Elite players inspire Azerbaijani youngsters to play the game

The Azerbaijan Volleyball Federation (AVF) continues to make good use of the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’ to inspire the next generation of Volleyball players in the ‘Land of Fire’. This past month, the AVF did organise a real Volleyball festival for younger and older fans of the game at the Tovuz Olympic Centre, including matches scheduled for the Azerbaijani Superleague as well.  

The programme of the Volleyball festival featured a masterclass for kids, who could share the experience and their time with elite players from the Turan Team, such as Marta Drpa, Sh’Diamond Holly, Barbora Kosekova, Joseline Palacios, Franciele Stedile Janara, and even members of the Azerbaijani national team such as Ayshan Abdulazimova, Ulkar Karimova, Yuliya Karimova and others. These elite athletes could display the skills and style they have acquired from Volleyball schools as varied as the USA, Brazil, Mexico, Slovakia, Serbia and obviously Azerbaijan as well, a country which has a big history and its own traditions in the sport.

The Regional Volleyball Development Centres established across the Caucasus country have hosted a variety of matches and other activities as well, thereby involving up to 800 kids per week. The most important thing is that matches are organised in regional centres, thereby supporting the development of local sources, including referees, while popularising Volleyball across the country.