Young players that are defining the matches in the Czech Republic

In volleyball, the end of the Olympics always signals a changing of the guard; with veterans who aren’t able to compete for another four-year cycle hanging up the kneepads, clearing the path for a new generation. Conveniently (for us at least) this year, the Olympics directly preceded EuroVolley, meaning that this is the first time we get to see some of Europe’s best youth talents unleashed on the senior stage. Today’s story of the day will dig into some of the most interesting of these players, how they got here and what they have the potential to accomplish.

A lot has happened for Alessandro Michieletto over the past year. Last August, he was a relatively unknown youth player competing in the u20 European Championships. Then, won the MVP of that tournament. Then, he became a starter for Trentino. Then, he was a starter in the super finals. Then, he was the leading scorer for Italy at VNL. Then, a starter at the Olympic games. Not a bad 2021 for a teenager.

Now, in the European Championships, he has the chance to play alongside fellow players from his cohort of Italian prospects. Blossoming talents like Daniele Lavia, Francesco Recine, & Lorenzo Cortesia, led by the “veteran” Simone Giannelli, who despite being a volleyball star for seemingly forever, only just turned 25 years old. The players on this team will be Italian volleyball for the next decade, with Michieletto as a centerpiece.

In a volleyball country known for producing big, burly opposites and towering middle blockers, outside hitter Uladislau Davyskiba breaks the mold with his highly technical and polished play at a young age. Unlike most of his teammates, Davyskiba has already been able to cut his teeth in the world’s top league in Italy, forcing his way into the starting lineup for several matches of the playoff team Monza.

While the first match against Italy didn’t go how the new-look youth Belarus team wanted, there is a lot of potential. The 196cm Davyskiba was paired with the 206cm+ Uladislau Babkevich, and their combination of ball control and pure power could be a force in the years to come.

The Czech team accomplished an impressive victory on Friday night, when they dispatched the 7^th ranked team in the world in Slovenia. One of the catalysts to this surprise victory was the steady play of 22-year-old Lukas Vasina. He scored 5 points in the opening sets in only 9 attacking attempts, setting the tone for the rest of the game. He passed efficiently as well, despite being targeted relentlessly due to his play at opposite in the past.

One thing we have learned so far this tournament is that ball skill is so high among young players in volleyball right now, that the switch between opposite and outside hitter is not nearly as intimidating in the past. Whether you are a player well above 200cm like Michieletto, or someone who can slide effortlessly between positions 2 & 4 like Vasina, these young players are making their mark on the sport already and redefining who we look at positions.