ESOC highlights role of age-group competitions to nurture stars of tomorrow

The provision of competition opportunities for all age groups was at the core of the conversation that members of the European Sports Organising Commission (ESOC) chaired by Wojciech Czayka engaged in as they came together for their annual meeting at the home of European Volleyball in Luxembourg.

The year 2022 was especially busy and exciting for Europe’s Volleyball family with as many as six continental age-group championships organised across Europe, including the inaugural event open to U21 women’s and U22 men’s players. The ESOC members shared comments and remarks following their experiences on the ground, wishing to further improve the conditions offered to the stars in the making of European Volleyball, especially knowing that as of 2023, all such championships will expand to involve as many as 16 participating teams.

The Commission emphasised the need to keep all of the existing age groups to provide younger players with a clear and consistent competition pathway to nurture and develop their skills even further, while ensuring a smooth transition to the senior ranks. To this extent, the delivery of age-group championships was one of the priorities identified by the ESOC members when reviewing the proposed, tentative long-term international calendar for 2025 – 2032.

Next to this, the ESOC members provided their feedback on a number of proposed changes to the current CEV Volleyball Competitions Regulations as well as on a first draft of the CEV’s key strategic goals for the years to come prepared by a Working Group appointed by the CEV Board of Administration.