) they did not attend the event in the first five. In 1955, as young

coach Jaromír Perútka and the player (later world name) Bohumil Golian went

to Slavia University. The Slávia University Bratislava improved and attacked

the title of Czechoslovakian champion. Unfortunately, he did not succeeded

(Grexa, Volejbalový velikán Bohumil Golian,18). The first title won the

volleyball players of Červená hviezda Bratislava in 1978 and the Women's

Slávia University Bratislava in 1966. Bohumil Golian appears in the

Czechoslovakian team at the 1956 World Championships in Paris, where he

won the gold medal. In the team, he was the only Slovakian as in the 1958

European Championships in Prague (1st place). The only gold medal from the

European championship in women's volleyball won Czechoslovakia in 1955 in

Bucharest. In this team was the Slovakian Alžbeta Technovská.

In 1957, the change in the management of sport in Czechoslovakia was

again (since 1948, third). The Czechoslovak Union of Physical Education

became a management organization that "resisted" until the fall of communism

in 1990. The popularity of volleyball records the sine curve: In 1957, volleyball

was about ten thousand members, a third compared to 1956. Then the

membership started to increase and in 1965 was again nearly 30,000 in over

900 clubs.

In 1957, 1st Slovak Physical Education and Sports Days in Universities

held. Under this event, undergraduates competed in five sports, including

volleyball. The biggest interest was in football, but volleyball did not disappear:

more than 2,100 undergraduates competed there, which is only about 200 less

than in football and basketball. This year, both men and women of Technology

were victorious in Slovakia and went into the national round, but they did not

succeed (Štancel, Prvé celoslovenské dni telesnej výchovy a športu na vysokých

školách roku 1957, 58-69). In 1958, Technology (men and women) again won

the same event, and the men won a nationwide competition. In 1959, the

Slovak teams of men (Technology) and women (University) won the

nationwide competition. This demonstrates the increasing performance of

volleyball players, although many of them were students of physical education

and sports. In 1961, placements repeated, and it was clear that academics from

Slovakia have definitely asserted themselves on the national volleyball scene

(Štancel, Piate celoslovenské dni telesnej výchovy a športu na vysokých školách

roku 1961, 65). This event was already the 1st Czechoslovak Universiade.

In the mid of 1950s, a medical commission was formed at the governing

bodies of volleyball, which gradually processed the issue of anthropometry,

injuries and physical fitness and performance. The Slovak physician, Ján

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Jánošdeák, member of the Medical Commission of the FIVB, was very much

involved in the activities of this commission (Seman, „Životopis MUDr. Jána

Jánošdeáka,“ rukopis, nepaginované).

The breakthrough of the 50s and 60s of the 20th century is a good

success for Slovakian representatives in the Czechoslovak jersey. Anna

Uhrinová was a member of the Czechoslovak team, who won silver medals at

the European Championships in Prague. Bohumil Golian and Július Veselko

won silver medals at the world championships in 1960 and Bohumil Golian at

the same event in 1962. Volleyball became olympic sport in 1964 at Olympics

in Tokyo. Bohumil Golian and Jozef Labuda were members of the team who

won silver medals. Both were also part of the Czechoslovak team which won

the World Championship in 1966 in Prague, and Bohumil Golian was a

member of the team who ranked 2nd in the European Championships in 1967

in Turkey. His excellent volleyball career ended this sporting giant on 1968

Olympics in Mexico, where he was part of the bronze medal team.

Women from Slovakia (Júlia Bendeová, Hilda Mazúrová and Paulina

Šteffková) found a place in the Czechoslovak team, which took 3rd place in the

European Championships in 1967. The three women also started at Olympic

Games 1968 in Mexico (6th place).

In 1960, the government established the Institute of Physical Education

and Sport as one of the faculties of Comenius University in Bratislava, since

1965 renamed the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports. This institution

has been (and is still being prepared) qualified physical education teachers and

coaches, including top-level volleyball coaches. Volleyball was (and is

currently) part of the curriculum in all study programs.

Between 1969 and 1971, the volleyball movement in Czechoslovakia

was in the spirit of the agreements of February 1968 governed. On December

13, 1969, the Czechoslovak Volleyball Association was founded and in April

1970, its title was adapted to the Czechoslovak Volleyball Union. Volleyball

ruled in the 1969 - 1973 two unions, Czech Volleyball Union and Slovak

Volleyball Union. The Slovak Volleyball Union founded in 1968 in Žilina. In

the years 1969 - 1973, he ran competitions of men, women and juniors at the

level of Slovakia, regions and districts. In 1971, the Slovak Volleyball Union

had 13959 members, about 270 coaches of various qualifications, about 430

arbitrators of various qualifications, and managed competitions for men and

women, adults and juniors. Official matches were in halls played. A new

competition order and other important regulations were in connection with the

transition of the top volleyball to the halls issued. The transition of the top

volleyball to the halls meant a decline in Slovakia, because there was little

compared to the Czech part of the common state. In 1971, a European

Championship of men and women took place, where the men took second place

(form Slovakia started Štefan Pipa) and women second place (Darina Kodajová

and Mária Mališová started from Slovakia). Based on these results, they

qualified for Olympics 1972 in Munich, where the men took the 6th and the

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women's 7th place. In the national league, the participation of teams from

Slovakia was weak: in 1968 - 1969, there was only one male (Slávia UK

Bratislava) and one female team (Slávia UK Bratislava also). In junior

competitions, Slovak teams (which were also few) moved to the bottom of the

tables („Volejbal,“ 538-539).

In the main men's league, Czech clubs dominated this period. Only in

1978, 1979 and 1981 they won the title the volleyball club Červená hviezda

Bratislava. In the women's competition, Slovak volleyball players had a better

performance: Slávia UK Bratislava won the Czechoslovak title together seven

times (1966-1989) (Bobrík and Seman, 50 rokov histórie, 84).

After the end of the democratization process in the Czechoslovak

society (so-called Prague Spring) in the late 60s of the 20th century,

normalization, return to conditions before the Prague Spring started.

Since 1978, sports schools have been set up in Slovakia (the first one was in

Banská Bystrica), where volleyball was also played. However, these have

encountered problems of material nature.

The 1970s and the first half of the 1980s were not favorable in terms of

the good placement of volleyball players at top events. On Olympics in

Moscow 1980 started with the Czechoslovak team Slovak volleyball players

Ján Cifra, Igor Prieložný, Ján Repák and Vladimir Sirvoň (8th place) (Souček,

Naši olympijskí medailisti a olympionici, 133). In 1985, the men of

Czechoslovakia were second in the European championships (Slovaks Štefan

Chrtiansky and Igor Prieložný) and two years later, women at the same event

were third (from Slovakia Daniela Cuníková and Eva Trnková).

Since the late 1950s, world universiades organized have been also. Their

predecessors were Summer Student Games and Summer World University

Games. Within the world's summer universiades, especially at their inception,

the Czechoslovak representatives in the volleyball received several medals,

among them representatives of Slovakia. Immediately in 1959, in Turin,

volleyball players won gold medals. Two years later, at the same event in Sofia,

they ranked third, as in 1963 in Brazil. In 1965, men in Budapest won no

medals at the universiade. Women were successful when they finished third.

The universiade volleyball success was to wait until 1977 (Sofia), where men

won silver medals (Bobrík a Seman, 90 rokov vysokoškolského športu na

Slovensku, 180-190). This was the last great Slovak universiade success in the

volleyball to the present.

In rare cases, the Slovaks were also members of senior governing bodies

at European or world level. Dušan Prieložný was the President of the European

Volleyball Confederation and Vice-Chairman of the FIVB between 1983 and

1987. During this period, he also served as chairman of the Volleyball Union at

the level of Czechoslovakia (Bobrík and Seman, 50 rokov histórie, 87).

Of the significant volleyball tournaments that were in Slovakia during this

period organized, it is worth mentioning two: The tournament of the Slovak

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National Uprising Cup in Vyšné Hágy (High Tatras) and the international

tournament of the Liberation Bratislava Cup.

The period of communist totalitarianism in Czechoslovakia and

Slovakia was mainly by the rotation of governing bodies of physical education,

sport and tourism marked. The sports federations existed in the form of

different sections and committees, which was in line with the official doctrine

of the state party, but it, did not make any difference to the development of a

particular sport. Sports officials in a particular sport have not decided on the

development of sport. Such decisions were in the focus of the center. The

communist functionaries had a high reach for the decisions of the center. In

volleyball, long-term competitions began to play in this period, replacing the

tournament mode of the championships. Paradoxically, it is also the period of

the greatest success of both Czechoslovak and Slovak volleyball on the

international stage. Besides the two Olympic medals, there have been many

achievements of both men and women on continental and world events.

Volleyball has retained its place as an undemanding sporting activity for all, or

as a popular school sport, especially for high school and university students.

The training of qualified trainers within the Institute of Physical Education and

Sports, which became the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in 1965,

also begun.

Volleyball in Slovakia in the years 1990 – 1992

After the collapse of the communist totalitarianism, the central

governing bodies in sport also disappeared in Slovakia. The Slovak Union of

Physical Culture was as the roof body of physical education, sport, and tourism

established, which had four components, and one of them was the Association

of Sports Federations (which included sports associations including volleyball).

During this period, the disappearance of the common state of Czechs and the

Slovaks began more and more frequently, which became reality on 31

December 1992.

The regular league competitions at Czechoslovak level continued.

From the Slovak teams in 1991, the women Slávia UK Bratislava won the title

of Czechoslovakian champions. People played volleyball, not only at the level

of the leagues, but also in the schools, or not organized. Not only during this

time, but also in the past or the next, it was often possible to see volleyball

players near swimming pools or in the meadows where they played in more or

less improvised conditions. It is worth mentioning that the teams most often

mixed were, - men and women played together. This is the most typical picture

of volleyball in our country. No one ever counts how many people played

volleyball like that.

115

Volleyball in Slovakia after 1993

The era of the present Slovak Republic begins with the division of the

common state of Czechs and Slovaks at the end of 1992. Volleyball governing

body in Slovakia has since 1993 been the Slovak Volleyball Federation, which

is part of the Confederation of Sports Associations of the Slovak Republic and

also a member of the Slovak Olympic Committee. The problems of the new

state also manifested itself in the field of sport. In time, one of the most

important issues of the development of sport can be included: inadequate

relations between NGOs, inefficient state investments in sport, inadequate sport

legislation, irresponsible management of the assets of sports organizations,

inability to produce quality projects and consequently drawing funds for the

development of sport from European funds Union, a decreasing membership

base in many sports, a drop in qualified trainers, a low level of youth

performance and its lack of commitment to practicing sport (Grexa, „Šport,“

939-942).

In the 90s of the 20th century, Slovak volleyball did not record a

significant success in some of the top sports events. At the 1993 European

Men's Championships, a joint Czech-Slovak team of men was also started, who

was ranked 8th under the leadership of Slovakian coach Peter Kalný. There

were five Slovaks in the team. It was also in 1997, but the team was completely

Slovak. A joint federal competition has taken place. Slovak teams played at

Super league and in Interleague, which won in 1995 Police Volleyball Club of

Bratislava. The same club received all master titles in 1993-1997. Women's

teams were less successful in Inter league Better placements achieved only

Slávia UK Bratislava, who also won the Slovakian championship title in 1993-

1995. In the years 1996-1997, they won the title of Žilina volleyball player. In

addition to international events and domestic leagues, the Slovak Cup

competition played. For men, the Slovak beach volleyball championships were

also organized for women since 1997 (Kubiš and Ježík, „Volejbal,“ 1998, 185-

190).

In 1998, the Slovak Volleyball Union registered 320 clubs (this number

seems to be very high, but it is the official data of the union, the later data are

more real, it is 102 clubs, the author's note) and 9503 members, of which 8600

were athletes. On a national level, volleyball players of the Police Volleyball

Club Bratislava continued to perform well and won the title. Their opponent

was more than a year's volleyball player Matador Púchov, who won the first

title in the 1999/2000 season. In female competition dominated Slávia UK

(even with several name changes). The league of juniors and men and women

were running (Kubiš and Ježík, „Volejbal,“ 1999, 123-125). In foreign leagues,

the Slovak teams did not succeed. In the next few years, Slovak volleyball did

not record any more significant results on the international scene.

In 2001, the men of Slovakia started at the European Championships in

Ostrava (Czech Republic). In the group, they won only once and finished in 9th

116

place. They also ended up at juniors at world championships in Poland. Female

Slovak transnational competitions have announced not been, sometimes for

financial reasons. In women's Slovak competition dominated Slávia UK

Bratislava (Bobrík and Seman, 50 rokov histórie, 85). At the European

Championships in 2003, both men and women ranked 9th and in the same

event in 2007 men were 12th and women ranked 13th. A successful pair of

women in beach volleyball began to form - Natália Dubovcová and Dominika

Nestarcová. The 5th place of men at the European championships in 2001 is a

success considered. The aforementioned beach volleyball players ended in the

9th place in the European Championships in 2012.

In 2015, the president of the Slovak Volleyball Federation, Ľubor

Halanda, became the vice president of the European Volleyball Confederation.

Women's volleyball scored a great result in the second place in the

European League. Good results also reached juniors and beach volleyball

players just dropped out of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The period after 1993 is a period of dominance of the female club Slávia

UK Bratislava (also with the name changes) on the domestic sport scene. In the

case of men, the club was the best club Police Volleyball Club Bratislava. Rare

participation in top events (European Championships), despite the efforts and

work of coaches and functionaries, reflects the status of top volleyball in

Slovakia. For some time, the public watched with interest Natália Dubovcová

and Dominika Nestarcová in beach volleyball. The Slovak Volleyball

Federation manages competitions at the level of the Supreme Leagues of Men

and Women, the Slovak Cup and the first-round competitions of adults and

juniors. The regional committees govern lower competitions (juniors, cadets,

pupils). According to the official data on 1 January 2015, the Slovak Volleyball

Federation recorded 16,779 players, 202 volleyball clubs and teams, 282

referees and 1279 coaches in Slovakia („Slovenská volejbalová federácia,

základné informácie o SVF“.).

DISCUSSION

In 2019, 100 years will expire since volleyball played for the first time

in Slovakia. In that time, he firmly docked the sport scene and found many fans

not only among top-level athletes but also among sports spectators who watch

the performances of players on the sports fields. In almost 100 years, volleyball

in Slovakia has been the successes and falls. They need taught to be in the

future.

After the initial period of "searching" and relative uncertainty, this game

has found a place within the physical education organizations and sports clubs,

but also among the general public. The governing body of sport in

Czechoslovakia was relatively soon established. The best volleyball players in

the first Czechoslovak Republic and Slovakia were between Sokol and YMCA

and among them were many undergraduates. Sports clubs have not achieved

117

such good performance. The popularity of volleyball in schools testifies the fact

that even before 1939 school competition for secondary schools began to be

organized. The democratic regime until 1939 allowed the formation of various

societies, which also benefited from the development of volleyball.

After 1939 comes the national totalitarian system of the wartime Slovak

Republic and the extinction of the common state of the Czechs and Slovaks.

Volleyball in Slovakia initially exists in a common basketball association and

in sports clubs. Even after the independence of the volleyball union, it does not

reach the popularity and performance of the inter-war period. Unorganized

volleyball retains its position for material difficulty in the game, and school

competitions continue.

After 1945, volleyball in Slovakia slowly consolidates, but in

comparison with Czech volleyball it does not show a performance increase -

rather on the contrary, it shows a performance retreat, which was reflected in

the first post-war tournaments and competitions. There is also a small

membership base. Volleyball has maintained a solid place in schools.

The years of communist totality paradoxically referred to as the golden

age of volleyball in Slovakia are. In the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, Slovak

volleyball players (both men and women) achieved the most significant

achievements in the European, world and Olympic arenas. World volleyball,

however, got another trend that the Slovaks have gone. The successes have

been rarer and success has been a participation at continental events. Within

Czechoslovakia, Slovak clubs at the highest performance level were only

slowly advancing in the competition of Czech clubs. After the independence of

Slovakia in 1993, the Police Volleyball Club Bratislava (Men) and Slávia UK

Bratislava (Women) within Slovakia apparently dominated. Gradually, low-

level leagues emerged and competitions for cadets and pupils started within the

regions. Dominance of the clubs from the capital city to some extent duplicates

historical facts. Slovak sport, including volleyball, after 1993 has suffered from

incompetent interference with its operation. The results of these negatives are

also manifesting now, and some time has elapsed until the situation changes in

a positive sense. The start of the national team at the Olympic tournament

continues to be inaccessible, even though beach volleyball players were almost

certain in 2016. It remains to hope that the Slovak volleyball will gradually

improve its performance, organizational and material quality by showing the

results of its performance, ensuring participation and good results at the top

events.

118

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120

SPAIN

A BRIEF HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL IN SPAIN: FROM

ITS EARLY BEGINNINGS TO THE LATEST

DEVELOPMENTS

Marc Llinàs Folch, Facultat PCEE Blanquerna (Universitat Ramon

Llull, Barcelona)

Bernat Buscà Safont-Tria, Facultat PCEE Blanquerna (Universitat

Ramon Llull, Barcelona)

The introduction of Volleyball in Spain and its early developments after

the Civil War

Parallel to the important evolution of university sports in the United

States of America during the last two decades of the 19th century (Mandel

1986, 196), the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) was the first

institution to propose systematic training and team sports as a leisure practice

for poor city boys, and also as a way to teach them hygiene, self-discipline and

respect (Mandel 1986, 197). As part of this method volleyball was developed in

1895 by William G. Morgan at a YMCA college in Holyoke (Massachusetts,

US). Morgan –who was at the time director of physical education-- pursued the

development of an alternative sport to Basketball. The latter had been created a

few years before (1881) by a colleague, James Naismith, at a YMCA college in

Springfield. Although basketball was particularly suitable for young pupils,

Morgan wanted to find a less violent and harmful type of practice for older

students. He succeeded in doing it by placing a six feet and six inches high net

(1.98m) between the two teams and instructed them to play with the ball

without holding it. In the beginning he named it “Mintonette” but very soon, at

the advice of Alfred T. Halstead, professor at Springfield College, he changed

the name to the current “Volleyball” (Palou 1992, 16 and Díaz 2000, 36).

According to Palou and Palou (1985, 17), the first evidence about the

practice of Volleyball in Spain can be traced back to the 1920s in certain

Catalan beaches, mainly as a practice imported from Western Europe. Díaz

(2000, 35) notes that volleyball was played for the first time in the beach of

Montgat, a small village near Barcelona. The first institutional reference to

volleyball can also be found in a document published in 1925 introducing its

basic rules. The document, written in Spanish, was a direct a translation of the

rules used in Europe at the time (Palou 1992, 22) and was published by the

“Escuela de Educación Física del Ejército” (Army Physical Education School)

121

in Toledo, an institution that included Volleyball among the sports practiced by

soldiers (Díaz 2000, 35).

After this initial period, the presence of Volleyball in Spain seems to be

quite scarce. The next significant historical reference to this sport can be found

after the end of the Civil War (1936-1939). In 1941, under Francisco Franco’s

dictatorship, the regime set up a new state-based sports organiszation, the

“Delegación Nacional de Deportes” (National Sports Delegation) as the ruling

institution in the field of sports. However, mention needs to be made to the key

role played in the social and political alignment and education of the Spanish

youth by the “Frente de Juventudes” (Youth Front) for boys (Mauri 2015, 384),

and the “Sección Femenina” (Female Section) for girls. These two

organizations played a crucial role in the development of sport as a means of

socializing and self-improvement (Añó 2015, 56). Although “Sección

Femenina” was founded before the Civil War (1934) and “Frente de

Juventudes” right after it (1940) the two organizations had their roots in and

were closely related to the Falangist Party. In fact, they were expected to

prescribe the behaviour standards for the youth in Spain during the whole

regime. One of their main tasks was to promote sports and physical activities

that were considered by the dictatorship as the most appropriate for each

gender. As for women, during the 1940s the “Sección Femenina” organization

declared that there were only five suitable sports for them: hockey, skiing,

swimming, handball and basketball. Volleyball was not included in this list

until 1952 (Zagalaz 2001, 16).

At that time, Volleyball (renamed “Balonvolea” in Spanish) was

generally regarded as a “simple entertaining game, specially suited for women

because of its gracefulness and harmlessness” (Palou and Palou 1985, 17).

Public authorities did not deem it necessary to create any specific official

institution or structure to rule it, since they basically prioritized the most

popular, consolidated, native or Olympic sports.

The first institutional between Volleyball and other Spanish Sport

Federations

Due to this consideration, Volleyball required eight years of growing

practice in Spain --on top of other factors like its international projection-- until

the Spanish government decided to give it some official structure in order to

rule and promote it accordingly. Finally, from 1948 to 1950, the Spanish

Handball Federation was given the task to lead and rule Volleyball as well as its

own sports practice. Palou and Palou (1985, 18) note that “during those two

sport seasons, the Handball Federation did nothing on this particular subject

because it needed to work on the two active Handball disciplines of that time

(indoor and outdoor). Moreover, as the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de

122

Volleyball had been founded in 1947, Handball leaders considered that it did

not make sense to work on Volleyball from Handball institutions”.

At the beginning of 1950, the “Delegación Nacional de Deportes” asked

the Basketball Spanish Federation to assume the management and structure of

“Balonvolea” on the principle that it would help the development of sports.

First, Basketball managers considered declining the proposal, but in the end

they accepted to rule both sports. In the month of June Mr. Benito López

Arjona was appointed member of the Spanish Basketball Federation board and

vice-president of the Volleyball department (Palou 1992, 22). From that time

on, the institutional promotion of Volleyball grew progressively and focused on

several goals: to organise official competitions; to develop referees and coaches

training departments; and to convince the already existing volleyball practice

groups into joining the Federation as well as the Volleyball leading institution,

the FIVB, in order to embrace the last news and updates (Palou and Palou

1985, 22). The Volleyball department also aimed at creating a network of

regional federations to help spread and promote “Balonvolea”. By the end of

1950 there were already 12 regional Federations in Asturias, Alicante, Burgos,

Cantabria, Catalunya, Castilla (Valladolid), Madrid, Lugo, Salamanca, Sevilla,

Toledo and Melilla.

According to Palou and Palou (1985, 17), some of the most important

facts related to Volleyball at that time were:

Asociación Deportiva Bomberos (Barcelona’s Sports Association of

Firefighters) won the first Spanish Championship held in Madrid in

1951. The second runner-up was Club Natación Canoe (Madrid).

The Volleyball department of the Spanish Basketball Federation was

accepted as a member of the FIVB in the congress celebrated in

Bucarest (Romania) in November 1953.

One of the most relevant contributions to help increase the technical,

tactical and regulatory knowledge and application of Volleyball in the

beginning of the 1950s involved a group of foreign players, referees and

coaches from Poland, Ukraine, and other central European countries.

After having organized a Sports Club in their College residence

(Colegio Mayor Apóstol Santiago) in Madrid and establishing contacts

with Federation staff members, they agreed to join different clubs as

well as the Federation itself. Some of these men were Bobrek, Tylko,

Bogdan, Zaleski and Swieboski, among others.

Other people who also made important contributions to the development

of Volleyball in Spain came from Russia (most of them were still

children when they left Spain and went into exile because of the Civil

War and when they came back they had a sound knowledge of

Volleyball) and South America.

123

The first technical training course for coaches was organized in 1953,

under the lead of Bobrek, who also published the first technical book in

Spanish, “Balonvolea”, in 1956.

After six years into developing Volleyball successfully at all levels, the

Basketball Federation could not pursue its involvement in all these projects

because it had no means and Basketball was experiencing an extraordinary

growth as well. Despite the Basketball Federation proposal to promote the

foundation of a Volleyball Federation, the “Delegación Nacional de Deportes”

decided to entrust another existing sports Federation with the task to lead the

way for Volleyball in the country. In 1958, the Spanish Rugby Federation was

assigned this mandate although it did nothing other than organize that year’s

Spanish Championship (Palou 1992, 24).

The foundation of the Spanish Volleyball Federation and the National

League

By that time, Volleyball had achieved such a strong presence in the

Spanish sports scene that, in January 26th 1960, the public authorities felt

compelled to create the Spanish Volleyball Federation (FEVB). Furthermore,

that year the first federated women competition (Spanish Championship) took

place. The first official men’s Volleyball league was organized during the sports

season of 1964/65 (Palou 1992, 45). However, women had to wait until

1969/70 to have their own competition league (Palou 1992, 56). From the

institutional perspective, 1976 was also a significant year since the first

democratic FEVB presidential election was held (RFEVB).

Table 1. Presidents of the RFEVB (RFEVB, 2011)

Mandate President

1960-1968 Benito López Arjona

1968-1972 Arturo Cortés Gagneux

1972-1976 Emilio Guill Rubio

1976-1984 Alberto Portell Barat

1984-1986 Feliciano Mayoral Barba

1986-1988 Antonio López Bonillo

1988-2000 Miguel Ángel Quintana

2000-present Agustín Martín Santos

As it is often the case with most sports and can be clearly seen in Table

2, the history of volleyball in Spain consists of a sequence of successive

predominant clubs. In the first decades of the official competitions (1950-

1980), clubs from Barcelona and Madrid dominated the scene, with an

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emerging role of Valencia and Gijón from the women's side. From 1980s on,

that monopoly came to an end and clubs from the islands (the Canary and

Balearic Islands) and from the South of Spain (Andalucía and Murcia) gained

prominence, together with men’s teams from Soria and Teruel and, more

recently, women’s teams from Logroño.

Table 2. Dominating clubs in national competitions by gender (Table compiled with information coming from different sources)

Decade Men’s teams Women teams

1950 AD Bomberos - Barcelona (4)

Real Madrid CF - Madrid (2) -

1960

CD Hispano Francés -

Barcelona (4)

Picadero - Barcelona (2)

Valencia -different names- (3)

SEU Filosofia y Letras -

Madrid (2)

Club Medina Barcelona -

Barcelona (3)

Club Medina Gijón - Gijón (2)

1970

Atlético de Madrid - Madrid

(5)

Real Madrid CF - Madrid (6)

Club Medina Madrid -Madrid

(3)

Club Medina Barcelona -

Barcelona (3)

Club Medina Gijón - Gijón (2)

1980

Real Madrid CF - Madrid (3)

Son Amar - Palma de Mallorca

(5)

AE Cornellà - Barcelona (1)

RCD Español - Barcelona (3)

CV Tormo Barberà - Xàtiva

(3)

1990

CV Gran Canaria - Las Palmas

G.C. (5)

CV Soria - Soria (3)

CV Unicaja Almeria - Almeria

(3)

CV Murcia - Murcia (3)

CV Marichal Tenerife -

Tenerife (3)

2000


(5)

CV Portol - Palma de

Mallorca (3)

CAI Teruel - Teruel (3)

CV Marichal Tenerife -

Tenerife (6)

CAV Murcia - Murcia (3)

2010


(3)

CAI Teruel - Teruel (3)

Valeriano Allés Menorca-

Ciutadella (2)

CV Logroño - Logroño (3)

(n) Number of Spanish Championships or Leagues won during that period.

Cups not included.

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Participation in international clubs and national teams competitions

The two teams which have obtained the most remarkable results at

international competitions in the whole history of Spanish Volleyball are men’s

Son Amar (Palma de Mallorca) and women’s CV Marichal Tenerife. Son Amar

was finalist in the CEV Cup 1984 edition and CV Marichal Tenerife wrote the

most important page in the international history of Spanish volleyball clubs by

beating Pallavolo Sirio Perugia (Italy) at the 2004 Champions League final in

Tenerife. This amazing success was possible thanks to the great job done by

Quico Cabrera, president of the club, who put together an incredible team with

players like Godina, Visser, Carvajal, Svistina, Lamas and López, under the

lead of Avital Selinger.

With regards to Spanish men’s national team, mention must be made to

their greatest victory. In 2007, after winning the European League against

Portugal, the team, coached by Andrea Anastasi, beat Russia and won the

European Championship in Moscow. Besides, the Spanish men’s team also

took part in the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992 (8th position) and Sidney

2000 (9th place). Finally, we should also mention its well-deserved 5th position

in the World League of 1999, 2002 and 2003 editions, as well as in 2008 World

Cup (RFEVB, 2011).

As for the Spanish women’s national team, after having participated in

the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992 as a host country team, it also took part

in the final phase of the European Championships of 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

and 2013. One of its most remarkable victories, that qualified the team for its

first European Championship, was against Russia, right after the latter had won

the silver medal in the OOGG of Athens 2004. Other participations in important

tournaments have been: Qualification rounds for the Olympic Games and the

World Championships, World University Games, Mediterranean Games, Spring

Cup (2007 Champion), Savaria Cup, and more recently the European League.

Best players

We would like to conclude this section about indoor volleyball by

acknowledging some of its best players to date: Miguel Ocón, who was the first

Spanish player to be recruited abroad (Denver Comets, US) in the late 1970s;

Francisco “Paco” Sánchez Jover, top Spanish volleyball player during the

1980s and early 1990s; and Miguel Ángel Falasca, one of the most valued

setters in the history of Spanish volleyball. He played in Spain, Italy, Belgium

and Poland during 1990s and 2000s, among others.

However, if we needed to choose just one Spanish player, one of the

most remarkable Spanish sportsmen of all times, our choice would be Rafael

“Rafa” Pascual. Playing the opposite with the Spanish National Team (537

games), he participated in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games (8th place -

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Olympic Diploma) as well as in many World League and World Championships

editions (MVP in Japan 1998) and won the already mentioned European

Championship held in Russia in 2007, this time as an outside hitter. He was the

first Spanish player to participate in different top international leagues like the

Italian A-1, mostly for Alpitour Cuneo, in Japan, France, Puerto Rico and

Bulgaria.

