The Next Big Thing in Volleyball: Camilla Weitzel
Feature
Camilla Weitzel might be still young, but her name is well-known in the German Volleyball community. The 21-year-old moved to Italy this season for her first international transfer, but before joining the club of Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri, she had already made a name for herself in Dresdner SC. Now focused on her Italian adventure, with 59 points to her name after 9 rounds, Weitzel is conquering step by step the Italian League. Standing at 195cm tall, Camilla has a pivotal role in the German women’s national team as well. Dreaming big, she might very well be The Next Big Thing in Volleyball.
The Beginning
Before starting with Volleyball, Camilla has practiced tennis, gymnastics and athletics. Involved in sports from a very young age, the German middle blocker has always had a curiosity of trying new sports, but eventually, she settled in for Volleyball.
Camilla Weitzel“When I started Volleyball, I soon realized that this was my favorite sport. The most important factor for me was that it is a team sport, not like tennis and athletics. I think that is why I decided for Volleyball in the end.”
Middle blocker of Germany
From Beach to Indoor
From 2014 to 2017, Camilla was an active Beach Volleyball player. Together with Maike Henning, Weitzel became a German U17 champion in 2015, and in 2017, with Meghan Barthel as a partner, she became a German U19 vice champion. Even though she then decided to put all her energy on the indoor Volleyball, Camilla has fond memories of her time spent on the beach.
“I loved playing Beach Volleyball, and some of my favorite memories of my sports career come from this time. I played my first international game on the sand! I think the atmosphere in Beach Volleyball is very different from indoor, and I liked to spend my summers playing outside. However, the sports school I attended was focused on Indoor volleyball, and in the end, my career path took into that direction. I don't regret that decision even one bit, but I miss Beach Volleyball a little, especially during the summer,” Camilla says.
The Italian dream
Camilla secured her first international transfer this season, playing in the Italian Elite. Nine rounds after the beginning of the championship, Camilla and her Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri are on the seventh place in the temporary ranking. Adapting to her new life, Weitzel has already started showing her big potential.
Camilla Weitzel“It is a very big step to go play abroad for the first time, and I was very glad for the opportunity. I am feeling very well in Italy and am happy to learn all the technical and tactical differences and to grow in this great league”
Middle blocker of Germany
“We are a very young team, but with a lot of potential. I think that our goal is to grow from game to game, and to improve in every practice. Personally, there are some differences from the way of playing that I was used to, but discovering these different perspectives is what I like. Going abroad, this was what I hoped for, so I can learn a lot from every one of my teammates.”
The National team
Camilla made her debut for the German national team at #EuroVolleyW in 2019 and two years later, in the summer of 2021, she was already one of the main players on the court during the European Women’s Championship. She also delivered a good performance during the 2021 VNL.
“Being part of the national team was always a dream of mine - from the time when I went to sports and boarding school. It is what all the young players hope and work for, so I am very happy and grateful to have fullfiled this dream and to have played already in so many matches. This is something I couldn’t have imagined and hopefully, I have a lot of years of ahead of me playing for the national team. I can't wait for all the new experiences, like playing at a World Championship and maybe someday even at the Olympics - a dream that all sportsmen share.”