School Project National Workshop a resounding success in Tirana

A CEV School Project National Workshop was organised this past Saturday, March 21, in Tirana, Albania, in cooperation with the Albanian Volleyball Federation (FSHV) and under the auspices of the Albanian National Olympic Committee.

What made this workshop particularly special was the atmosphere on the day. Despite taking place during a holiday weekend in Albania, the event saw an impressive turnout of around 260 coaches, filling the facilities of the local Olympic Centre. The level of engagement was remarkable, with participants actively interacting throughout the sessions and showing genuine curiosity and openness to new ideas.
 
The workshop was delivered by Bulgarian expert Nikola Dimitrov, who brought a highly practical and dynamic approach, combining theory with on-court application. His sessions focused on long-term athlete development, the structuring of effective training sessions, and the use of game-based learning, always with a strong emphasis on keeping young players engaged and motivated.

A key message throughout the day was the importance of understanding the “why” behind coaching, encouraging coaches to reflect on their role not only in developing players, but also in shaping young people. Mr Dimitrov enriched the sessions with a strong conceptual foundation, drawing inspiration from a variety of philosophies beyond sport. A strong advocate of Simon Sinek’s approach to purpose-driven leadership, he also referred to the values of Bushido, the Japanese code of ethics, and even to cultural references such as The Last Samurai, using them to illustrate discipline, respect, and continuous self-improvement.
 
At the heart of his message was a simple but powerful idea: stay curious. He encouraged coaches to constantly seek new perspectives – for example, inviting those coaching men to observe women’s Volleyball and vice versa – highlighting that there is always something new to discover and to learn.

Particular attention was given to adapting training to the realities of modern youth, recognising that children today often have limited physical activity and require more engaging, game-based approaches. Coaches were encouraged to use small-sided games, creative drills, and to group players not strictly by age, but by skill level, thus allowing for more effective learning and development paths.
 
He also made special mention of the annual CEV Coaches Convention, underlining the strong influence it has had on his own development and the key learnings he continues to apply in his work to this day.

The practical session on the court was especially well received, allowing coaches to directly observe and test key coaching points across all fundamental skills – from reception and setting to attack, block, and defence. The interactive format, including peer feedback and real-time adjustments, created a lively and collaborative learning environment.
 
Overall, the workshop clearly demonstrated the growing momentum of the CEV School Project – which has been run in Albania since late 2019 – and its impact at national level, bringing together a large and motivated coaching community committed to developing Volleyball from the grassroots up.