As for women, Marta Gens is undoubtedly an important reference. She

played for the best Spanish clubs of her time (RCD Español, Murcia, Albacete,

Tenerife, Burgos, etc.) and spent some time playing in the Italian A-2 league for

Vigetano Moreschi. She represented the Spanish National Team in 315 games

and participated in the Olympic Games held in Barcelona (1992). She set the

path for future players like Amaranta Fernández or Marisa Fernández.

Nowadays there are a lot of Spanish women playing Volleyball professionally

abroad.

Beach volley, the younger brother growing up

In the late 80s, beach volley became a popular sport in most Spanish and

Catalan beaches. Almost 50 years after the first reported games and

tournaments had been held in Brasil, California and the most famous tourist

sites of the French Mediterranean coast, the 1st Open in Cullera (Valencia) was

the first Spanish tournament to be organized under the «Voley-Sol 1989 Tour.»

The winning couple (Sixto Jiménez and Guillermo Calvo) were at the forefront

of one of the most spectacular sports events to take place on Spanish beaches:

the beach volleyball events organized on the sand during the warm summer.

After his career as a professional player, Sixto Jiménez became one of the most

outstanding figures of this sport in Spain. He was an active promoter of beach

volleyball as well as the coach of an entire generation of the best Spanish

players in the FIVB World Tour (Wikipedia).

Two years after this first tournament, an important beach volley event

took place on the Almería beaches, in the south of Spain. The best players got

together to play the World Series in an spectacular event with more than 6000

fans supporting the couples who played until well into the night (Mata et al.,

1994). In 1992, the Almería beaches hosted the “Olympic Year Championship”

with the FIVB proposal to reach the Olympic status for beach volleyball. The

success of this tournament was even greater than the tournament played the

year before. The finals were clearly dominated by the American couples both in

men (Smith/Stoklos) and women (Kirby/Reno).

In 1996, beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in Atlanta (USA). In

this tournament, the Spanish player Sixto Jimenez, after a successful track

record in indoor volleyball, achieved an Olympic Diploma reaching the quarter

finals in the first beach volleyball Olympic tournament in history. Definitely,

this was a good omen for the Spanish beach volley because Javier Bosma and

127

Fabio Díez did the same in Sydney OOGG in 2000 (Australia). The Olympic

zenith of Spanish beach volley was reached in Athens in 2004. The

Mediterranean players Javier Bosma (Catalunya) and Pablo Herrera

(Castellón), coached by Sixto Jimenez with devotion and commitment, won the

silver medal. Thus, with a tradition of about 10 years, Spain won the first and

unique Olympic medal in this sport. The memories of this tournament near the

Parthenon in Athens (Greece) will be remembered for many years.

After the Olympic success and the hard work carried out mainly by the

RFEVB together with, Sixto Jiménez, Javier Bosma and Pablo Herrera, Susana

Vega, Toni Alemany, Gerard Moras and Pepe Sierra, among others, beach

volleyball grew as a popular sport both on Spanish beaches and beyond. Lots of

towns and cities built beach volley courts and organized tournaments of all

playing levels. Modalities like 4x4 and 3x3 increased the popularity of this

sport in Spain and Catalonia. Probably one of the most active agents in Spain

was the promoter Pepe Sierra who supported the J&B Tour (Circuito J&B de

Voley Playa) in the late 90s and early 2000s. After overcoming several

federative hurdles, this organization was able to organize many great events in

different Spanish sites (with and without beach). This made it possible to host

different FIVB Beach Volley World Tour events during the early 2000s in Spain

(Barcelona, Mallorca, Tenerife, Madrid).

Since 2004 several reference playing couples have emerged in the male

competition arena such as: Bosma-Herrera, Herrera-Mesa, Lario-Gavira,

Herrera-Gavira and Marco-García. All of them won medals in the 2004 FIVB

Beach Volley World Tour, when Bosma-Herrera won in the Olympic Garden,

and until the last tour and the silver medal won by Herrera-Gavira in the

Netherlands Open 2017. Thus, a total of 16 medals in the most worldwide

prestigious competitions were obtained by the above mentioned Spanish

players. On the other hand, women have also raised the playing field levels

during these past years. After the first steps taken by Gerard Moras and Toni

Alemany with the FIVB World Tour Training Group in Barcelona during the

early 2000s with Esther Alcón and Esther Ribera, nowadays Liliana Fernández

and Elsa Baquerizo are the top players in female Spanish beach volleyball. This

couple, coached by Daniel Rodríguez Wood and working in Tenerife, has

achieved a great success in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events

(silver and bronze medals from 2012 to 2016) (FIVB, 2018).

Correspondence:

Marc Llinàs Folch, [email protected]

Bernat Buscà Safont-Tria, [email protected]

128



REFERENCES

Añó, Vicent and Estefania Sales. “El impacto de la Guerra Civil sobre el

deporte: los primeros movimientos deportivos asociativos en

Segorbe” in Apunts. Educación Física y Deportes, 119 (55-61).

Barcelona: INEF Catalunya, 2015

Díaz, José. Voleibol español: reflexión y acción. Cádiz: Federación Andaluza de

Voleibol, 2000

FIVB. FIVB Beach Volleyball Competitions - Archives. Accessed March 14,

2018 http://www.fivb.org/EN/Beachvolleyball/competitions.asp

Mandel, Richard. Historia cultural del Deporte. Barcelona: Ediciones

Bellaterra, 1986

Mata, David, Gerardo de la Encarnación and Fernando Rodríguez. Voley playa.

Aprendizaje, entrenamiento y organización. Madrid: Alianza

Editorial, 1994

Mauri, Marta. “Mens sana in corpore sano. La educación física del Frente de

Juventudes y el disciplinamiento de los cuerpos” in Actas del XVIII

Coloquio de Historia de la Educación: Arte, literatura y educación.

Vol I (381-391). Vic: Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de

Catalunya, 2015

Palou, José and Neus Palou. Historia del Voleibol español. Lleida: Dilagro,

1985

Palou, Neus. “Historia del Voleibol” in Voleibol. Madrid: Comité Olímpico

Español, 1992

RFEVB. “Historia del Voleibol” in Pequevoley. Accessed March 1, 2018

http://www.pequevoley.com/voleibol-historia.php

RFEVB. Palmarés de las competiciones nacionales absolutas. Accessed March

1, 2018 http://www.rfevb.com/sfv-palmares and

http://www.rfevb.com/svm-palmares

Wikipedia. Voleibol de playa. Accessed March 14, 2018

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voleibol_de_playa

Zagalaz, María Luisa. “La educación física durante el franquismo. La sección

femenina” in Apunts de Educación Física y Deportes, 65 (6-16)

Barcelona: INEF Catalunya, 2001

129

http://www.fivb.org/EN/Beachvolleyball/competitions.asp

http://www.rfevb.com/sfv-palmares

http://www.rfevb.com/svm-palmares

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voleibol_de_playa

TURKEY


IN TURKEY

Barbaros Çelenk, Ph.D., Hacettepe University, Faculty of Sport

Sciences, Department of Physical Education and Sport

Teacher, Ankara/TURKEY

Sinem Hazır Aytar, Ph.D., Başkent University, Faculty of Health

Sciences, Depatment of Sports Sciences, Ankara/TURKEY

Gıyasettin Demirhan, Ph.D., Hacettepe University, Faculty of Sport

Sciences, Department of Physical Education and Sport

Teacher, Ankara/TURKEY

INTRODUCTION

This review examines the history of volleyball in Turkey, its

development in terms of national teams and the leagues of Turkey. Number of

licenced athletes shows that volleyball is the most preferred sport by girls and

women in Turkey (TÜIK, 2015) According to the number of licensed athletes,

volleyball ranks the first in terms of the number of women athletes in Turkey,

and it is the third among all the sports branches after football and basketball,

respectively. With the increase in success rates of clubs and national teams in

the international arena volleyball has become the main issue in the media, and

also there has been a massive increase in the interest in volleyball since national

women’s team’s participation in the 2012 London Olympic Games. There are a

total of 523 women’s and men’s teams competing in the leagues with

deplacement, and volleyball activities are maintained with nearly 10.000

coaches and 6.500 referees in Turkey. Turkish senior national team ranks the

12th in women and 27th in men in the world order set by Federation

Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). According to the European Volleyball

Confederation (CEV), Turkey ranks the 5th in senior women, and 15th in

senior men.

The history of volleyball in Turkey

Volleyball entered in Turkey in the following days of the armistice of the First

World War. Dr. Dealer, an American who came to Istanbul in 1919 to act as the

manager of the YMCA (Young Male Christians Association) started volleyball

in the sports hall of this association, and succeeded in taking the attention of the

physical education teachers to this sport.

130

In those years, Selim Sırrı TARCAN, who was a physical education teacher in

Istanbul Boys’ Teachers School, became interested in this sport closely, and

started teaching it to students in his school. Between 1920-1924, the students

who graduated from this school organized tournaments between the schools

and they continued to contribute to dissemination of this sport. The intensified

actions and efforts in Kabataş, Vefa, Pertevniyal, Galatasaray, Istiklal,

Haydarpaşa, Istanbul High Schools, resulted first in tournaments among

schools; and Kabataş High School came the first in the first championship

among high schools. Istanbul Girls’ High School was the first champion in the

competition among Girls’ High Schools.

Figure 1: Selim Sırrı TARCAN

When the students who played volleyball graduated from these high

schools, volleyball activities were started to expand to the universities and

clubs. Yüksek Mühendis Mektebi in Istanbul (Higher Engineering School,

today’s Istanbul Technical University) which is known as the home of

basketball today was the “cradle” of volleyball, and Mülkiye Mektebi in

Ankara (Political Sciences Faculty) was the leading college in between 1924-

1944. When interclub league games started after 1944, the number of the

volleyball players increased yet andthe regional championships were started to

be organized in various cities. These regional championships were followed by

Turkish Men’s Volleyball Championship in 1949. Vefa Volleyball Team in

Istanbul won this first offical but not professional national championship.

The first connection of Turkish Volleyball with foreign teams was a the

friendly game played with the volleyball players in the Basketball Team of

Greece, who came to Turkey in 1946. In the time period in between 1919-1946,

which can be considered as the starting period of volleyball in Turkey, Turkish

Volleyball remained above the developments in the wold and thus it was well

behind the World volleybll. Besides, in those years basketball, handball and

volleyball in Turkey were governed altogether by Sports Games Federation

131

(established in 1934) and this federation could not be adequately efficient in

volleyball due to this multiplex responsibility.

In 1952, Ayhan Demir, who made great contributions to Turkish

Volleyball not only as a volleball player or as a coach but also as a manager,

took basketball and volleyball teams consisting of university students to Cairo

at the invitation of Egypt. In this visit, Turkish volleyball players got

dissapointed when they realized from foreign referees and players that the rules

that were applied in Turkey were long since changed, and the positionings and

techniques in Turkish volleball did not fit to the international applications. This

international experience in 1952 was the sparking that enabled the extrovert

structure of Turkish volleyball as these players shared their experiences and

thoughts with Sports Games Federation when they returned home. For them the

lack of playing international games and unfollowing the internaional rules were

the main reasons of this backwardness.

In 1953 a game was organized with Yugoslavia in Istanbul. A national

team was selected and trained in the light of the new information obtained in

Egypt. The result of this game was a disappointment, and the authorities in the

Sports Games Federation saw the situation of the Turkish national team over

against the continiously developing world volleyball with their own eyes and

they brought a coach from Yugoslavia to train Turkish players and coaches.

The name of the coach was Danila Pojar; he watched the games in Turkey,

opened courses, and provided necessary information to train our teams with

modern training methods. Despite these efforts, the result in the second game

played against Yogoslavia in Belgrade in 1954 and the volleyball Turkish team

played showed that volleyball in Turkey was still left behind in the world.

Figure 2: Volleyball men’s national team (1954, Belgrade - From left to right: Sinan Erdem (C), Ayhan Demir, Orhan Bilgin, Şakir Erman, Mahir Aras, Semih Aygıt, Burhan Yamanoğlu, Ali Rıza

Olcayto, Cihat Özgenel, Erdoğan Teziç, Lui Şalabi, Valentin Holyafkim)

In 1956, Turkey participated in the World Men’s Championship in Paris.

Turkey was left in the classman group after being defeated by Soviets with a

score of 3-0, by Korea with 3-2 (despite leading 2-0), and beating Austria and

Luxemburg with a score of 3-0, and being defeated by India with the score of

3-0, Turkey ranked twenty-second in the world order.

132

In 1957, a very big tournament called“Fatih Coup” was organized in

Istanbul.Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Iran

and Turkey participated in this tournament. Turkish team was trained by Jiri

Kobrle, a famous coach from Czechoslovakia. Turkey defeated only Iran, and

could not win any sets from other teams, but Turkey played in the level of

leading developed counties in volleyball in the world after then. The audience

and young players on the tribunes had the opportunity of seeing the

characteristics of "strength volleyball", from the world’s top level players. After

this date, the importance given to volleyball in sports communty iincreased in

Turkey. With the establishment of The Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) in

1958 volleyball started to be considered important by senior administrators and

wass expected to have a breakthrough.

Turkısh Volleyball Federatıon

Vahit Çolakoğlu was the first president of the turkish Volleball

Federation (1958-1968).Mustafa Mut (1968-1971), Haluk Aykulu (1971-1977),

Naci Bayamlıoğlu (1977-1978, 1991-1992, 1993-1996), Özcan Mutlugil (1978-

1979), Teoman Yazgan (1988-1991), Hüsnü Can (1992-1993, 2000-2006),

Ahmet Gülüm (1996-2000), Erol Ünal Karabıyık (2006-2012), Özkan Mutlugil

(2012-2016) were the other past presidents of the federastion. respectively. M.

Akif Üstündağ (2016-still active) is the current president of the federation.

Turkish Volleyball Federation is the institution that runs the volleyball

activities officially in Turkey and its headquarter is in Ankara. The federastion

is the official member of the FIVB, CEV and Balkan Volleyball Association

(BVA).

Until today, the Federation has been continuing its activities with its

professional staff and various commissions.One of its most important duties is

to spread volleyball all over the country. Besides, it mainly pays attention to the

establishment and organization of national teams and clubs, training programs

for the coaches and referees, regulation and international affairs.

The TVF gained its autonomous structure in 2004. It started to build

attractrive volleyball facilities since 2007, and established Başkent Volleyball

Campus, Ankara in 2010, TVF Burhan Felek Volleyball Hal, İstanbul in 2011,

TVF Atatürk Volleyball Hall, Izmir in 2012, and TVF Cengiz Göllü Volleyball

Hall, Bursa in 2013. Besides these volleyball halls TVF has been accepted as

the first federation which has the biggest breakthrough with the establishment

of Volleyball High School and dormitory (Ankara), beach volleyball courts

(open and closed), fitness halls, Volley Hotels, and federation offices.

