Polish Volleyball superstar Mariusz Wlazly, aged 39, has announced his retirement from competitive sport. The announcement came last Sunday, shortly after completing a playoff match in the Polish national league. Wlazly boasts an extensive list of achievements, with the most significant highlight being the gold medal won with Poland at the 2014 World Championship on home soil, where he was also named the Most Valuable Player.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Wlazly expressed gratitude: “I would like to thank all those who have accompanied my sports career and undoubtedly the time will come for a wider thank you.” He then shared details about his future endeavors, which will keep him closely involved with the world of sport. He reflected on his two decades as an active participant in national and international events, noting that his experiences led him to become deeply interested in the multifaceted nature of sports competition.
Wlazly believes it`s crucial to examine sport through various lenses, particularly regarding the impact of emotions, stress, and pressure. He emphasized that while a player`s performance level is key, psychological factors significantly influence how skills are applied during competition. He posed questions based on his observations: Why do some players with high potential falter in critical moments? Why can skilled athletes lose matches they were dominating? What prevents players who train exceptionally well from performing under match pressure? And why doesn`t technical mastery always translate into on-court success?
These reflections motivated him to pursue the idea of establishing a Psychological Support Centre for athletes. He had discussed this concept with Mr Gadomski, the President of Trefl Gdansk, his club for the past few years. This year, they launched an innovative pilot project focused on providing psychological care for the Trefl Gdansk players. Wlazly sees this initiative as a powerful combination of his extensive sports experience, his understanding of the sport`s unique demands, and his role as an integral part of the team, integrated with professional psychological expertise.
During the initial pilot year, they navigated various challenges. The collaboration with Doctor Marta Witkowska, who directly addresses the team`s mental state, combined with Wlazly`s experience and the work of the entire coaching staff, was instrumental in helping the team achieve their goal of reaching the playoffs. In the upcoming season, Mariusz Wlazly will transition into a new function: Coordinator of Psychological Preparation. He highlighted his qualifications for this role, mentioning the completion of postgraduate studies in pedagogy and sports psychology and his ongoing pursuit of a master’s degree in psychology at the University of Gdansk.
In his new capacity, Wlazly will be responsible for facilitating interactions between players, staff, and the club board with psychological professionals. His role will also involve improving communication channels within the club, team, and staff. He will assist in defining and setting short, medium, and long-term goals for individual players, the team, and the club as a whole. Furthermore, Mariusz will support the development of crucial soft skills among both players and coaching staff, placing particular emphasis on communication, cooperation, fostering positive team relationships, and promoting a creative approach to resolving potential problems or conflicts.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood