Tagged – Julio Velasco, Generazione di Fenomeni
Julio Velasco is among the most profitable coaches on the earth. In Italy, the Argentinian born coach is an icon, since he shaped the Italian Nationwide Group into the ‘Generazione di Fenomeni’ within the early 90s, a crew which went on to win three world championships. Since 2019 the simply turned 70 yr outdated has been working with the Italian Volleyball Federation as Technical Director for the Junior Males. Conny Kurth talked with Velasco about his strategies and philosophy. The unique article appeared in German within the January 2022 version of Volleyball Magazin.
The Italian juniors are presently going by a profitable interval. Since Julio Velasco took his submit, the junior imply have a powerful document: one gold on the U19 World Championships, silver and gold on the U21 World Championships along with gold on the U18 European Championships and silver on the U20 European Championships. And the profitable partnership between the federation and coach continues with the contract being just lately prolonged for one more three years.
Mr Velasco, what’s the secret of the present success of the Italian groups? There is no such thing as a secret. There are numerous international locations with good junior improvement programs. That features not solely Italy, but additionally Brazil, Argentina, Poland and Russia. Different international locations resembling Germany are shut behind. The distinction is the variety of the golf equipment who work with juniors and the standard of the coaches. The funding of the federation contains Membership Italia with the ladies (a mixed junior crew that performs collectively within the skilled league), a program that for instance additionally exists in Germany and France. That is necessary however not sufficient. To cut back your self solely to such a program with out bringing the golf equipment on board, develops just some gamers.
There’s solely a Expertise Group Membership Italia for ladies? The Federation determined to not proceed with the challenge on the lads’s aspect. I feel that was an excellent determination. If you happen to take 15 ladies out of their golf equipment, it’s no drawback, there are such a lot of gamers. If you happen to do it with 15 guys, that’s too many. We’re working to enhance the scenario within the golf equipment, particularly the small golf equipment. The skilled golf equipment work at an excellent degree. They’ve coaches, coaching garments, mainly every little thing. The small golf equipment don’t have that. We have now to assist them. Rather than Membership Italia (for males), the younger skills from each area will come through the season for per week to Rome and work with our coaches. That means we are going to develop extra gamers.
Take a look at my observe health club. See what drills I take advantage of and why
What else do you and the Italian Federation do? We work instantly with the golf equipment and their coaches. For instance, through the lockdowns of final yr, I held two on-line programs. One for all coaches who’ve gamers in one of many three junior nationwide groups, even within the bigger squads. One other for all of the coaches who’ve duty in their very own areas. There have been eight three hour lectures in every.
What precisely did you clarify to the coaches? For instance, one necessary level is the best way to discover gamers within the first place. For girls, volleyball is like soccer for the lads. All ladies wish to play this sport. There is no such thing as a competitors. On the lads’s aspect it is a large drawback all through the world. We should actively seek for gamers and never simply wait for individuals who maybe wish to play volleyball. And it’s not solely about large gamers, however all gamers. We’d like amount. One other level is how observe is organised. There’s a custom in volleyball to waste a whole lot of time. We do lengthy warmups and even drills that don’t make gamers higher. Everybody has the issue of restricted observe time. For a one and a half hour observe, half an hour is warmup.
If you happen to examine in Italy and Germany, it’s clear that within the current previous Italy has received many medals and Germany hardly any. Why is that? Germany is a giant shock for me. It’s a main nation in almost each space. There’s a excessive cultural degree. As well as folks perceive the best way to work and to organise. But regardless of that, there are few coaches. For instance I ask myself why for a very long time there have solely been overseas Nationwide Group coaches. Particularly for younger gamers, the coach is decisive.
Within the junior ranks in Germany there are a whole lot of coaches who in the long run choose to work as lecturers. You are able to do each. The fathers of volleyball in Italy, Franco Anderlini in Modena, Renzo de Chicca in Parma and Angelo Costa in Ravenna did precisely that. They labored within the mornings within the faculty as lecturers and had been within the health club within the afternoons as coaches. Okay, that was after the battle. However why is that now not doable? The lecturers now have totally different hobbies. We’d like extra folks whose passion it’s to be a coach. To the identical extent that we seek for gamers, we’ve to additionally seek for coaches. We will’t afford to attend. Maybe additionally it is helpful to look more durable at ex gamers.
What affect does the extent and significance of the skilled leagues have on juniors? The Italian League has been robust for generations. That’s not so necessary. For instance Argentina has at all times been within the high 4 or 5 on the earth in recent times though the league isn’t particularly good, as a result of all of the gamers transfer overseas. There are greater than 40 Argentinian gamers who play overseas. Which means younger gamers play within the high league.
Are you happy with the event of the lads’s applications because you got here to the place in 2019? I’m pleased with it, however we are able to enhance quite a bit. It shouldn’t be helpful to solely win junior competitions, or end within the high 4. That’s not sufficient. We have now to have a volleyball motion. It’s needed the elevate the extent in all golf equipment. And we’ve to seek out extra gamers with potential. I don’t care if a participant is one of the best at 16. It is very important me how he’s at 20 or 22.
When and the way do you recognise potential in gamers? The youthful the gamers, clearly the harder it’s. For me there are 5 decisive factors. The primary two are goal standards. I have a look at the attain peak and never the physique peak. There a participant who’s 1.90m with lengthy arms might be greater than a participant who’s 2m. As well as, I take note of the leaping potential. I additionally discover the velocity. Who can soar, can also be quick. The remaining three factors are subjective. What’s his fundamental technical degree? How is his sport play? The 2 are usually not essentially the identical. There are gamers with out good approach, who’ve understood how the sport capabilities. And lastly there’s studying potential. Some gamers have already reached their high degree by the point they’re 16, 17 or 18. We’re searching for gamers who’re frequently enhancing. From my expertise, this attribute has nothing to do with intelligence or will. There are gamers who’re very clever however come to some extent the place they don’t enhance any extra. And there are others who can take instruction for his or her complete lives.
With Alessandro Michieletto Italy has a 20 yr outdated Famous person. Is he such a participant? All high gamers fulfil all factors. Everyone is speaking about Michieletto in the intervening time. His attain is unbelievable, he can soar and he’s very clever. And he’s 2.05m and never many are. We have now to concentrate that we don’t at all times discuss gamers resembling these with excellent bodily traits. These are usually not usually reachable objectives for the children that play volleyball. Gamers who’re 1.90m are nearer to them. And Giba, Michal Kubiak or Samuel Papi present what is feasible with this peak. That creates enthusiasm.
What do you continue to wish to obtain with Italy’s volleyballers? My objective is for the Italian junior Improvement Program to be one of the best on the earth. We wish to develop gamers for the Superlega and for the Nationwide Group. From the present U21 crew we’ve ten gamers within the Superlega. 5 are starters. That’s not so dangerous.
Do you miss working as a coach your self? I work with the junior groups in observe. Usually, I choose observe than matches. I like instructing and dealing with gamers. At that second it feels a bit of like having given up smoking. Generally you simply miss the cigarette. Actually, I don’t know but if I’ll prolong my contract right here. I’ll comply with my emotions. If I’ve an excellent choice as a coach, perhaps I’ll try this once more. However I don’t plan too far forward. I’ve by no means performed that.
