Some 70 people to attend CEV School Project workshop in Finland

After delivering a very successful EuroVolley 2021 Men earlier this year in Tampere, the Finnish Volleyball Association now wish to grow the next generation of Volleyball players as well – and with this strategic goal in mind, they have joined the ever-increasing pool of National Federations delivering the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’.

A CEV delegation including Head of Development Vuk Karanovic, Education & Referee Coordinator François Watthez and instructor Kristof De Loose travelled on Monday to Finland where a workshop with young students and Volleyball coaches / physical education teachers is due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday at Kisakallio Sports Institute in Lohja.

Kisakallio is the place where qualified coaches nurture the talent of many youngsters in a number of different sports – and back in 2016, a CEV women’s Beach Volleyball Satellite took place at the very premises of this much renowned sports institute.

Hanna Kanasuo (School Project manager for Finland), Jari Moberg (Physical Education Teacher and responsible for Physical Education students at Kisakallio), as well as Pertti Kulluvaara (Head of Education at the Finnish Volleyball Association), all joined a preparatory meeting held on the eve of the workshop. They discussed with the CEV representatives the concept and organisation of the much-anticipated clinic scheduled for the following days.

Kristof De Loose, who has delivered such workshops in a number of other countries and who was among the speakers at the 2021 CEV Coaches Convention, will start with a two-hour theoretical session, with the participants (22 students from Kisakallio plus 45 Volleyball coaches/PE teachers) split into three groups. In order to comply with the COVID-19 measures currently in place in Finland, De Loose will be in the first classroom, with his presentation streamed live to those following the session from the two other rooms.

The agenda includes three practical sessions as well, one for each sub-group – and each one lasting for an hour and a half. The Belgian coach will inspire the attendees in their efforts to teach Volleyball to kids at the entry level of the game, making sure the right share of creativity and fun always features in their respective training programmes.