133

Turkısh natıonal teams

Turkish national teams represent Turkey both in official and private

international competitions in various categories: Women’s senior, below the

age of 23 (U23), below the age of 20 (U20), below the age of 18 (U18) and

below the age of 16 (U16); and in men’s senior, below the age of 23 (U23),

below the age of 21 (U21), below the age of 19 (U19), and below the age of 17

(U17).

As mentioned before, Turkey participated its first international official

tournament, FIVB Men’s World Volleyball Championship, in volleyball in

1956 in Paris with the Men’s National Team. Women’s first international

competition was in 1957 in International Istanbul Tournament, and women’s

team also participated in European Volleyball Championship in Romania in

1963 as its first official championship.

Figure 3: The first national men’s team - From left to right, Standing: Aleksandre Holyafkim,

Marsel Şalabi, Ayhan Demir, Sacit Seldüz, Saman Bergerden, Sinan Erdem, Lui Şalabi. Sitting:

Vahit Çolakoğlu, Muammer Pamuk, Haluk Kanbay (Coach), Faik Gökay (President of the Sports Games Federation), Tevfik Artun (Referee). Front: Ziya Kayacan, Gültekin Gürel, Selçuk Atamer,

Valentin Holyafkim, Yiğit Ayaşlıoğlu.

The achievements of women’s and men’s national teams in FIVB World

Championship are given in Table 1. After ranking in the second place of U18

Women’s National Team in 2007 in Mexico, ranking the first of the U18 Team

in 2011 and U23 Women’s Team in 2017 are among the best achievements of

the Turkish Volleyball history in the World Championships. The best

achievements of the women’s national teams in World Championships are the

6th degree in senior, and 5th degree in U20 category. The best achievements of

the men’s teams were 15th degree in senior, 2nd degree in U23, 6th degree in

U21 and 9th degree in U19.

134

https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957

Figure 4: U23 Women’s Team, 2017 FIVB World Champion, Head Coach: Ataman Güneyligil,

Players; Çağla Akın (C), Hande Baladin, Aslı Kalaç, Ebrar Karakurt, Saliha Şahin, Nursevil Aydınlar, Beyza Arıcı, Tuğba Şenoğlu, Ezgi Dilik, Ayça Aykaç, Bihter Dumanoğlu, Zehra Güneş.

As it is known, World Championships are considered as the most

prestigious organizations after Olympics. For this reason, individual

performances of the athletes have gained the same importance with the

achievements of the teams in the World Championships. Neslihan Demir is the

only Turkish volleyball player who won the title of “The Best Scorer” in the

World Championships for two successive years. she had the best scores with

225 hits in 2006 World Championship, and with 251 hits in 2010 World

Championship. Neslihan Demir was also selected as one of the world’s -famous

players who came to the forefront with their successes among 19 countries by

FIVB, and is the only Turkish volleyball player with the title “the Hero of the

FIVB”.

Figure 5: Turkish player Neslihan Demir (Güler), the hero of the FIVB.

135

Table1: Turkish national teams in FIVB World Championships and their achievements.

Gender Category Year Place Ranking Head Coach

Women

Senior

2006 JPN 10 Reşat Yazıcıoğulları

2010 JPN 6 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2014 ITA 10 Massimo Barbolini

U23

2013 MEX 5 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2015 TUR 2 Ferhat Akbaş

2017 SLO 1 Ataman Güneyligil

U20

1999 CAN 15 Adnan Kıstak

2001 DOM 8 Adnan Kıstak

2003 THA 12 Adnan Kıstak

2005 TUR 6 Adnan Kıstak


2013 CZE 5 Gökhan Edman

2015 PUR 10 Hasan Çelik

2017 MEX 4 Mustafa Suphi Doğancı

U18

1993 SVK 6 Mete Döğüşçü

1999 POR 15 Adnan Kıstak


2009 THA 4 İsmail Yergin

2011 TUR 1 Şahin Çatma

2013 THA 9 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2015 PER 4 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2017 ARG 4 Şahin Çatma

Men

Senior

1956 FRA 22 -

1966 CZE 15 Nikola Murafa

1998 JPN 17 Nedim Özbey

U23 2015 ARE 2 Emanuele Zanini

2017 EGY 9 Reşat Arığ

U21

2013 TUR 6 Ümit Hızal

2015 MEX 6 Barış Özdemir

2017 CZE 9 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

U19

1993 TUR 11 Oktay Orkunoğlu

2013 MEX 15 Ümit Hızal

2015 ARG 9 Salih Erdoğan Tavacı

2017 BHR 11 Ümit Hızal

136

Turkish national teams’ participation in European Championships started in

1958 in men’s and in 1963 in women’s. The achievements of national teams are

shown in the Table 2 and Table 3. In these results, it can be clearly seen that the

men’s youth national team has a stable place in the rankings in recent years.

Figure 6: The National Young Girls Team, champion in 1977 European Championship

Qualifications. From left tothe right, standing: Violet Kostende, Arzu Bağdatlıoğlu, Cengiz Göllü

(Coach), Deniz Dosdoğru, Selcan Teoman. Front: Yasemin Varış, Gülnaz Ensü, Meral Babalı (Kalafatoğlu), Hülya Babalı (Erçin), Dilek Erülker.

The Turkish women’s senior team participated to the European

Championships thirteen times, and, the national team, coached by Reşat

Yazıcıoğulları and Deniz Esinduy, played in the final of the championship in

Ankara in 2003. This was the best ranking received in Turkish volleyball

history until that date. After this achievement, the women’s volleyball national

team was called “Sultans of the Net”. The championship of the Youth Team in

2011, and the championship of the Young Team in 2012 are the first

championships received in the base category.

137

https://www.wikizero.com/tr/Avrupa_Kad%C4%B1nlar_Voleybol_%C5%9Eampiyonas%C4%B1

https://www.wikizero.com/tr/Avrupa_Kad%C4%B1nlar_Voleybol_%C5%9Eampiyonas%C4%B1

https://www.wikizero.com/tr/2003_Avrupa_Kad%C4%B1nlar_Voleybol_%C5%9Eampiyonas%C4%B1

Table 2: Men’s national teams in CEV European Championships and their achievements

Category Year Place Ranking Head Coach

Senior

1958 CZE 12 Nikolay Sotis

1963 ROU 11 Ender Kurt*

1967 TUR 14 Ender Kurt*

2007 RUS 15 Işık Menküer

2009 TUR 13 Fausto Polidori

2011 AUT 11 Veljko Basic

2013 DAN/POL 14 Veljko Basic

2015 BUL/ITA 21 Emanuele Zanini

2017 POL 11 Josko Milenkoski

Junior

1969 RUS 16 Değer Eraybar*

1973 NED 14 Mehmet Bengü*

1977 FRA 10 Mehmet Bengü

1984 FRA 11 Sedat Çerkezler

1990 GER 11 Oktay Orkunoğlu

1992 POL 10 Semih Oktay

1994 TUR 4 Oktay Orkunoğlu

2008 CZE 11 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

2010 BLR 12 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

2012 POL 4 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

2014 CZE/SVK 7 Ümit Hızal

2016 BUL 4 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

Youth

2007 AUT 9 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

2011 TUR 8 Veljko Basic

2013 BIH/SRB 5 Ali Kazım Hidayetoğlu

2015 TUR 3 Salih Erdoğan Tavacı

2017 HUN/SVK 3 Ümit Hızal

*Records or documents were not reached. It has been identified according to

the declaration of former volleyball players and officials

138

Table 3: Women’s national teams in CEV European Championships and their achievements

Category Year Place Ranking Head Coach

Senior

1963 ROU 10 Cengiz Göllü*

1967 TUR 12 Cengiz Göllü*

1981 BUL 12 Cengiz Göllü*

1989 GER 11 Cengiz Göllü*

1995 NED 12 Cengiz Göllü*

2003 TUR 2 Reşat Yazıcıoğulları

2005 CRO 6 Reşat Yazıcıoğulları

2007 BEL/LUX 10 Alessandro Chiappini

2009 POL 5 Alessandro Chiappini

2011 SRB 3 Marco Aurelio Motta

2013 GER/SUI 7 Massimo Barbolini

2015 BEL/NED 4 Ferhat Akbaş

2017 AZE/GEO 3 Giovanni Guidetti

Junior

1982 GER 11 Cengiz Göllü*

1988 ITA 12 Cengiz Göllü*

1990 AUT 7 Mete Döğüşçü*

1992 GRE 9 Adnan Kıstak*

1994 HUN 10 Altan Gökçay*

1996 TUR 11 Altan Gökçay*

1998 BEL 9 Faik Karayev*

2000 SUI 8 Adnan Kıstak

2002 CRO 5 Adnan Kıstak

2004 SVK 6 Adnan Kıstak

2006 FRA 5 Adnan Kıstak

2008 ITA 3 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2010 SRB 5 İsmail Yergin

2012 TUR 1 Gökhan Edman

2014 EST/FIN 3 Mustafa Suphi Doğancı

2016 SVK/HUN 3 Onur Çarıkçı

Youth

2005 EST/FIN 10 Adnan Kıstak

2007 CZE 6 Gökhan Edman

2009 NED 5 İsmail Yengil

2011 TUR 1 Marco Aurelio Motta

2013 MNE/SRB 3 Şahin Çatma


2017 NED 11 Onur Çarıkçı

*Records or documents were not reached. It has been identified according to

the declaration of former volleyball players and officials

139

Figure 7: The Youth Team, 2011 CEV European Champion. Head coach: Marco Aurelio Motta. Players; Damla Çakıroğlu (C), Çağla Akın, Kübra Akman, Şeyma Ercan, Ceylan Arısan, Buket

Yılmaz, Aslı Kalaç, Ece Hocaoğlu, Kübra Kegan, Ecem Alıcı, Dilara Bağcı, Ceyda Aktaş.

Turkish National Teams’ participation and their achievements in the

European League Competitions held by the European Volleyball Confederation

starting from 2004 in men, and starting from 2009 in women are given in Table

4, women’s national team became the champion in 2014 and the men’s team

ranked the second in 2012 in European League, which are the best

achievements of these teams.

Table 4: Turkish national teams in CEV European League and their achievements

Gender Year Place Ranking Head Coach

Women

2009 TUR 2 Mehmet Nuri Bedestenlioğlu

2010 TUR 3 Alessandro Chiappini

2011 TUR 2 Marco Aurelio Motta


2014 TUR 1 Ferhat Akbaş

2015 HUN 2 İsmail Yengin

Men

2005 RUS 4 Nedim Özbey

2006 TUR 4 Işık Menküer

2008 TUR 3 Fausto Polidari

2010 ESP 3 Veljko Basic



2014 MNE 7 Salih Erdoğan Tavacı

2015 POL 6 Emanuele Zanini

140

While the men’s team did not participate in the Olympic Games, the

women’s team became the champion in Olympic European Continental

Qualification for the first time in May 1-6, 2012 in Ankara, and had got the

right to participate in the olympic games. In 2012 London Olympic Games

Turkey ranked 5th in the group and, could not stay within the first 8 teams with

a slight difference after 2 wins and 3 defeats. The National Team completed the

2012 Olympic Games in the 9th place.

Figure 8: Turkish women’s team in the 2012 Olympic Games: Back row from left to right: Bülent

Güneş (Asistant coach), Yunus Öçal (Statistician), İbrahim Yanmış (Doctor), Alper Erdoğuş

(Asistant Coach), Players: Naz Aydemir, Neslihan Darnel, Polen Uslupehlivan, Marco Aurelio Motta (Head Coach), Bahar Toksoy, Büşra Kılıçlı, Eda Erdem Dündar, Mesut Salami

(Physiotherapist), Emre Karagöz (Statistician), Selcan Çağlar (Menager). Front row from left to

rigth: Gülden Kayalar, Esra Gümüş (C), Neriman Özsoy, Gözde Sonsırma, Özge Kırdar Çemberci, Gizem Güreşen, Sibel Kahyalıoğlu (Masseuse).

Beach Volleyball and Snow Volleyball

Women’s and men’s Turkish beach volleyball teams consisted in senior:

Below the age of 22, below the age of 20 and below the age of 18 categories.

Snow Volleyball was included in the official calendar of the CEV and TVF in

2017.

Turkish Beach Volleyball League organization, which was held for the

first time in 2009, is an important volleyball project in the world, and is

continuing today for the purpose of developing and spreading beach volleyball.

This league is organized in winter months, and is performed in closed and open

beach volleyball courts. Beach volleyball players are expected to gain

experience in this national league to show high performance in international

leagues which are organized in summer months. Turkey’s first achievements in

beach volleball was the 2nd place in the FIVB Chennai Challenger Tournament

141

in 2010, with the 2nd and 3rd places in CEV Satellite Tournament with 1st

place in Beach Volleyball European Continental Qualification Competitions in

the rankings. Today, Men’s National Team consisting of Giginoglu Murat/Urlu

Safa ranks 85th, and the Women’s National Team consisting of Nezir

Merve/Cetin Esra Betul ranks 114th in CEV Beach Volleyball ranking,

Volleyball Leagues in Turkey

Today in the leagues of Turkey, women’s and men’s categories compete

in the Volleyball Super League, 1st and 2nd Leagues, UniLig (Universities

League); and girls and boys teams in the base categories compete in young,

youth, mini voleyball.

The champion teams of 1970-1971 season in men’s and 1984-1985

season in women’s championships are given in Figure 1. The first Champion in

men’s teams was Galatasaray, and the first champion women’s team was

Eczacıbaşı. Throughout the history Eczacıbaşı is the club that has won most

championships both in women and men’s leagues. Vakıfbank women’s team in

and Halkbank men’s team have had their places in the history of Turkish

volleyball with 8 Championships each.

Figure 1: Championship numbers of volleyball clubs in the Turkish National Leauge

16

8 5

3 1

12

4 8

4 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1

Ecza

cıb

aşı

Vak

ıfb

ank

Fen

erb

ahçe

Emla

k B

anka

sı

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a

Hal

kban

k

Gal

atas

aray

Ark

as

IETT

Erd

emir

Arç

elik

Net

aş

Mu

haf

ız G

ücü

Bo

ron

kay

IBB

SK

Winner of Turkish National Championships

Women's Men's

142

Every year, Turkey is represented with club teams in Champions

League, CEV Cup, and Challenge Cup in Europe. The achievements of Turkish

clubs in women (Table 5) and in men teams (Table 6) are given below.

The first international achievements of Turkish volleyball clubs were in

1967 by Galatasaray Men’s Team (4th in Champion Clubs) and in 1980 by

Eczacıbaşı Women’s team (2nd in Champion Clubs). The first international cup

was brought by Eczacıbaşı in women’s in 1999 and by Arkas in men’s in 2009.

