The Bulgarian Volleyball Federation is preparing a serious change in the organization of youth national teams. From 2027, the federation plans to appoint at least three coaches who will work year-round exclusively for Bulgarian volleyball, without combining their duties with work in club teams.
The news was announced personally by the President of the BFV, Lyubomir Ganev, during a press conference dedicated to the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the Greek volleyball community. He emphasized that this is the first time he has publicly announced the federation's intentions.
The reason for the upcoming reform is the increasing difficulty in securing coaches for national formations, as most specialists have commitments to their clubs. Often, the preparation and international competitions of different age groups coincide with periods when club coaches must be available to their teams.
Ganev revealed that in 2027, the federation plans to maintain a total of 11 national teams – nine youth formations and the representative men's and women's teams.
According to the new model, at least three specialists will be engaged on a 12-month basis, working with different age groups and exchanging their roles. One coach will be the head coach of a specific national team, while a colleague will serve as an assistant. In another age group, the two will be able to swap positions.
In this way, the federation wants to have a permanent coaching team that understands the development of young volleyball players and is ready to take over the preparation of the respective national formations.
However, the work of the specialists will not be limited only to training camps and official competitions.
During periods without national team commitments, they will visit the clubs where young national players play, maintain contact with club coaches, and monitor the development of each athlete.
Methodological observations, measurements, and constant control over individual preparation are planned. The goal is to build a closer connection between the work of the national teams and that in the clubs, instead of monitoring the development of volleyball players mainly during short summer camps.
Ganev gave an example of a similar organization in Russia, where specialists work constantly with different age groups and attend youth competitions.
The head of Bulgarian volleyball emphasized that the new model should primarily cover athletes between 16 and 22 years old – a period that is particularly important for the transition from junior to professional volleyball.
Candidates for the new positions will need to meet specific professional requirements and possess the necessary coaching qualification and registration.
The BFV is expected to publish the specific application conditions, after which the selection procedure for specialists will begin.
If implemented according to the announced intentions, the reform will mean a significant change in working with young national players – from a system based primarily on seasonal commitments of club coaches, to a permanent team of specialists responsible for the development of the next generations of Bulgarian volleyball players.