Nitra, Slovakia, August 29, 2016. Bulgarian Ivan Yasenov is at the 2016 CEV U19 Volleyball European Championship – Women as his national team's scout, but his recent past is without a doubt one of the most unusual and interesting stories you are likely to have heard.

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It all started six years ago in Dupnitsa, a small Bulgarian city with a population of 40,000, where the local club Marek Union-Ivkoni DUPNITSA were looking for a young and professional scout. The manager Lyudmil Naydenov had the idea to ask the 17-year old Yasenov, his setter. “My coach offered me the job due to my knee injuries,” Yasenov explained. “I had three operations on both knees and always knew that I would never make it as a professional in the future.”

His unbreakable Volleyball passion led him to an easy decision: “I am a guy who wants to improve his level every day. Although I was no longer a part on the field, I always wanted to help my players and I started to work for some junior teams before I joined DUPNITSA,” Yasenov added. 

It did not take long until everybody noted that this guy was excellent at his job, as the teams won several medals and championships. As a result, it was not a huge surprise that other clubs started to show an interest.

“One night my phone rang and on the other side was Viktor Karagyozov, coach of Tunisian Team CSS-Club Sportif Sfaxien, which was one of the best teams in Africa at the time. I was really happy and had done everything to change the club. Of course, it was a new continent, a new life but I have never regretted the decision,” he added.

Africa was not his last exotic place of work and he ended up going to Libya, Qatar, back to Libya and finally to Iraq, where he became the first foreign scout for a club in Basra.

“To be honest, I was afraid at the beginning but the conditions were very professional, so I took the chance and moved to Iraq. I am very proud to be the first foreign scout in the country's history,” Yasenov said with a big smile. 

The fascinating part is that his professional work brought a huge amount of success for every club he worked for. Whether it was a national league or cup competition, he always won the most titles he could and took great experiences and pictures that he will never forget. 

“The things I have explored during the last few years were great,” said the 23-year-old. “Improving my players and helping them to win a medal is such a nice feeling. I love my job and this sport.”