A national workshop took place recently in Preddvor, Slovenia, as part of the CEV School Project initiative. This event was orchestrated by the Slovenia Coaches Association (Društva odbojkarskih trenerjev Slovenije – DOTS), with support from the CEV, which sent Italian expert coach and lecturer, Alessandro Licata.
The workshop, held on June 1st at the newly completed Športna dvorana Storžič sports facility, aimed primarily at sharing and disseminating practical knowledge for coaches working with young players at the grassroots level.
Approximately 60 coaches attended the event. During the morning session, Alessandro Licata focused on developing defence techniques for younger age groups. He covered recognizing signals, training reaction skills, and helping players overcome the natural apprehension towards falling. Following the theoretical part, a practical demonstration was conducted with the help of about 13 U14 girls from a local club. In the afternoon session, Rosana Krajnc presented on the fundamental movement literacy required for young volleyball players, concluding with guidance on effective warm-up and cool-down routines.
Slovenia has been a committed partner of the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’ since October 2018. The Volleyball Federation of Slovenia (OZS) successfully engaged roughly 3,750 children from 52 clubs and 168 schools during the 2023-2024 school year alone. Earlier activities held this year further contributed to building a solid foundation for nurturing the next generation of volleyball talent.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood