05/12/2016 11:34
IBB Polonia LONDON to celebrate historic day with mix of youth and experience
2017 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
London, England, December 5, 2016. On Tuesday, December 6 IBB Polonia LONDON will enter the history books. The current Cup and Super 8 league champions will play the first leg of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Men against Hungary’s Fino KAPOSVAR SE. Despite the fact, that the upcoming matches are not going to be easy, the club is optimistic about such important encounters.
“I have been waiting for a long time for our team to play European matches and finally the dream has come true. Our opponents are Fino KAPOSVAR SE from Hungary. The matches will be a good indicator for us, as they have some very good players in their squad. Having said that, we also have an excellent team, with very strong players, and for this reason we are optimistic about the future,” commented Chris Hykiel, Director of Volleyball at IBB Polonia LONDON.
“Taking part in the CEV Challenge Cup, is for our players, coaching staff and all the members of the club a huge step forward towards world Volleyball. We are doing everything to make progress. Our aim is to write a new page in English-Polish Volleyball history,” said the head coach of IBB Polonia LONDON, Piotr Graban.
“I have been an IBB Polonia LONDON player for many years, and in that time the changes have been immense. To take part in the CEV Challenge Cup is a natural step forward for the team that is making continual improvements in every aspect. I’m hoping, as one of the more experienced players of the squad, that we will fulfil our dreams in European competitions,” added opposite hitter Tomasz Lasocki.
The match will be important for the players taking part. On court will be two generations of players from English Volleyball. Mark Banasiewicz, who thirty years ago won his first title with IBB Polonia LONDON will step onto court alongside Joaquin Bello, a sixteen-year-old player who already has Beach Volleyball experience and a gold medal in a NEVZA event.
“The return to IBB Polonia LONDON, after all this time, will be very emotional. I will do everything possible to help the team, particularly as the possibility of me re-joining was the initiative of the club. I don’t know too much about the opposition; that job of analysing them falls on the shoulders of Piotr Graban and Patrik Selep,” revealed the returning Mark Banasiewicz, who is now 51.
The ‘home leg’ will be on December 18, 2016 at Energia Sports hall where Poland’s standout PGE Skra BELCHATOW play their home matches.
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