Zlin, Czech Republic, April 15, 2018. After spending just one day watching the games of the 2018 CEV U18 Volleyball European Championship in Zlin, it would be easy to spot one of the most explosive players around. Libero Simeon Dobrev is a true sunshine on court and today he celebrates his 17th birthday.
“I am very excited for my birthday and I want our team to win – it will be the best gift for me,” he said. A day earlier Simeon was bursting with joy after his team beat France 3-0 in the semi-finals for places 5-8, which means Bulgaria had just qualified for the 2019 FIVB U19 World Championship and the European Youth Olympic Festival also set for 2019.
Dobrev told he started playing volleyball roughly four years ago, but only got serious about the sport a year later, when he was in the seventh grade. “I started playing as a receiver, but I was too short, so the coach made me a libero. Now I practice serves and attacks only for fun,” Simeon admits with a laugh. The young Bulgarian confirms that he enjoys his position on court, as he has to always be on the look-out in defence and has the chance to please the crowds by diving for the balls.
But Simeon is active not only during the most crucial parts of the match, he moves around even more in between the rallies, as he makes sure all his teammates have received celebration or motivational high-fives and his joy about each point is just infectious. “Yes, I am the keeper of the team spirit. I only have two other jobs – defence and reception, this is how I give my energy to the team.” The Bulgarians have proved themselves to be the greatest at celebrating victories here at the #EuroVolleyU18M and Dobrev is usually the one to be picked up after matches.
The libero position might not seem one of the most rewarding ones, as the players only rarely score points, but athletes like Simeon Dobrev truly make a difference on court. Today at 13:00 (CET) Bulgaria will face Belarus for the second time in #EuroVolleyU18M. In the pool phase Belarussians showed their A-game and recorded a 3-0, but Bulgaria will surely try to do, what it takes to finish the championship with a win.
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