Legendary coach urges Bahrain youth to experience top tournaments

TDT | Manama              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

World-renowned volleyball icon Julio Velasco calls on coaches at the younger levels of the sport to better expose their players to top-class tournaments, such as the FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship 2023, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The former player and multi-titled coach, who is a Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee, says that budding young volleyball players need to experience watching the game at the highest level.

Coaches must therefore take advantage of such major global events being hosted in their respective countries and take their players to the matches. "It’s a pity there are no young kids who play volleyball seeing this tournament," he said. "Volleyball has this problem a lot of times, not only in Bahrain. Coaches don’t take their kids who play volleyball, even if they are a few, they don’t take them to see the matches. Coaches think it is only important what they teach. For me, it is so important for young players to see a high level." Velasco stressed that competitions such as the junior worlds are a venue for where the youth in volleyball can be inspired. "It is best if it is a junior tournament, because it is nearer to their condition— more than watching the Volleyball Nations League or the seniors’ world championship on television. I hope that coaches change that mentality," he explained.

"This is a very big effort for a federation, for a country, to spend a lot of money, and then the coaches don’t come with their players. That’s a pity. " The best players of junior teams arrive to senior national teams. Some of the players here will arrive in senior teams; we will see them in one or two years at the biggest stage." Velasco, who is currently the Italian Volleyball Federation sports director and who also coached the senior national teams of Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, Iran, and his native Argentina during his pro career, praised Bahrain’s hosting of this year’s U21 worlds. "The organisation is very good," he said. "The meals are very good; the hotel is very good.

Also, the gyms—the training gyms, not only the playing venue—are very good." Velasco was a former player. Born in Argentina, he obtained Italian citizenship in 1992. As a coach, Velasco has won multiple medals at the top level of volleyball, including a silver at the Olympic Games and gold medals twice in the FIVB World Championship and once in the FIVB World Cup, all with Italy. He also clinched the Asian Championship twice with Iran.