01/10/2013 14:00
Getting to know the winner of the VELUX Ace Contest, TV Bliesen e.V.
2013 CEV VELUX Volleyball European Championship - Men
Sankt Wendel, Germany, October 1, 2013. “We were simply overwhelmed with joy this past Sunday as we got to know that our club had won the VELUX Ace Contest” says Mathias Pons of TV Bliesen e.V., the German club that came out on top at the end of 10 days where fans from all over Europe cast votes for their favourite team. With this result TV Bliesen e.V. could pocket 50% out of the final pot (5,370 €) made available by VELUX, title sponsor of the 2013 CEV EuroVolley.
“The local television also reported many times on our win” Pons continues. “We had a very exciting week with our players busy in campaigning for the club as they involved their relatives, friends, the local schools and university, as well as all those who are close to Volleyball to get as many votes as possible. We got to know that we had finished first in this contest just by the time our team was lining up for the final of the Saarland Cup which we eventually won (see picture) thereby qualifying for the Southwest Zonal Cup. Of course at the end of the day the joy among our players was overwhelming. We would like to thank all those who have cast their votes for us and in order to pay back what the fans have done we would like to invite supporters and club members alike for a common dinner in conjunction with one of our next home matches. We still haven’t decided what we are going to do with this money but one thing is for sure: it will be used for our youth division.”
The club TV Bliesen e.V. was founded in 1952 and it currently has 1,190 members, including 405 children and youngsters. Volleyball is one out of 12 sports included on their chart, with 52 out of 142 registered Volleyball players being kids or teens.
Many Volleyball players of different age groups find their home at TV Bliesen e.V. However, the club has focused primarily on young male Volleyball players, so that the work performed by the local coaches lays the foundations for senior teams performing at the very highest level. TV Bliesen e.V. has got teams that span from the U13 all the way up to the U20 age group; starting from a very young age the members of the Volleyball division get to learn the ABC of Volleyball with the main goal being their steady improvement so that one day they will be able to compete for the regional team of Saarland and possibly embark on a professional career so as to play for clubs starring in the first and second division of the Bundesliga.
Two players have already achieved much success with Moritz Reichert playing this year for Germany’s youth national team while Tom Weber starred in the final stage of the DVV Cup wearing the jersey of MOERSER SC. The coaches working for TV Bliesen e.V. are all very committed to the development and promotion of Volleyball across the local youth and they closely cooperate with ten schools from that same district so that more and more youngsters get involved in the sport thereby also securing a long-term development for the club. TV Bliesen also organizes Volleyball tournaments specifically for young male players.
Moritz Reichert is the real “jewel” produced by TV Bliesen e.V. for this young boy won gold this past summer – together with Clemens Wickler – at the U19 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Porto. “Though I have been attending many tournaments, what Moritz did there was simply outstanding” stresses Pons. “His demeanour and attitude truly reflect what he was able to accomplish, i.e. to win gold at a World Championship. With his contribution TV Bliesen e.V. was able to achieve great results in our neighbourhood as well as nationwide, thereby impacting on the usual hierarchy of Volleyball in Germany when it comes to the junior age group. The gold medal he won in Porto as well as his nomination for the youth national team were all well-deserved and the right thing to reward what this young boy has done throughout the past years. I wish him all the best for his future in the sport, hoping that he stay the way he is and that he won’t suffer any injuries.”
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