#CEVCoachesConvention: The Experience

The CEV Coaches Convention is the place to be if you are Volleyball coach or a physical education teacher that works with children and youngsters, and wants to put an emphasis on the development of their youth teams. 

If you need an inspiration or are simply looking forward to improving by knowledge exchange, the CEV Coaches Convention gives you the chance to do so by learning from some of the world’s most renewed specialists in the field. In a two-day event, Volleyball coaches from across the continent participate in both theoretical and practical sessions, working groups, having plenty of opportunities to do some networking and to further establish contacts, making new Volleyball friends. 

This year’s edition of the event will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from September 22 to 24 in the Levski Sports Hall/Vitosha Park Hotel, featuring keynote speakers Mr. Eric Hodgson from the USA, and Mr. Angiolino Frigolini from Italy.

And while 160+ participants are already looking forward with excitement to the event, the 2022 Convention is still an inspiration to many who attended it in Skopje, North Macedonia.

How was the experience for the 2022 attendees? And what can a CEV Coaches Convention attendee learn from the event? We give the floor to the 2022 participants who took part in an anonymous post-event survey.

Among the many thanks received, there were some more specific words of acknowledgment. 

“We made friends”, “Great conference, we learnt a lot”, “What an inspirational, brilliantly run weekend!”, were just some of the comments received. 

The great contribution by the speakers was also praised. 

“The speakers were excellent. This is a great event that give lots of value to the coaching community. Thanks to all the CEV staff for making it possible.”

“Thanks to the speakers for the additional resources they provided.”

“The coaches were amazing!”

“John Kessel was excellent, even in the casual chats he had with groups of us. Knowledgeable, passionate and inspirational.”

The participants also shared they had already started implementing the knowledge in their day-to-day work with the kids.

“I am already implementing the information I received from this convention in my school.”

“The event was very helpful for the future evaluation of my team. I already tried some new exercises with my girls, and they loved it!”

“Great experience, I will use many things in a work with my kids. As Kessel said, "kids don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care".

But what was the main takeaway for some of the attendees?

“Firstly, to make the children love the sport and then to work on the basis of physical development and the ability of how they will respond to the technical and tactical elements of the Volleyball game.”

“How to make big changes with small things!”

The coaches evaluated on a high note the networking opportunities at the event as well.

“We managed to create new contacts that will lead to new cooperation and joint projects maybe.”

“I loved this event, for me is the most meaningful experience in my short coach career, meeting also many peers and people with the same interests as mine.”

“Fantastic experience, I really enjoyed chatting to coaches from across Europe with the same passion I have for Volleyball. Everyone was very friendly and willing to exchange ideas.”

“It was really a very special experience and knowledge exchange with all the other countries.”

And, of course, many of them would live to take part in the next editions of the Convention as well. 

“The Convention was really good. I wish to have that kind of events as often as is possible.” 

“I would like to participate again in the next CEV Convention!”

“I can’t wait for the next convention!”

Makre sure to be part of the event online, follow the official hashtag of the Convention 

#CEVCoachesConvention and stay tuned for materials to be shared online.