22 coaches expand their knowledge at FIVB Coaches Course Level II held in Riga

For the second consecutive year, an International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Level II coaching course was held in the Latvian capital, Riga. Over the weekend at the Riga Volleyball School, 22 participants from nine countries had the opportunity to expand their knowledge and advance their certification under the guidance of renowned Australian instructor Mark Lebedew. Following five days of intensive training and practical sessions, the coaches successfully passed both the theoretical and practical exams.

Eleven coaches from Latvia, as well as representatives from countries as diverse as Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Denmark, Brazil, Spain, Germany, and Luxembourg, participated in the course held from July 28 to August 1. Twenty-one of them obtained a FIVB Level II certificate, while one participant attended as an observer and received a certificate from the Sports Education Agency.

“They are coaches, but they really enjoyed playing. It seemed that was the most fun. The biggest discovery was the 'Goldilocks Moment' and that the answer to every question is “It depends…”.” instructor Lebedew said after the course. He will remember the coaches’ engagement and how, as the week went, they engaged more and more with him and with each other. “They developed a real camaraderie as a group. Especially in the actual training sessions. Outside the course, I will remember how friendly and helpful everyone was.”

Since 2003, Mark Lebedew has worked as a head coach for clubs in Germany, Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands, winning medals of various colours in each of these countries’ championships and securing third place in the CEV Champions League. He has also coached the Australian and Slovenian national teams and has served as an FIVB coaching instructor since 2010.

The specialist expressed satisfaction with the coaches’ performance in the exam, where the best results were achieved by Lucas Sais from Brazil and local coach Mareks Maksimovs.

“Overall, it was a very valuable and enjoyable experience. Mark was very helpful, always willing to answer our questions and encourage meaningful discussions about Volleyball. The tests were relevant and well connected to the topics we covered during the course, helping reinforce the learning experience,” summarised Lucas Sais, who appreciated both the clear, fast, and well-organised classes, as well as the equipment and environment available for practical sessions.

Meanwhile, Mareks Maksimovs highlighted the opportunity to meet many new colleagues from various countries and gain a fresh perspective on Volleyball: “Volleyball does not stand still, so coaches must evolve and seize every available opportunity to help our players keep pace with this development. I would like to extend a huge thank you to the instructor Mark, who was able to explain the essentials in accessible language and demonstrate firsthand how the process should unfold. Thanks also to the Latvian Volleyball Federation for the opportunity to enhance our knowledge of the sport we all love through these courses.”

Special thanks also go to the Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) for supporting the course held in Riga, as well as to the sports store “WinWin Sport” for providing a gift card for the coaches.