Eczacıbaşı won the CEV Cup, which was named as European Cup Winners

Cup in these years, and Arkas won the CEV Challenge Cup in 2009.

143

Table 5. International achievements of the women club teams.

Y

ea

r

Tea

m

Ca

tego

ry

Hea

d C

oa

ch

Ra

nk

ing

Yea

r

Tea

m

Ca

tego

ry

Hea

d C

oa

ch

Ra

nk

ing

1980

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Champion

Clubs

Cengiz

Göllü 2 2013

Vak

ıfb

ank

İsta

nbu

l

Champ

ions League

Giovanni

Guidetti 1

1988

Em

lakb

ank

CEV Cup Mehmet

Bedestenlio

ğlu

3 2013

Fen

erb

ahçe

SK

CEV

Cup

Mehmet

Kamil Söz 2

1991

Vak

ıfb

ank

CEV Cup Andrzej

Niemczyk 3 2013

Vak

ıfb

ank

İsta

nbu

l Clubs

World Champ

ionship

Giovanni Guidetti

1

1992

Vak

ıfb

ank

CEV Cup Andrzej

Niemczyk 3 2014

Vak

ıfb

ank

İsta

nbu

l

Deniz

Bank

Champions

League

Giovanni

Guidetti 2

1993

Ecz

acıb

aşı

CEV Cup Cengiz

Göllü 2 2014

Fen

erb

ahçe

SK

CEV

Cup

Marcello Abbondan

za

1

1996

Em

lakb

ank

CEV Cup Vladimir Buzayev

2 2014

Beş

ikta

ş

Challe

nge

Cup

Adnan Kıstak

2

1997

Gal

atas

aray

CEV Cup

Mehmet

Bedestenlioğlu

3 2015

Ecz

acıb

aşı

VIT

RA

Champ

ions League

Giovanni

Caprara 1

144

1998

Vak

ıfb

ank

Champion

Clubs

Faig

Gareyev 2 2015

Vak

ıfb

ank

Champ

ions League

Giovanni

Guidetti 3

1999

Vak

ıfb

ank

Champion Clubs

Andrzej Niemczyk

2 2015

Gal

atas

aray

Dai

kin

CEV

Volleyball

Cup

Massimo Barbolini

3

1999

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Cup Winners

Gökhan Edman

1 2015

Bu

rsa

BB

SK

CEV

Volley

ball Challe

nge Cup

Emin İmen

1

2000

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Champion

Clubs

Gökhan

Edman 3 2015

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Clubs World

Championship

Giovanni

Caprara 1

2000

Enk

a Cup

Winners

Deniz

Esinduy 3 2016

Vak

ıfb

ank

Champ

ions

League

Giovanni

Guidetti 2

2000

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a

CEV Cup Vladimir Buzayev

3 2016

Fen

erb

ahçe

Gru

nd

ig

Champ

ions League

Marcello

Abbondanza

3

2004

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a

Top Teams

Cup

Vladimir

Buzayev 1 2016

Gal

atas

aray

Dai

kin

CEV Volley

ball

Cup

Ataman

GüneyLea

guel

2

2005

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Top Teams Cup

Marco Aulerio

Motta

3 2016

Tra

bzo

n

İdm

an O

cağı CEV

Volley

ball Challe

nge

Cup

Gökhan Rahman

Çokşen

2

145

2008

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a

Challenge

Cup

Claudio

Lopes Pinheiro

1 2016

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Clubs

World

Championship

Massimo

Barbolini 1

2009

Fen

erb

ahçe

Acı

bad

em

CEV Cup Jan De Brant

3 2016

Vak

ıfb

ank

Clubs

World Champ

ionship

Giovanni Guidetti

3

2010

Gal

atas

aray

GM Capital

Challenge Cup

Gökhan Edman

3 2016

Çan

akkal

e

BS

K

BVA Cup

Üzeyir Durak

1

2010

Fen

erb

ahçe

Acı

bad

em

Champions

League

Jan De

Brant 2 2017

Vak

ıfb

ank

Champ

ions League

Giovanni

Guidetti 1

2010

Fen

erb

ahçe

Acı

bad

em

Clubs

World

Champions

hip

Jan De

Brant 1 2017

Ecz

acıb

aşı

Champ

ions

League

Massimo

Barbolini 3

2011

Fen

erb

ahçe

Acı

bad

em

Champions League

Jose

Roberto Lages

Guimaraes

3 2017

Gal

atas

aray

CEV

Volleyball

Cup

Ataman

GüneyLeaguel

3

2011

Vak

ıfb

ank

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a

Champions

League

Giovanni

Guidetti 1 2017

Vak

ıfb

ank

Clubs World

Champ

ionship

Giovanni

Guidetti 1

2011

Vak

ıfb

ank

Gü

neş

Sig

ort

a Clubs

World Champions

hip

Giovanni Guidetti

2 2017

Ecz

acıb

aşı Clubs

World Champ

ionship

Massimo Barbolini

3

146

2012

Fen

erb

ahçe

Un

iver

sal

Champions

League Z.Roberto 1 2017

Bu

rsa

BB

SK

CEV

Volley

ball

Challenge

Cup

Jan De

Brandt 1

2012

Gal

atas

aray

CEV Volleyball

Cup

Dragan Nesic

2 2017 Çanakkale

BSK

BVA Cup

Üzeyir Durak

2

2012

Fen

erb

ahçe

Un

iver

sal Clubs

World Champions

hip

Z.Roberto 3

147

Table 6. International achievements of the men club teams.

Year Team Category Head Coach Ranking

1980 Eczacıbaşı Champion Clubs Kosta Shapov 3

1997 Netaş CEV Cup Gennady

Parsins 2

2007 Halkbank CEV Cup Salih Yergin 3

2009 Arkas GM Capital

Challenge Cup

Fernando

Munoz

Benitez

1

2011 Arkas GM Capital

Challenge Cup Glen Hoag 2

2013 Halkbank CEV Cup Veselin

Vukovic 1

2013 Maliye National

Piyango CEV Cup

Josko

Milenkoski 3

2014 Halkbank DenizBank

Champions League

Radostin

Stoytchev 2

2014 Fenerbahçe

Grundig Challenge Cup

Daniel Jorge

Castellani 1

2014 İstanbul BBSK Challenge Cup Nedim Özbey 3

2016 Galatasaray HDI BVA Cup Nedim Özbey 1

2017 Fenerbahçe SK CEV Volleyball

Cup Veljko Basic 3

2017 Galatasaray HDI CEV Volleyball

Challenge Cup Nedim Özbey 3

2017 İnegöl Belediye

Spor BVA Cup

Levent

Zoroğlu 1

Correspondence:

Barbaros Çelenk, [email protected]

Sinem Hazır Aytar, [email protected]

Gıyasettin Demirhan, [email protected]

148



REFERENCES

Ali Özarboy, “Topla Oynamanın Yeni Kurallara Göre Değerlendirilmesi”

H.Ü.S.B.T.Y.O., Voleybol Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi, Sayı: 4,

Ankara, 1995, s. 15.

Berthold Fröhner, “Voleybolun 100 Yılı”, H.Ü.S.B.T.Y.O., Voleybol Bilim ve

Teknoloji Dergisi, Sayı: 7, Ankara, 1996, s. 6

F.I.V.B., “Resmi Voleybol Kurallarındaki Değişiklikler”, H.Ü.S.B.T.Y.O.,

Voleybol Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi, Sayı: 18, Ankara, 1998, s . 3.

Mehmet Bengü, “Adam Voleybol”, Adam Yayıncılık ve Matbaacılık A.Ş,

İstanbul 1983, s. 11.

Süper Voleybol, “Dünden Bugüne Voleybol”, sayı.2, Voleybol Vakfı, Mısırlı

Matbaacılık, İstanbul 1998, s. 93.





Süper Voleybol, “Dünden Bugüne Volleyball”, sayı.1, Voleybol Vakfı, Mısırlı


Süper Voleybol.: “Dünden Bugüne Voleybol”, sayı.4. Voleybol Vakfı, Mısırlı

Matbaacılık, İstanbul, 1998.s. 93.

Wikipedia, Vala Somalı, Voleybolun 102 Yılı, TVF yayını

http://www.tuik.gov.tr/HbPrint.do?id=21508

www.tvf.org.tr

www.cev.lu

www.fivb.org

149

http://www.tuik.gov.tr/HbPrint.do?id=21508

http://www.tvf.org.tr/

http://www.cev.lu/

http://www.fivb.org/

UKRAINE

BEGINNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF VOLLEYBALL IN

UKRAINE

Ivashchenko Sergii, National University of Physical Education and

Sport of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine

Volleyball in Ukraine is considered a very popular sport. It is known

that systematic employment of this kind of sport contributes to the development

of many physical qualities: the strength of the arms and muscles of the shoulder

girdle, jumping, quick reaction, coordination of movements, ability to orientate

in space and time.

After the description of volleyball by pastor William Morgan in 1895,

this kind of sports game began to acquire amazing popularity in many countries

of the world, including in the territory of present-day Ukraine.

Over time, the rules of the game of volleyball improved, held an

international competition in volleyball. In 1947 the International Volleyball

Federation was established, and in 1964 it was included in the program of the

Olympic Games. At that time when Ukraine was a part of the USSR, it was

actively cultivated in many regional centers (Kharkov, Kiev, Odessa and

others).

In the 1926 the first inter-city meeting was held between volleyball

players from Kharkov and Moscow. After that, volleyball became a mass sport

throughout the territory of present-day Ukraine.

The national complex of physical culture, one of whose tasks was to

improve the general physical training of the population, included elements of

volleyball. Thanks to this, most of the young people had a higher level of skill

in the field of volleyball. Volleyball became a full-fledged independent sports

game. It was included in the programs of many major contests. All-Ukrainian

volleyball section was created, volleyball championships were held regularly

(including international ones).

The Ukrainian team debuted in the international arena in the fall of 1992

in the qualifying tournament of the European Championship under the

leadership of the well-known coach Vladimir Buzaev, one of the founders and

the permanent coach of the volleyball team from Zaporozhye "Orbita".

In 1993, Ukrainian volleyball players scored 8 wins from 8 meetings at

the international championship held in the Czech city of Brno.

At the same time, they defeated the Russian national team with a score

of 3: 0, and then won 4 more wins and took first place in the group.

150

Figure 1. Members of the woman's volleyball team of Ukraine.

Thanks to the successful performance at the championship of the

continent, the Ukrainian team became a participant of the 1994 World Cup in

Brazil. A new victory over the Italian team allowed the team of Vladimir

Buzaev to go to the 1/8 finals, but after the meeting with Japan (0: 3),

Ukrainians were forced to stop fighting for high places.

In the early 1990s, Vladimir Buzaev also headed the Ukrainian youth

team, which in 1993 became the silver medalist of the World Cup in Brazil.

Since 1995, the national team of Ukraine is headed by the former coach of the

Lugansk volleyball team Iskra Gary Yeghiazarov. His name is associated with

the performance of the Ukrainian national team at the Olympic Games in

Atlanta in 1996.

In 1997, in connection with the transfer of coach Egiazarov to the Italian

volleyball team "Ravenna", the coach of the national team of Ukraine is Igor

Filishtinsky from Odessa. Under his leadership, the team took 7th place at the

European Championships, but could not pass either to the 1998 World Cup or

to the next European Championship.

In 2001 Gary Yeghiazarov returned to the post of head coach of the

Ukrainian national volleyball team and at the European Championships, which

took place in Bulgaria, she took fourth place.

Irina Zhukova was recognized at this championship as the best binder,

which was also known for her successful performances in several Italian clubs.

At the same time, other members of the Ukrainian national team also

successfully performed in strong foreign teams (from Italy, France, Poland,

Bulgaria, Austria and Spain).

Since 2001, the youth and youth teams of Ukraine throughout the next

decade have achieved high results in international competitions.

151

Figure 2. Before the start of the match.

In the period from 2003 to 2009, Igor Filishtinsky, Alexander Gutor and

Sergei Golotov worked as head coach of the Ukrainian volleyball team.

It is during this period of time that many talented athletes move to the

teams of other countries and thus change their so-called "sports citizenship".

Among them were Natalia Skazka (Mamedova), Lydia Maksimenko, Polina

Ragimova (Petrashko), Natalia Goncharova (Obmochaeva), Anna Makarova

(Tsokur), Olesya Safronova, Olga Kubasevich (Drobyshevskaya), Julia

Volyvach and Veronika Gudyma.

This served to the fact that in May 2009 the Ukrainian team failed in the

qualifying tournament of the World Championship, losing to Belarus,

Azerbaijan and Israel.

However, a year later a new Ukrainian team, consisting mainly of the

most promising young players of the championship of Ukraine, was completely

ready for the fight in the qualification of Euro 2011.

Having defeated the teams of Israel, Slovakia and Great Britain,

Ukrainians after 8 years of forced expectation won a ticket to the final

tournament of the European Championship in Serbia and Italy.

The basis of the team preparing to participate in Euro-2011 was mostly

players from the “Severodonchanka” team, which was the bronze medalist of

the Ukrainian championship in those years. The only legionary in the team was

Marina Marchenko. The function of the team captain was performed by the

liaison Irina Komissarova (at that time she wore the name Puhalskaya).

152

Figure 3. The decisive moment in the game.

At the group stage of the championship, which was held in Belgrade, the

team of Ukrainians, unfortunately, suffered three defeats from the national

teams of Germany, Serbia and France, as a result of which it was unable to

reach the playoff stage of this competition.

At the qualifying tournament of the European Championship 2013 the

national team of Ukraine started under the guidance of the new head coach -

Andrei Romanovich, who had previously been the coach of the team

"Galichanka".

During the qualification for Euro 2015, the Ukrainian national volleyball

team played in the absence of Marina Marchenko and Olesya Rykhliuk, who

were considered to be the most effective players on the court. Therefore, based

on the results of the matches, volleyball players of the Ukrainian national team

could not get the right to participate in the final tournament of the European

Championship.

In the qualifying tournament for the Euro-2017 championship, the

Ukrainian national volleyball team won four victories over the teams of Austria

and Latvia in the second round, but twice lost to the Italian team. Entering the

second place in the group, the team from Ukraine again became a participant in

the playoff stage, and this time got a ticket to the final stage of the continental

championship.

In the same year 2017 the Ukrainian team took part in the Euroleague

for the first time and immediately won the title of the champion. In the group

stage, the Ukrainians defeated the teams from France, Montenegro and Georgia

twice, exchanged victories with the team from Spain in the semifinals, and

defeated the Finnish team in the decisive matches in Helsinki and Ivano-

Frankovsk. The most valuable contribution to these victories was made by

Anna Stepaniuc.

153

Figure 4. The wisdom of coaches always helps.

