ISSUE 8 SEPTEMBER 09 VOLUME 1

SENIOR MEN’S TEAM TO HOST

GOLF CLASSIC FUNDRAISER ...... 1

FIRST JUNIOR TRAINING TAKES

PLACE IN MOUNTMELLICK ....... 2

Big Block THE BIG BLOCK NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

THE IRISH NATIONAL MENS VOLLEYBALL SQUADS PROGRAMME

Senior Men call for

support at their Golf

Classic fundraiser

WHATS NEXT ON THE MENS

SQUADS CALENDAR? .............. 2

Think you’re better than Tiger Woods?

Want to support the Irish National Men’s Volleyball

Squads programme?

The players of the newly reformed Irish

Senior men’s volleyball team have

organised a Golf Classic event to help raise

funds for its team and their programme,

offering a fantastic and fitting opportunity

to golf fanatics that support the programme

to get behind it.

• Date: Sunday October 4th

• Venue: Turvey Golf Club

(www.turveygolfclub.com)

• Tee-times: from 11:30am

• Team Entry*: €195 for a team of 3

• Individual Entry*: €65 per person

(Individual entries will be teamed up

closer to the day if necessary)

* Entry fee includes a meal afterwards.

The resurrected programme has enjoyed an

exciting start to date, having benefitted

from much support and excitement so far,

with the highlight being the tournament

that the Senior team(s) hosted in the first

weekend of September.

However, and needless to say, the

programme must continue to gather funds

in order to keep this promising momentum

going.

So of you are interested in showing your

support to the players and their teams, or

indeed just showing of your bunker shot

skills (or possibly even both), then please

contact Hugh Nohilly on 087 7582002 or

email hughnohilly@gmail.com. To stress,

this event is being organised directly by the

players themselves.

Look forward to seeing you all there; your

support will be greatly appreciated and we

plan on making a great day of it with

fabulous prizes and lots of chances for all to

win!!!

Irish National Men’s Volleyball Squads

HEAD COACH: LAURENT CAUET | ADMINISTRATOR: DAVID HERLIHY

ASSISTANT COACH: JEFF KING | TREASURER: EAMON O’BRIEN

SENIORMEN@VOLLEYBALLIRELAND.COM

What’s next for the Irish Men’s Squads?

• Saturday, October 3rd

Junior Men’s team training, St. Brigid’s

Vocational School, Loughrea

• Sunday, October 4th

Senior Men’s team Golf Classic Fundraiser,

Turvey Golf Club

• Bank Weekend of Friday October 23rd

–

Monday October 26th

Senior Men’s team on tour, with training in a

number of locations nationwide, and exhibition

match(es) in Co. Waterford (subject to change)

The Irish Men’s Volleyball Squads Programme would like

to emphasise that it welcomes support at our events, so

if you are interested in coming along, be it as an

enthusiastic coach, a mere spectator or possibly even as

a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact any of our

staff below at seniormen@volleyballireland.com.

1st

Official Junior Men’s Training

takes place in Mountmellick With schools starting back into their 09/10 academic year, the Schools Senior Boys

Volleyball Competition will be underway soon, yet this year will have a new leash

of life alongside it with the National Junior Men’s programme back up and

running, keeping track on potential stars.

Coach Laurent Cauet reports to the Big Block newsletter about his recent visit to

the midlands for his 1st

ever Junior Men’s training session:

“Our 1st

Junior Squad Training was based

in Mountmellick Community Hall, Co.

Laois, on Saturday September 12th

. Even if

we were expecting a bigger number of

around 20 players to turn up, we had 11

players, which was still a good start,

sufficient enough in fact to practice

individual skills in the morning and team

drills in the afternoon.

The group who trained was mostly made

up of local players from the midlands and

surrounding Mountmellick area, as well as

one from Elphin Community College,

Roscommon, and three players travelling

from Coláiste Chathal Naofa, Dungarvan.

The immediately promising news is that

we have tall players already from this

group alone, two of whom are 6’4”, while

all players in attendance who were not as

tall produced great agility and speed.

Everybody in the group showed great

capacity and passion for the game, and

thrived on the opportunity that they were

being offered. The lads worked very hard

on how to volley the ball well above their

head, and also the required height for an

effective set.

We stopped training at 5pm, after five and

a half hours work. For a first time, I have

to say that the training went very well and

there is lot of potential in this group. The

players paid lot of attention, they were

disciplined and committed.

I am really thankful to Eamon O'Brien who

organized the booking and who assisted

me very well during the day. We also want

to thank the caretakers in Mountmellick

Community Hall for their friendly welcome

and their help.”

Laurent Cauet

Head Coach, Irish Men’s Squads

Having just surpassed a key event in their 09/10

schedule, the Irish National Men’s volleyball squads are

now well underway and looking towards the upcoming

months and events, hoping for more of your support: