Andrea Zorzi
“I have seen many changes in volleyball during my career in the sport. The World League, in particular, has grown since its humble beginnings in 1990 and is now one of the most important annual tournaments in the volleyball calendar. This year’s edition is set to be better than ever as the number of participating teams increases from 16 to 18.“
“I was asked if I would have liked to have played in this new World League format. For my part I don’t have any regrets about my time in the sport and am proud to have been present during this key period of volleyball expansion in the nineties.“
“As such I am pleased with the current changes in the sport and know that it will benefit the quality of volleyball on offer this season.”
“For starters, the new format will provide less experienced countries in the World League with the opportunity to hone their technical and tactical skills. The higher ranking teams on the other hand can engage in more intense competition, which helps the more experienced players keep their motivation level high. Including more teams into the mix will also serve to increase our sport’s popularity.“
“Another significant step in the right direction is the inclusion of the Under-23 age-group competition in this year’s volleyball calendar, which will help our current crop of young players be better prepared to make the move into the World League. Prior to this many young players found themselves in a situation where they were too old to play in a youth championship but not experienced enough to make the move to senior level volleyball.“
“The Under-23 competition gives players the impetus to continue working on their game, technique and skills and is another opportunity for them to fully exploit their talent. It is also of benefit to the clubs of the National Leagues as they will be able to draw from a pool of more experienced players.“
“However, it is important to remember that the Under-23 competitions are not a panacea and the aim is to better prepare young athletes for the challenges that await them when they make the move to senior level competition.”
“I hope that the FIVB will continue to work towards developing volleyball by providing more opportunities for our players. If our beloved sport will become a common activity for people all over the world, then we will have achieved an important goal. While not every individual is destined to become a star player it goes without saying that the more players we have, the more important volleyball will be.”
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