World ParaVolley recently completed its inaugural Level 2 Coaching Pilot Course, held from October 20 to 22 in Hangzhou, China. Designed to qualify participants with the highest level of coaching certification for sitting volleyball in the world, the advanced course brought together experienced coaches from across the globe for an intensive blend of theoretical and practical training, led by expert Coach Tutors; Lorenzo Giacobbi (Italy), Fernando Guimaraes (Brazil) and Robin de Haan (The Netherlands), with Alireza Moameri (I.R. Iran) supporting remotely.
Hosted at the World ParaVolley Development Centre, coaches from all zones explored advanced techniques and exchanged diverse coaching experiences and styles, all benefiting from a supportive and dynamic learning environment established by the tutors. “The Level 2 coach course featured an innovative approach which started with a very interesting and comprehensive e-learning module,” commented Massimo Beretta of Italy. “I then found the concluding practical part challenging but very useful, especially exploring the wide range of coaching styles and different options available to coaches looking to achieve high level volleyball.”
Coach Tutor Fernando Guimaraes from Brazil, reflected on his experience with pride: “The experience of being a coach tutor for the first Level 2 course was very rewarding. All tutors complemented each other well and worked as a team, each with our own experiences.” He also shared more on the philosophy of the course make-up: “A great coach is made up of the sum of several things, but the game is solved on the court so the concluding practical part is crucial in implementing what is learnt in the theory part that comes before. It was a pleasure and an honour to be part of this pilot, and I look forward to seeing what the candidates do next in their own coaching journeys.”
Course Content
The Level 2 Coaching Course equips participants with high-level competencies for coaching and developing athletes in high-performance settings. Participants learn to:
- Plan long-term, developmental, and progressive coaching programs and session
- Coach safely, prioritising equity, safeguarding, and inclusion
- Deliver engaging, effective training sessions
- Develop tactical systems for use in game management
- Evolve a personal coaching philosophy and explore its long-term impact
Geni Tunney Cañon Reyes from Colombia noted, “The Level 2 Pilot coaching course in China, demonstrated a strong commitment to growing sitting volleyball globally. With excellent logistics, a comprehensive virtual platform, and expert tutors, coaches from 18 countries received outstanding education. I’m grateful for WPV’s support in achieving this diploma, which promises to help me to elevate the sport in the American continent and beyond.”
World ParaVolley Development Director, Anton Raimondo, concluded that “a lot of hard work has been put into developing the world Level II Coaching course and I am extremely pleased that World ParaVolley is able to offer this advanced course to its members and experienced coaches. We continue to expand and improve our coaching pathway and look forward to many more coaches obtaining their Level II certification.”
Interested in becoming Level 2 qualified?
The new Level 2 Coaching Course will be open for applications later this year and qualifies participants to independently plan, deliver, and evaluate sitting volleyball programs in a high-performance context, including coaching in competitive environments.
- Learning Objectives: 36
- Educational Hours: 55-60 (e-learning: 16 hours, Self-Study: 15-20 hours, Practical: 24 hours)
- General Pre-requisites: Age 21+, WPV member letter of support (where applicable), 12+ months since WPV Level 1 Coaching
- Sporting Pre-requisites: WPV Level 1 Coaching Sitting Volleyball qualification, or national/FIVB Level 2+ Volleyball Coaching qualification
- How to apply: If you meet the prerequisites, complete the Level 2 application form and send off any required documents. You will receive an answer within 1 week about whether you are accepted onto the course or not.
- Assessment: Continuous – e-learning checks, portfolio tasks, practical observations, and active engagement
- Course Cost: 100 EUR WPV Registration Fee, plus cost of attending practical element
- Completion Time Limit: 24 months post-registration
For more information on World ParaVolley’s coach education pathway, please visit the Development section of the World ParaVolley website or contact coaches@worldparavolley.org