Here are the main results of the performances of the national team of

Ukraine in recent years:

Olympic Games

• 1996 - 11th

place. (Composition: Natalia Bozhenova, Julia Bueva, Tatiana

Ivanyushkina, Olga Kolomiets, Alla Kravets, Elena Krivonosova, Vita

Mateschuk, Regina Miloserdova, Olga Pavlova, Maria Polyakova, Elena

Sidorenko, Alexandra Fomina).

• 2000 - qualifying tournament CEV, 5th

place in the group.

• 2008 - qualifying tournament CEV, prequalification round, 2nd

place in

the group.

• 2012 - qualifying tournament CEV, prequalification round, defeat in the

semifinals.

World Volleyball Championship

• 1994 – 9th

place.

• 1998 - qualifying tournament, 2nd

place in the group.


place in the group.

• 2006 - qualifying tournament, 3rd

round, 3rd

place in the group.


round, 4th

place in the group.

• 2014 - qualifying tournament, 3rd

round, 3rd

place in the group.


round, 3rd

place in the group.

154

European Championships

• 1993 - 3rd

place. (Composition: Julia Volyvach, Elena Voronkina, Marina

Dubinina, Tatiana Ilyina, Anna Kalashnikova, Olga Kolomiets, Alla

Kravets, Vita Mateschuk, Maria Polyakova, Irina Pukhalskaya, Svetlana

Sulim, Lyudmila Trotsyuk.)

• 1995 – 7th

place.

• 1997 - 7th

place.

• 1999 - qualifying tournament, Division A, 5th

place in the group.

• 2001 – 4th

place. (Composition: Natalia Bozhenova, Tatiana Voronina,

Elena Ena, Tatiana Ivanyushkina, Irina Zhukova, Alla Kravets, Marina

Martsnyuk, Regina Miloserdova, Maria Polyakova, Elena Sidorenko, Irina

Shvachka, Yulia Shelukhina.)

• 2003 - 9th

place.

• 2005 - Qualifying tournament, Division A, 3rd

place in the group.

• 2007 - qualifying tournament, defeat in the playoffs.


• 2011 - 15th

place. (Composition: Anna Burbeluk, Svetlana Galkina,

Marina Degtyareva, Anna Dovgopolyuk, Nadezhda Kodola, Irina

Komissarova, Svetlana Lidyaeva, Anna Lizenkova, Tatyana Litvinovskaya,

Marina Marchenko, Irina Molodtsova, Natalya Chernetska)



• 2017 - 13th

place.

European League

• 2017 – 1st place (Composition: Julia Gerasimova, Marina Degtyareva,

Karina Denisova, Svetlana Dorsman, Diana Karpets, Nadezhda Kodola,

Kristina Nemtseva, Elena Novgorodochenko, Anna Stepaniuc, Alina

Stepanchuk, Irina Trushkina, Anastasia Chernukha, Tatyana Yatskiva).

155

Figure 5. It's nice to get the expected result.

The composition of the national team of Ukraine at the European

Championship-2017.

Current composition.

Central blocking:

number in the team -3, Irina Trushkina, year of birth - 1986, body height – 188

centimeters;

number in the team – 7, Inna Molodtsova, year of birth -1986, body height –

186 centimeters;

number in the team – 9, Julia Gerasimova, year of birth -1989, body height –

185 centimeters;

number in the team – 17, Svetlana Dorsman, year of birth - 1993, body height –

184 centimeters.

Binders:

number in the team – 13, Elena Novgorodchenko, year of birth – 1988, body

height - 180 centimeters;

number in the team – 18, Alexandra Peretyatko, year of birth – 1984, body

height - 182 centimeters.

Forwards:

number in the team – 4, Tatyana Kozlova, year of birth – 1984, body height -

185 centimeters;

number in the team – 5, Karina Denisova, year of birth – 1997, body height -

184 centimeters;

number in the team – 8, Anastasia Chernukha, year of birth – 1995, body height

- 193 centimeters;

number in the team – 10, Anna Kyrychenko, year of birth – 1991, body height -

187 centimeters;

156

number in the team – 11, Anna Stepanyuk, year of birth – 1992, body height -

180 centimeters;

number in the team – 16, Nadezhda Kodola, year of birth – 1988, body height -

184 centimeters.

Backup players:

number in the team – 6, Victoria Delros, year of birth – 1993, body height - 172

centimeters;

number in the team – 12, Alina Stepanchuk, year of birth – 1991, body height -

175 centimeters.

The head coach - Gary Yegiazarov.

Coaches - Dmitry Filishtinsky and Vladimir Podkopayev.

Nowadays in many Ukrainian cities there are successfully functioning

multiple volleyball sections, where young amateurs of this sport improve their

skills. Undoubtedly, among their number will be formed in the future a galaxy

of promising athletes who, having reached the highest level of sportsmanship,

will become part of the national team of the country and will defend the

sporting honor of Ukraine in the world arena in responsible competitions in

volleyball.Thus, volleyball in Ukraine continues to develop and win the

sympathy of millions of spectators

157

REFERENCES

Bisseling R. (2014) Aspects of developing some kinds of sports. Volleyball.

Effective education, 2014, № 4, p.26 – 49.

Boreham C.A. Physical Activity and Health across the Lifespan. Perspectives

on Health and Exercise / C.A. Boreham, C.J. Riddoch. – 2000. – 248

p.

Brill P. Muscular strength and physical function in volleyball / P. Brill // Med.

Sci. Sports and Exer. – 2000. – № 32. – P. 126 – 134.

Corbin S.V. Physical activity for everyone: What every physical educator

should know about promoting lifelong physical activity / C.B.

Corbin // J. Teach. in Phys. Education. – 2002. – № 21. – P. 128 –

144.

Lindemann U. A review of the assessment of basic motor qualifications in

volleyball. – International Journal of Physical Education, 48(2), 29 –

41.

Ludovici – Connolly A.M. Winning Health Promotion Strategies / A.M.

Ludovici – Connolly. – Human Kinetics, 2009. – 180 p.

Morcus B.H. Motivating People to Be Physically Active (Volleyball) / B.H.

Marcus, L.A. Forsyth. – [2th ed.]. – Human Kinetics, 2009. – 182 p.

Physical activity and health in Europe: Evidence for action / edited by N.

Cavill, S. Kahlmeier, F. Racioppi. – WHO Library Cataloguing in

Publication Data, 2006. – 55 p.

Skinner B.F. The science of learning and the art of teaching. Harvord

Education Review, 1954, No.2,p.86-97.

The world health report: health systems financing: the path to universal

coverage. – WHO Library Cataloguing in Publication Data, 2010. –

128 p.

Warburton D.E. Health benefits of physical activity in volleyball / D.E.

Warburton, C.W. Nicol, S.S. Bredin // Canad. Med. Ass. J. – 2006. -

№ 174 (6). – P. 801 – 824.

Wilson A.E. Getting the fundamentals of movement: in volleyball. Childcare,

Health and Development, 26(3), 208 – 243.

158

BRAZIL


VOLLEYBALL IN BRAZIL

José Fernandes Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, School of Physical Education and

Sport.

Laércio Camilo Rodrigues, School of Physical education of Brazilian Army. Bruno Telles Matos, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, School of Physical Education and

Sport.

The emergence of Volleyball in Brazil

Volleyball is the second most popular sport in Brazil, being practiced by

more than 15 million people (Da Costa et al., 2006). With 23 medals, being 10

on the court and 23 on the beach, it is the sport that gave the most Olympic

medals to Brazil (CBV 2017). Volleyball was created in the year 1895, in the

United States of America, by Professor Willian Morgan, as a less violent

alternative to basketball. His goal was to create a team game without physical

contact between opponents in order to minimize the risk of injury. The game

was very well accepted and quickly spread throughout the world, being

practiced in several countries (Guimarães and Matta 2004).

Volleyball arrived in Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century, but there is

no consensus on the date and place of the sport's emergence in the country.

There are two versions, in the first, volleyball was introduced in 1915 at the

Marist College, in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State. According to the other

version, the game was first practiced, in 1916, in the Association of Christians

and Young Men, in the city of São Paulo (Vieira and Freitas 2007). Given the

history of volleyball in neighboring countries, historians accept the second

version as the most likely (Guimarães and Matta 2004). The first Brazilian club

to adopt the modality was Fluminense Sport Club, located in the city of Rio de

Janeiro. With the purpose of spreading the sport in Brazil, Fluminense Sport

Club promoted the first Volleyball tournament in the country (Marques Junior

2012).

In the following years, just as it happened all over the world, volleyball

spread throughout Brazil. The decades of 40 and 50 were important for the

consolidation of the sport in the country. Some events helped to spread the

sport, such as the founding of the South American Volleyball Confederation in

1946, the titles of the first South American Championship, won by the men's

and women's teams in 1951, the foundation of the Brazilian Volleyball

Confederation (CBV) in 1954 and the 1º Brazilian Championship in 1955

(CBV 2017) (CSV 2017). As a result of its foundation, CBV began to promote

the sport, with the promotion of courses and the creation of volleyball schools.

159

The number of practitioners increased, but their practice was restricted to the

social elite at that time, since it was played in clubs (Bizzocchi 2000). At this

time, the sport was practiced mainly by women, this was due to two main

reasons, first because the lack of physical contact made the sport ideal for

women and secondly because men found the gestures of volleyball a bit

effeminate (Dalsin and Vilodre Goellner 2006).

Figure 1 - Botafogo Sport Club team, in 1946.

In spite of the growing popularity, there was little interchange with the main

powers of the sport, which reflected in the low quality of the Brazilian teams.

Brazil still used the 4x2 system, the technical qualities of the players were not

good (Marques Junior 2012). The basics of the game were run very poorly. The

reception of the serve had no precision, which made it difficult to assist and

consequently the attack. The defensive system also had failures, mainly in the

execution of the double and triple blocks and in the recovery of dropped balls.

Added to this is the low stature of Brazilian players and the lack of quality

sports equipment, the ball was very hard and the sneakers did not have a

damping system (Marques Junior 2009).

In the 1960s, Brazilian volleyball improved technically, making it possible

to perform well in the international arena, such as the 5th place in the World

Championship in 1960, held in Rio de Janeiro and 7th place in the 1964

Olympic Games (FIVB 2017). Another important fact was the victory of the

Botafogo Sport Club team over the Spartak team, the team formed by the

Czechoslovakian national team, the world champion in 1956 (Gueiros 2004).

160

Figure 2 - Brazilian team that competed in the 1960 World Championship

Figure 3- Botafogo Sport Club team in the game against Spartak

Brazil among the best in the world

During the 70’s a great evolution in the Brazilian Physical Education was

started. Brazilian teachers conducted exchanges in countries that dominated the

scientific basis of physical preparation. Back in Brazil, these professionals

applied the new knowledge in the training of Brazilian volleyball teams. The

physical preparation began to integrate the training of the athlete, with the aim

of improving his performance. This activity already existed previously, but it

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was used as warming, as a way to prepare the athlete's body for more intense

efforts (Guimarães and Matta 2004). The use of scientific knowledge in

physical preparation contributed to the excellent results of Brazil in the 1970s

and to the consolidation of the country as one of the world powers (Rocha

1976).

From 1975 the CBV adopted a new model for the management of Brazilian

volleyball. A long-term effort was made to train highly competitive teams

worldwide. To better publicize and develop the sport, partnerships were created

with private companies and agreements to broadcast games in the media (da

Silva Matias and Greco 2012). The main games in Brazil and abroad began to

be transmitted by the Bandeirantes and Record television networks. The

inclusion of volleyball specialist in the broadcast teams was of great importance

for the dissemination of the sport and for understanding the rule, increasing the

popularity of volleyball (Marques Junior 2012).

The results of this new management model began to appear even in the 70's.

The spread of the sport increased, the number of practitioners grew, as did the

interest of those who did not practice it as athletes. Volleyball became part of

social conversations, its events were more media reported, and its more skillful

practitioners became public figures (Guimarães and Matta 2004). It was the

beginning of the appearance of the first Brazilian idols of the sport, as Bernard

Rajzman, elected the 5th best player in the world in 1976, and the players

Isabel Salgado and Jaqueline Silva (Marques Junior 2012). Brazil achieved

excellent results in international competitions by winning the silver medal at

the 1975 Pan American Games held in Mexico City, 7th place in the 1976

Olympic Games and 6th place in the 1978 World Championship (CBV 2017).

In the 1980s, work began in the 1970s. Good results in international

competitions continued. Already in the first major competition, the 1980

Olympic Games, held in the city of Moscow, Brazil won the 5th place with the

men's team and 7th place with the women's team, with the best scores ever

obtained (FIVB 2017). It is worth highlighting the men's victory over Poland,

Olympic champion in 1976 and a favorite of the title in 1980. After losing the

first two sets, Brazil managed to reverse the score and win the match, which

made an excellent impression and placed Brazil in the role of the world's sports

powers (Lancellotti 1994).

After the 1980 Olympic Games, CBV suggested that Brazilian volleyball

adopt the club-company model already established in Italy and Japan. Betting

on the idea that marketing and sports can go hand in hand, CBV has attracted

the attention of companies for volleyball. Several companies have seen in

volleyball an opportunity to divulge their brands, so new teams have emerged,

such as Pirelli, Atlântica / BoaVista, Pão de Açúcar, Sadia, Supergasbrás and

others (Manta, Trade, and Pito 2008). With the investment of the companies,

the new teams came to be among the best in the country, with Pirelli and

Atlântica / Boavista in the men's and Supergasbrás and Atlântica in the

women's, the first companies-clubs to be Brazilian champions of volleyball

162

(CBV 2017). The adoption of the new model allowed the creation of an

infrastructure, thus allowing the beginning of the professionalization of

Brazilian volleyball in the early 80's. This model served as inspiration for other

collective sports in the country (Guimarães and Matta 2004).

The beginning of the eighties was also marked by the scientific

development of Brazilian Physical Education. Several professionals returned to

Brazil after taking master's and doctoral courses abroad. The interest in the

study of volleyball increased, studies were carried out in order to analyze the

volleyball practiced by the main selections of the time and to verify the

panorama of the volleyball practiced in Brazil, which allowed the identification

of the strengths and weaknesses of the world powers of the time (Sevciuc and

Caldas 1980). It was also verified that, in spite of the increasing evolution, the

Brazilian volleyball needed to develop even more to reach the podium of the

main international competitions. The main weakness pointed out was the lack

of reach of the Brazilian players in the blockade and the attack. It was evident

that the physical preparation would be paramount for the best performance of

the Brazilian teams (Quadra et al., 1981). In this way, the professionals

responsible for the physical preparation of the volleyball teams were able to

plan the physical training with more specific objectives, the self was a key

factor for the success of Brazil.

The Silver Generation

In the year of 1982 the World Championship in Argentina would take place.

To prepare your selections, Brazil promoted the 1st “Mundialito”, a little World

Championship. It was the first competition broadcast live on Brazilian TV.

Brazil won the men's championship with a historic victory over the hitherto

unbeaten Soviet Union and runner-up in the women's. The competition was

marked by the service "Star Trek" run by the player Bernard (Rajzman 2005).

