Polish national Łukasz Kaczmarek will not be part of the "Polish squad" for the upcoming edition of the Volleyball Nations League. This became clear from his interview for TVP SPORT, in which the opposite hitter confirmed that he is not in the plans of coach Nikola Grbić for the start of the national season.
The decision was discussed at the end of March, when Grbić personally contacted Kaczmarek and presented his vision for the opposite hitter position. "I understand and accept it. I respect his decision. I have absolutely no offense," the volleyball player states.
In this way, Poland will almost certainly begin its participation in the VNL without one of its experienced attackers. This also has direct significance for the Bulgarian national team, which will face the Poles in the third week of the tournament in Chicago on July 15.
Despite his absence from the main squad, Kaczmarek emphasizes that he remains available if needed. He has told the coach that he can join in extraordinary circumstances – injuries or changes during the tournament. At the moment, however, his role is outside the active group.
Grbić's decision is part of a broader strategy to refresh the opposite hitter position. Kaczmarek himself points to Kevin Sasak as a player who "has everything" and best meets the coach's requirements, while the participation of captain Bartosz Kurek remains a key factor for the final squad configuration.

Interestingly, the 31-year-old opposite hitter does not view the situation as the end of his national team career. He is adamant that he will not announce his retirement and will be ready to help in any role if called upon.

photos: Nikolay Varadinov
Outside the national context, the last few months have been extremely difficult for Kaczmarek. His club team Jastrzębski Węgiel is practically falling apart after the withdrawal of the main sponsor, and the players have received only part of their salaries, and that with delays. This has led to serious mental tension in the team, even though the players continued to fight for results.
At this moment, it seems increasingly likely that Bulgaria will face Poland without Kaczmarek in the VNL, unless there is an unforeseen change in the "Polish squad".