Ally Jack, the High-Performance Coach and Coaching Manager, and Blair Pettigrew, the Pathway Lead, recently undertook an educational trip to Poland, facilitated by Hubert Tomaszewski, PZPS Team Director of Senior National Team staff. The purpose was to explore Poland’s volleyball structure and support systems.
During their visit to the Polish Volleyball Federation offices (PZPS), discussions revolved around athlete and coach support mechanisms. They gained insights into the National Team pathway, talent identification, development strategies, and coach education pathways. Key officials, including Krzysztof Felczak (Director of Sport and Training Division) and Stanislaw Majkowski (Deputy Director of Sport and Training Division), provided comprehensive overviews. Later, they were joined by Gregorz Klimek, the coach for the Polish men’s beach teams, who outlined their competition strategy.
The visit to NLO SMS Spala, the PZPS School of Volleyball, showcased how approximately 50 athletes balance their volleyball training and education. They observed the institution’s dedication to nurturing talent while supporting their talented athletes through the Polish education system.
A tour of the Olympic Preparation facility highlighted Poland’s impressive infrastructure. The discussions continued around training methodologies and athlete monitoring systems with Sebastian Pawlik (Head Coach of indoor programs) and Mariusz Prudel (Deputy Director of Beach Volleyball Education) generously prepared some resources.
Visits to MOS Wola Warszaw and ENEA Czarni Radom offered insights into the competitive landscape across Polish National League divisions. The observed matches improved the insight of Scottish Volleyball in to the match preparations which take place throughout all PZPS leagues and an improved understanding of the levels of performance throughout the league structure.
Ally and Blair return to Scotland with a wealth of insights, aiming to adapt the best practices observed to further Scottish Volleyball’s development. Scottish Volleyball extends their gratitude to our Polish hosts and acknowledges the huge role of Hubert Tomaszewski in preparing such an informative visit. The knowledge gained promises to contribute significantly to Scotland’s volleyball landscape, marking a crucial step in their pursuit of excellence.