In the World Championship of Argentina the men's selection obtained its

most expressive result until then in an international competition, the 2 nd place.

The women's team did not repeat the good performance of the "Mundialito",

being in 8th place. The great innovation of this competition was the serve with

jump made by Renan Dal Zotto. Until then, players were kicking their feet off

the ground. The new serve surprised the opposing players who were not

prepared to receive such a powerful serve. Today practically all the players take

this way (Marques Junior 2012).

After the 2nd place in the 1982 World Championship, CBV decided to

promote and promote the sport even more, so he invited the Soviet Union to 4

friendlies to be held in the cities of Recife, Vitória, São Paulo and Rio de

Janeiro. The stadium of Maracanã was the chosen place for the departure of Rio

de Janeiro. It would be the first match, involving world-class teams, held in the

open. The rain interrupted the game several times, but the players decided to

163

dry the court themselves to continue playing. The match holds the record

audience (95,881 people) for a volleyball game (Romariz and Mourão 2006).

Figure 4 - Game between Brazil and Soviet Union in the stadium of Maracanã

The 1984 Olympic Games, held in Los Angeles, were marked by the

absence of the Soviet Union. With this, Brazil came to be one of the main

candidates for an Olympic medal. Despite some problems at the beginning of

the competition, the Brazilian team managed to reach the final against the

hosts. But the Americans made a perfect match, not giving chances to the

Brazilian team, which was defeated by 3 x 0. The result was highly valued by

the press and the Brazilian population that dubbed the selection as the

"Generation of Silver." The women's team did not have the same result as the

men's team, ranking 7th in the competition. After the Los Angeles Olympics

volleyball was identified as the second most preferred sport among 15-24 year

olds, confirming its popularity (Romariz and Mourão 2006).

164

Figure 5 - Brazilian tem, silver medal in 1984

From Silver Generation to Gold Generation

After the long-awaited silver medal, Brazilian volleyball declined, with

Brazil failing the podium of the main world competitions (Olympic Games,

World Championships and World Cup) until 1990. The former player of the

Brazilian national team Montanaro, in an interview with the BandSports

Classics program, on January 6, 2005, stated that the cause of such decline was

the relationship problems between the players who played in the teams of Rio

de Janeiro and São Paulo (De Romariz and Mourão 2006) (Marques Junior

2012).

The CBV then decided to change the coach of the Brazilian team, hiring the

Korean Sohn, who obtained excellent results in the Minas Tênis Clube team.

The new coach implemented his training model based on defense and blocking,

which initially was well accepted by players. He also worried about the

psychological aspect of the players, key factor to solve the problems of existing

relationships (Marques Junior 2012). Despite the good initial work, soon the

technician was replaced by the experienced Bebeto de Freitas, technical silver

medalist in Los Angeles.

Brazil would only return to the podium of a major competition in 1990, as

3rd place in the World League. The next big challenge would be the 1992

Olympics, to run the Brazilian team, CBV chose young coach José Roberto

Guimarães. The choice was not well accepted by the players, who did not

believe in the work of a young coach with little experience. Gradually the

coach got the approval of the players and the union of the group, which had

caused the decline of Brazilian volleyball in the late 80's (Guimarães 2016).

165

In the Olympic Games of 1992 Brazil was represented by a renewed

selection, with young and talented players. The Brazilian fans were not very

confident of a good result, however, victories over the Unified Team (formed

by the former Soviet Union countries) and the Netherlands, one of the best

teams of the season put Brazil as a favorite for the gold. It was an irredeemable

campaign, with only three sets lost, that gave Brazil the first medal in collective

sports in history (Araújo 2013). Upon returning to Brazil, the squad was

cheered, players paraded in an open car through the streets of the city of São

Paulo, a crowd accompanied and greeted the players. Definitely Brazilian

volleyball became a national passion, this generation became known as the

Golden Generation (Guimarães 2016).

Brazil, the country of volleyball.

After the Barcelona gold medal, the Brazilian men's team never ceased to

appear as one of the best in the world, it was time for the women's team to

follow the same steps. In 1994 the former Bernardo Rezende, Bernardinho,

took over the women's team. In the first major competition under Bernardinho,

Brazilian girls won the silver medal at the 1994 World Championships.

Considered one of the best coaches in the world, Bernardinho led the women's

team until the year 2000. In those six years were two Olympic bronze medals,

one silver in the World Championship, one silver and one bronze in the World

Cup, three gold medals in the Grand Prix and three gold medals in the Pan

American Games (Sidrono 2017).

After the 2000 Olympic Games, CBV decided it was time for Bernardinho

to take on the men's team. In 2003 she took over the women's team José

Roberto Guimarães, a gold medal coach in 1992 with the men. Under the

command of Bernardinho and José Roberto began the most glorious period of

Brazilian volleyball. Brazil took the podium in almost every championship they

competed for, the men's team won two Olympic gold medals and two silver

medals, three gold medals and one silver medal at the World Championships,

two gold medals at the World Cup, seven medals of gold from the World

League, as well as countless other excellent results. The women's team won

two Olympic gold medals, two silver medals at the World Championships, two

silver medals at the World Cup, eight gold medals at the Grand Prix, and

countless other excellent results.

Obviously Brazilian volleyball would not have won so many titles if it did

not have a strong and well organized national championship. The Brazilian

Volleyball Championship, now called the Super Volleyball League, started to

be played in 1976, over the years it has been structuring itself and today it is

considered one of the most difficult national championships in the world. The

Super League of Volleyball stimulated the preparation and improvement of

coaches, and the use of a multidisciplinary support team, with psychologists,

physiotherapists, physical trainers, nutritionists, sports doctors, which

166

consequently resulted in the technical and physical improvement of the athletes.

(Vicari, Vermelho, and Vianna 2012). The Brazilian teams are among the best

in the world, the proof of this is that of the last six World Championships of

Men's Volleyball Clubs, three were won by Brazilian teams. In the women's

tournament, in the last six Championships the Brazilian teams won one and

were runners-up in three (FIVB 2017).

For all these reasons, Brazil, which has always been known worldwide as

the country of football, can also be considered the country of volleyball. The

table below lists the results of Brazilian volleyball in the main world

competitions.

Figure 6 - The 2012 Olympic Gold

167

Figure 7 - The 2016 Olympic Gold

168

Table 1. Top Brazilian Volleyball Titles

Championship Men Women

Gold Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze

Olimpic Games 3 3 2 2

World Championship 3 2 2 1

World Cup 2 3 3 1

World League/Grand

Prix 9 7 4 12 5 2

Club World

Championship 3 3 2 3 6 3

History of Beach Volleyball in Brazil

In the 1930s volleyball had a remote tradition in the sands of Copacabana

and Ipanema, and for a while beach volleyball was only seen as a leisure time

on the weekends (1). The first tournament to be held in Brazil was organized by

Jornal dos Deportes in 1947 in Copacabana. The same newspaper organized

tournaments in the years 48 to 52 on the sands of Copacabana, Ipanema and

Urca beaches. With the increased interest of both the competitors and the

public, events began to take on greater proportions, and in 1985 a large national

tournament was held in Guarujá in 1985, changing the vision of beach

volleyball, where the Hollywood Volley was held, receiving talented athletes

from the "silver generation" of the blocks and from that event the sport began to

gain media. Then the second edition of this same tournament was held, taking

an international proportion, the challenge Brazil and the United States, games

were held in the sands of Santos, then two more events were held in Guarujá

(São Paulo) and Ipanema (Rio de Janeiro), this last event being broadcast by

Rede Globo. With the success of these events, the International Volleyball

Federation (FIVB) officialized the sport, thus holding the first world event in

Ipanema in 1987, with representatives from Japan, Mexico, Argentina, Chile

and Italy (Oliveira e Costa 2010).

169

Figure 8 - From left to right we have: Montanaro (ambidextrous, uses while left

arm in attack), Isabel, Vera Mossa, Renan, Regina Uchôa (left-handed),

Badalhoca, Jaqueline and William at Hollywood Volleyball in Copacabana

An important fact to leverage the sport in Brazil was the entry of the CBV

in the organization of the practice of the sport in 1986. This was favorable to

the sport, since rules began to be imposed for the operation of the modality,

taking the course of professionalizing beach volleyball Brazilian. Another

milestone for the sport in the sands was in 1991 the entry of Banco do Brasil as

sponsor and main financier of the National Circuit of doubles of Beach

Volleyball. Thus beach volleyball started to be treated as a "business" and

"events" came to be considered products. Thus began to be drawn to new

sponsors, contributing to the creation of new events such as "King of the

Beach", "Queen of the Beach", "Challenge of the Kings" and the "Samsung

Cup of 4x4", but the National Circuit is the most important competition (Silva,

2004).

Brazil and its international representation

In the Barcelona Olympics (1992) beach volleyball emerged as a sport

exhibition and in 1993, the president of the International Olympic Committee

authorized the entry of the sport into the Olympic sports scene. Having its

debut in the Atlanta Olympics (1996). Brazil was not on the podium in Atlanta

(1996) in the men's and Beijing (2008) in the women, always having an

excellent representation, and names like Ricardo, Emanuel, Márcio, Fábio Luis,

José Marco, Alison, Bruno are the names of the Brazilians medalists in the

men's Olympics, and the female Jackeline, Sandra, Monica Adriana, Shelda,

Juliana, Larissa, Agatha and Barbara were the ones that earned a place on the

podium of the same competition. For a country that has few Olympic medals in

the other sporta, it makes Brazil a world focus attracting attention to its athletes

and training (FIVB 2017) (CBV 2017).

170

Figure 9 - Brazilian Olympic Champions

As in football, beach volleyball also has the Beach Volleyball World Cup,

but with a difference, being held every 2 years, and Brazil also has an excellent

repercussion in this event, of 11 Brazil has been in the podium in all editions in

the men's and women's only in Gstaad in Switzerland in 2007 Brazil had no

representative among the top three (Shewman 1995).

Figure 10 - André Stein and Evandro, champions of the Beach Volleyball World Cup held in

Vienna, Austria in 2017

The World Circuit is held annually and the World Circuit champion is the

pair that obtains the highest sum of points from the World stages, such as

Brazil, the United States, China, Australia, Morocco, Holland, Portugal, India

171

Russia and Germany are examples of locations that receive circuit steps. The

men's edition organized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)

began in 1987 and the women's starting in 1992, totaling 29 men and 25 female

World Circuit champions, 17 billed by Brazilians in the men's and 22 in the

women's.

Table 2. Top Brazilian Beach Volleyball Titles

Championship Men Women

Gold Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze

Olympic Games 2 3 1 1 4 2

World Cup 7 4 4 5 5 6

World Tour 17 - - 22 - -

172

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SINGAPORE


IN SINGAPORE

Govindasamy Balasekaran, National Institute of Education, Nanyang

Technological University, Singapore

Peggy Boey, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological

University, Singapore

Ng Yew Cheo, National Institute of Education, Nanyang

Technological University, Singapore

Introduction

The earliest documented history of sports was recorded at least 3,000

years ago, where the first Olympic games were held in 776BC (Belis, 2017).

These records of sports ideological motives were derived from ancient

civilisations from Greece and Rome (McChesney, 1989).

Looking back into Singapore’s sporting history; sports were first

brought into Singapore by the British after their establishment of their trading

post. Initially, only a few sports were brought in, such as, cricket, horse racing,

yachting, swimming, lawn tennis, polo, soccer and field hockey (Oon, 1984).

Subsequently, basketball and volleyball were developed by the association and

introduced to the community. It was recorded that the game of volleyball was

created by William Morgan in 1895, who was then the Director of Physical

Education, at Holyoke, Massachusetts, Young Men’s Christian Association

(YMCA). Since the early establishment of YMCA in Singapore, it promoted

the growth and participation in sports by building community centres, opening

of the first public swimming pool and construction of other courts for sports

such as, tennis, basketball and volleyball in the early 1900’s (Flower, 2002 and

Gillis, 2005). Unfortunately, the location and frequency of those sporting

activities were not documented. In addition, sports clubs were organized during

colonial times but mainly available to privileged few. Therefore, there was

limited participation from the locals as they had to work for income (Sport

Singapore, 2017). Majority of the Chinese and the other races were not actively

participating in sports but only as spectators (Aplin and Saunders, 2009). From

that aspect, sports were seen as a platform for social interaction as well as a

deviation away from the mundane and hard labour lifestyle (Aplin, 2002).

Before the 1960s, individuals working in Singapore were mainly immigrants

who became blue collared workers. These workers were sent to various sectors

such as agriculture, textile, construction, shipping, mining and rickshaw pulling

176

(Thulaja, 2016). Those sectors were hard labour and time for amusement or

enjoyment was nonexistent. For a young nation, basic economic growth, social

harmony and political stability were its utmost priority.

Gradually, Singapore’s economy prospered. Wealthy businessman set

up communal clubs to serve their respective communities. In 1885, the

Singapore Chinese Recreation Club was established (formerly known as Straits

Chinese Recreation Club). Subsequently, the prosperous economy allowed

more communal clubs such as the Chinese Swimming Club, the Indian

Association and the Ceylon Sports Club to be established to serve their

respective communities. These made the first introduction of sporting culture

and participation by the locals in Singapore (Sport Singapore, 2017). The

development of interest in sports and involvement by the different ethnicity can

be related to the demographic transition of the nation. Table 1 shows the

changes in societal, population and sporting culture according to different

period (Chan, 2003).

Table 1. Adapted from Past Times: A Social History of Singapore

Period Society Population Sports culture

1819 – 1867 Frontier town

Singapore European expatriates

and coolie immigrants Dominated by Europeans,

Asians uninterested

1867 – 1920 Steady economic

development Growing middle-class

Asian population Interest shown by Asians

1920 - 1965 Uncertainty over

political future

Singaporean and

Malaysian involvement

Dominated by locals equally willing to

represent either country

Volleyball to the Public

Volleyball was first played leisurely in Singapore in 1930s (Nauright

and Parrish, 2012). The governing body for volleyball was first introduced by

the Basketball & Volleyball Association. Five years later, in 1939, the Chinese

Sports Improvement Council replaced the association and heavily promoted

basketball (Basketball Association of Singapore, 2005). The subsequent history

of volleyball was not documented until 1950 where the Chinese School Sports

Council heavily promoted volleyball, basketball and table tennis as the

mandarin educated individuals favoured those sports (Oon, 1984).

