PVF set to hire Brazilian trainer Lucas

LAHORE: Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) is set to hire the services of Brazilian trainer Lucas Ferreira Rodrigues in order to prepare the national side for the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China, later this summer.

“Yes, we have received his bio-data which is impressive. We direly need a trainer and we will sign a contract with him soon,” the PVF chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

“The PVF will pay him for his services. Hopefully he will be with us by the start of June. We want to have him until the Asian Games initially,” said Yaqoob, a former top police official. It is pertinent to mention here that the PVF has started developing volleyball in order to achieve its Vision 2028.

The PVF wants to see its team in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and for that purpose it is trying to hire the services of the best and affordable experts for every zone. The 26-year-old Lucas has worked with Bahrain national and junior sides as a fitness coach. He also has had stints with Bahrain’s Dar Kulaib Club, Mackenzie EC of Brazil and Minas Tenis Club of Brazil.

He has done his Bachelors in Physical Education from Federal University of Minas Gerais. “We direly need a trainer and it will be a huge boost to our team if we get him,” Yaqoob said. A three-member committee headed by Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Shoaib Khoso has already recommended recruitment of Brazilian volleyball coach Issanaye Ramires Ferraz for one year.

Yaqoob said that both coach Issanaye and trainer Lucas will join them by the first week of June.

He said that the PVF also plans to hire the services of a video analyst. “We also plan to have a video analyst. It helps you produce good results. We already got the assistance of an Iranian video analyst and we will look who is suitable for us. It will also help us to train a couple of local boys who could be used in future,” Yaqoob said.

He said that the PVF is going to hold the national team’s camp at Islamabad from May 25. “We are going to hold the camp from May 25 in Islamabad and National Games will play a solid role as we will get fit players for the camp as the boys have been in training for the last few weeks with various departments,” said Yaqoob, also vice-president of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

He said that the PVF is trying to implement its plans to develop its team and it is being assisted by Engro. Besides the Asian Games which will be held in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8, Pakistan will also feature in the Asian Volleyball Championship slated to be held in Tehran from August 18-26. Besides seniors, the PVF also plans to hold the camp of juniors at the same time.