Volleyball chief says 2018 will be year of change

KARACHI: Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob on Wednesday said that 2018 would be the “year of change” for the country’s volleyball.“We are working on different projects and next year will be a year of change,” Yaqoob told ‘The News’.

He said the federation has been busy training its top youth and junior sides under Iranian coach Hamid Movahedi in Peshawar for the last several months. “We have also been holding several events at various places of the country. We are going towards a great change and if we kept the same pace then I am confident we would form a solid base which would ensure a bright future,” the official claimed.

He disclosed that from December 18 to 24 a National Senior Volleyball Championship would be held at POF Wah in which 16 or 17 teams would be participating. “After this event we will begin the camp of the senior side most probably in Lahore for next year’s Asian Games,” Yaqoob said.

He was full of praise for the Iranian coach who has been associated with the team since April this year.Initially his services had been hired for six months, but his tenure was extended after the authorities saw in him the ability to boost Pakistan’s volleyball.

“He is a hard working coach. He works for eight hours and it’s a fine run,” he said.When asked whether Movahedi would also be given charge of training the senior side as he is engaged with the youth and junior brigades in Peshawar, Yaqoob said he is thinking for another coach. “During my visit to Bangkok I met the president of international volleyball governing body (FIVB). He promised that the international body would manage a foreign coach for Pakistan,” he said.“If that happened it would be easy for us to continue our project in the most befitting way as Movahedi alone would not be able to coach everyone,” Yaqoob said. Movahedi has so far coached Pakistan in this year’s Islamic Games, Asian Championship and World Championship qualifiers.