The National Sports Promotion Board (NSPB) promoted sport at the

constituency in 1971. During that period, Singapore was categorised into 58

constituencies and each constituency was involved in promoting sport among

the people. In 1972, inter-constituency sport was launched by the NSPB which

provided both players and supporters opportunities to enjoy sports at a healthy

177

competitive level among the locals. Further progress was made in late 1973

when the newly-established Singapore Sports Council (SSC) took charge of

running the inter-constituency competitions as more sports such as sepak

takraw and table tennis were included in the competitions (Oon, 1984). In 1975,

Dr. Tan Eng Liang became the new chairman of SSC and the program

progressed to include volleyball as another sport in the inter-constituency

competitions. By 1975, there were a total of six inter-constituency sport

competitions, which included football, badminton, basketball, sepak takraw,

table tennis and volleyball. The inter-constituency sports also reflected mass

participation of Chinese in volleyball. After the introduction of volleyball as

part of the constituency sport, the number of constituencies involved increased,

hence expanded the number of participants. The growth of volleyball

participation in the inter-constituency tournament increased from 1975 to 1977

but stayed stagnant thereafter (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Number of participants in inter-constituency tournaments from year 1975 to 1982. Adapted from Singapore Sports Council.

Sports in Schools

There was no fixed syllabus prior to 1959; therefore schools were free to

develop their own curriculum. In addition, sport in schools was not compulsory,

which resulted in no sports activities in certain schools. Back in the 1950s,

there were seven different schools sports councils that organised inter-school

sport competitions. The Ministry of Education (MOE) Singapore replaced the

schools sports councils with the Singapore Schools Sports Council (SSCC) and

the Singapore Primary Schools Sports Council (SPSSC) in January 1960. Six

years later in 1966, the Extra-Curricular Activities Centre (ECAC) was

established (Figure 2) and was responsible to promote Extra-Curricular

Activities (ECA) in schools. MOE made ECA compulsory for all students in

secondary schools since 1970. Since then, volleyball was one of the major

sports that were encouraged in schools (Oon, 1984). Other sports also included

track and field, soccer, hockey, sepak takraw, softball, sailing/canoeing and air

rifle.

468 516 648 636 636 636 648 636

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

Nu

mb

er

of

Par

tici

pan

ts

Year

178

Figure 2. Organisational Structure of the Extra-Curricular Activities Centre. Adapted from Extra Currricular Activities Centre, Ministry of Education.

At national level, SSSC and SPSSC organised 17 and 11 various

competitive sports respectively in 1978. Talented pupils were identified from

these competitions for extra training sessions to represent the combined schools

in the different international competitions. There were also overseas training

stints organised for talented athletes to provide them opportunities for more

competitive trainings and competitions. According to SSC’s annual report in

1980 (p.g. 13), there were eight overseas training stints to Indonesia, Thailand

and Malaysia as compared to one in 1975. According to SNOC’s information

records, Singapore’s national volleyball team had also visited China from 1972

to 1980 to establish sporting links.

Sports Facilities and Coaches

During the period of change, there were lack of facilities, sporting

venues and coaches. Up-to-date programs were slow to arrive for some sports

such as volleyball as it has been by tradition that willing volunteers with

competitive background will undertake the coaching and training

responsibilities (Aplin, 2002). This reflected low participation rate in

comparison to sports which were quickly handled by foreign coaches such as

soccer and athletics. In a survey conducted by the sports council, volleyball

ranked 8th

out of 13 sports with only 79 registered players as compared to 1172

for sepak raga, 1279 for table tennis and 1469 for basketball.

According to SSC’s “Coaching Plan of the Singapore Sports Council” in 1976,

they identified that coaches had been coaching without basic coaching

qualifications. They found the necessity for these coaches to be properly

certified, however, not much attention was paid to scientific areas such as

exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology and sports medicine. The

only scientific coaching workshop that was organised by NSPB was on 28 May

to 6 July 1973 that involved six specialist lecturers who covered the basic

sports science background (e.g. physiology, anatomy, sports medicine, sports

psychology, fitness test and kinesiology). Following a coaching plan was

developed (Figure 3) and adapted from the National Coaching Accreditation

Scheme of Australia that consisted of three levels and was launched in 1979.

Deputy Director (Extra Curricular Activities)

Asst. Director

(ECA Sports)

12 Specialist Inspectors

ECA Sports

Sports Facilities

Inter School Sports

Schools Sports

Councils

(Pri & Sec)

Asst. Director

Uniformed Groups & Ceremonies

2 Specialist Inspectors plus 1 Liaison Officer

Ceremonies

Campaigns

Uniformed Youth

Activities

Asst. Director

(ECA Music)

5 Specialist Inspectors

ECA Music

School Bands

Singapore Youth

Orchestra

179

Figure 3. Coaching Plan. Adapted from Singapore Sports Council.

To cope with the lack of sports facilities, two master plans for facilities,

1976 to 1982 and 1983 to 1990 were designed by the government to increase

sporting facilities (Aplin and Saunders, 2009). By 1982, the number of

government owned volleyball courts were 97 and 13 by private, in total of 110

(Census of Sports Facilities in Singapore, 1982). Since 1987, the government

provided indication of the sporting culture through the National Sports

Participation Survey (NSPS). The survey is conducted every five years to chart

the trend and ensure demands are met. Survey results from 1975, 1978, 1980,

1992 and 2005 were taken for sampling to chart the trend of volleyball at

community level. According to the recent 2011 NSPS, volleyball has been the

top 20 sports taken up by regular sports participants from 2005 to 2011. In 2005,

there was an estimate of 20, 308 participants who played volleyball and there

was a decrease in numbers in 2011 with 12, 215 participants (Sports Singapore,

2011).

SSC Involvement

Coaching Committee

Sports Oganisation Courses

Advanced Coaching Course

Basic Coaching Course and Attachment

National Sports Association Assistance

180

General Participation Rates in Volleyball

• Participation by higher institution* was ranked 5th* with 780 males and 330 females

• Participation by uniform group* was ranked 8th with 3210 males and 420 females

• Participation at community centre was ranked 5th with 1620 males and 940 females

1975

• Participation in higher institution* was ranked 9th* with 610 males and 270 females

• Participation by uniform groups was ranked 7th* with 5950 male and 300 female

• Participation in community centre was ranked 10th* with 1560 males and 380 females

• Total participation of volleyball in public was top 13th out of 20 most popular sports with 10840 of males and 1940 of females

1978

• Participation in higher institution dropped by 10,2% between year 1976 and 1978 but increased by 12.5% between year 1978 and 1980

• Participation was ranked 7th in uniform groups with 7980 males and 540 females

• Participation increased by 13.4% in community centre

• Overall participation is still in 13th position with 11690 males and 1630 females

• Total participation increased by 23.2% since 1978

1980

• Overall popularity dropped to 17th out of top 20 from 14th position in 1978

• Participation of 15 and above was 0.5% of population, ranking 18th

• 8th most popular sports engaged by male participants of various age group at 4.6% of 112000 individuals

• Spectatorship by age group 12th position: 15-19 years old: 22.7%, 20-24yrs old: 16.6%, 25-29 yrs old: 11.3%, 30-34 yrs old: 12.8%, 35-39 yrs old: 9%, 40-44 yrs old: 10.8%, 45-49 yrs old: 4.2%, 50-54 yrs old, 5%, 55 yrs and above 7.6% of 15,808 spectators

1992

• Ranked top 20 sports, for participants 15 years old and above

2005

181

*Higher Institutions refers to National University of Singapore, Nanyang

Technological University, Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Technical College and

Institute of Technical Education.

*Uniform groups refer to armed forces, police force and fire brigade.

*All positions are ranked against top 10 unless stated.

Formalizing the Sport

Prior to World War 2, the English, Malay and Chinese had established

their own school sports council, with the Indian community set up in 1957.

However, the various ethnic sports council were united as one administrative in

1959 as the Schools’ Sports Council (Naul, Binder, Rychtecky and Culpan,

2017). Since then, various sports were organized annually for children of

different age groups to compete against one another by the Singapore Schools

Sports Council (formerly known as Combined School Sports Council)

(Ministry of Education, 2016).

Later in 1960, a national federation was set up with 12 other Asian

countries, leading to the establishment of the Asian Volleyball Confederation

(Nauright and Parrish, 2012). The Volleyball Association of Singapore was

established one year later, on 4th

November 1961 (Volleyball Association of

Singapore, 2017).

National Sports Associations (NSAs) were also beneficiaries of

government funds which were disbursed through Singapore Sports Council

(SSC), which is currently known as Sports Singapore (Sports SG). Volleyball

was ranked the 6th

out of 29th

sports to have received the most funding from

year 1978 to 1982 (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Funding received from Singapore Sports Council’s Subsidies for Volleyball National

Sports Association from 1978 to 1982.

1252 3522

5305

7240 7835

1978 1979 1980 1981 1982

Fun

din

g ($

)

Year

182

On the international stage, Singapore took part in various competitions

such as the ASEAN School Games which started since 2009 (Ministry of

Education, 2017); ASIAN Schools Volleyball Championship for girls; and the

All Starts Sports & Social Foundation (ASSF) Volleyball Championships.

Children were also given opportunities to take up volleyball as a Co-

Curricular Activity (CCA) in their schools from the age of 10 years old,

depending on the availability of resources in their school. Till date, there are 34

primary schools and 59 secondary schools offering volleyball as their CCA. All

tertiary institutions (i.e. polytechnics, junior colleges and universities) also

offer volleyball in their schools. All institutions take part in annual

competitions and the best players from the teams are chosen to represent

Singapore in the national team for both international and national games (e.g.

ASEAN games).

Structural Organisation

Back in 1978, the Pyramid Model of sport promotion was developed by

SSC (Figure 4). The base of the pyramid shows the majority of Singaporeans

engaged in various sports. Individuals, who improve from the basic skill level,

could move up to training schemes and national teams. At the apex of the

pyramid are sportsmen who have achieved sports excellence to compete and

win in international sport

competitions.

Figure 5. Singapore Sports Council (SSC) Pyramid Approach to Sport Promotion

Champions

Outstanding

Sports Persons

National Teams

Youth Teams

Training Schemes (Feeder Groups)

Broad Base of Participants (Exemplified by participants in national walk,

jog, cycling & swim)

Towards excellence in sport

Sponsored by

commercial

sector

Sports Aid

Fund

183

As sports further developed over the years, a new framework was put in

place for organisational excellence and sports performance for Singaporean

athletes (Sports SG, 2017). An upgraded framework, Singapore High

Performance Sports (HPS) System (Figure 5), serves to develop long-term

athlete development for sustainment of sporting success at major games. It also

aims to support athletes, which includes the national volleyball team, in terms

of financial support and access to Sports Science and Medicine. Athletes are

further categorised into different carding systems according to their sporting

performance in local and international competitions (Figure 6). As our national

female Volleyball team had won the bronze medal in the 2015 SEA Games, the

team is naturally carded under 3rd

carding level, which helps to support them

financially as they sacrifice their time training (Figure 7).

Under Sports SG, Sports Singapore Institute (SSI) is another subsidiary

organisation that combines sports science with coaching plans to address

particular needs of the athletes. Volleyball national athletes can refer to them

for support in terms of sports science and medicine through VAS (Figure 8). In

addition, National Institute of Education (NIE), Physical Education & Sports

Science (PESS), also does physiological testings’ for our national athletes. The

equipment based in the PESS laboratories has served not only for research

purposes but have also provided valuable advice for our national athletes to

improve their training and performance. Moreover, PE teachers are taught

volleyball as part of their curriculum in PESS. Upon graduation, PE teachers

will teach volleyball in schools as it is one of the sports in our Ministry of

Education (MOE) PE syllabus.

Figure 6. Singapore High Performance Sports (HPS) System. Adapted from Sports Singapore, 2017.

184

Figure 7. spexCarding Selection & Criteria & Duration. Adapted from Sports Singapore, 2017.

Figure 8. spexCarded HPS Pathway Athletes Support Schemes. Adapted from Sport Singapore,

2017.

185

Figure 9. Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) Service Delivery Model. Adapted from Sports Singapore,

2017.

Achievements

The national team for volleyball is divided into indoor and beach team

with males and females for each group. The indoor volleyball team was

initiated since the early years but in comparison, beach volleyball made its

appearance only in 2016 and they have since organized the National Beach

Series annually.

“Beach Volleyball (BVB) is also getting a life of its own. In 2016, both

our BVB Boys’ and Girls’ teams were invited for the World Beach Volleyball

Championship in Switzerland, a first in Singapore’s history. This year, we have

engaged a full time Canadian coach with the intention to spur our National

BVB teams to a new height. At the same time, the new BVB head coach and

his coaching team have also conducted several BVB clinics at Sentosa beaches

and Yio Chu Kang Swimming Complex. Moving forward, VAS will be

engaging the tertiary education institutions to set up BVB club in the respective

local polytechnics and universities soon.”

Mr Ang Wei Neng, President of VAS

186

Table 2. Results from Southeast Asian Games (SEA) by male and female team

Year Position

Female team Male team

1981 3rd

(Bronze) Group Stage

1983 Group Stage Group Stage

1993 Group Stage 3rd

(Bronze)

2015 3rd

(Bronze) Group Stage

2017 Qualified Qualified

In the 1993 SEA Games, Singapore’s volleyball male team won the

bronze medal and the female volleyball team won the bronze medal in 2015

SEA Games (Table 2).

The Combined School Boys’ team also clinched the first bronze medal

in the ASEAN School games held in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Conclusion

Volleyball was introduced to Singapore at a very early stage during the

growth of Singapore as a nation. It grew from a recreational sport played out of

social interaction and interest to forming a pool of elite players to represent

Singapore at international level. Funding and demand for facilities are met for

both public and elite levels with the constant change in the policies made by the

government. The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) has supported

the various sports associations in Singapore by providing funding through the

IOC-sponsored Olympic Solidarity Programme and VAS. Upgrading seminars

for coaches and athletes have also been funded by VAS.

Despite so, there is still room for improvement for the national team as

they work with their coaches to move forward and secure the top 6th position

within the Asian level. The requirement is the entry level for the teams to

participate in the subsequent major games (i.e. ASEAN, Commonwealth, SEA

games etc.). Orgnisations such as VAS and Sports SG have to work closely

with the athletes and coaches to ensure that the intervention programs deliver

maximum sporting achievements and outcomes. With advancement in state-of-

the-art facilities, knowledge in sports science and technology, volleyball in

Singapore has greater chances in progressing to greater heights at the

international competitive levels.

187

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CIP - Каталогизација у публикацији - Народна библиотека Србије, Београд 796.325(4)(082.2) HISTORY of Volleyball in Europe : (editors) Kristina M. Pantelić Babić ...[at al.]. - Leposavić : Faculty of Sport and Physical Education,University of Priština, 2018 (Kruševac : Sigraf). - 189 str. : ilustr. ; 24 cm. - (Edition History of Physical Education and Sport ; Book 4) Tiraž 200. - Str. 9: Foreword/ / editors. - Napomene i bibliografske reference uz tekst. - Bibliografija uz svaki rad. ISBN 978-86-82329-75-61. Pantelić Babić, Kristina M. [уредник] 2. Živanović, Nenad [уредник] 3. Pavlović, Petar D. [уредник] 4. Antala, Branislav [уредник]a) Одбојка - Европа - ЗборнициCOBISS.SR-ID 269173516

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