Australian Men's Volleyball Head Coach Resigns
As Christmas approaches and we are preparing to spend much needed time with family and friends and be grateful for people in our lives, it is with a deep appreciation for the work he has done that I announce the resignation of Australian Men’s National Team Coach Russ Borgeaud.
Russ has been a significant contributor to the volleyball landscape in this country, initially as a player and then as a coach at various levels. His ability to identify talented athletes and progress them through the pathway from the junior ranks into national and international representation is certainly proven. Since his time with the National Team, first as Assistant Coach from 2002-2004 and then as Head Coach from 2005-2010 the team and the individual players within have demonstrated success at many levels.
Under Russ’ guidance and direction the AIS junior men’s program has provided the foundation for players to move into an intensive daily training environment, rapidly improve their skills and help them grow as individuals. Many of these athletes have progressed into quality international players. Due to Russ’ diligence and commitment we now have 37 athletes either attending international Universities or playing in high level international leagues. This is certainly a legacy of the program he is now leaving.
From a performance point of view the National Team has qualified for four consecutive World Championships between 2002 and 2010, which is no mean feat in itself. The Team’s most significant achievement under his leadership would have to be winning the 2007 Asian Men’s Championships for the first time ever. This is definitely a result which will go down in the history books and one which we are aiming to repeat in the future.
On the back of the announcement of a comprehensive review of our High Performance program, Russ has elected to take up a position in the Coaching Support area of the Australian Sports Commission where he will be able to utilise his strengths and experience from his time with the National Men’s Team. We wish Russ the best of luck with this new venture and sincerely thank him for the contribution he has made to the sport, his support staff and the players.
As we embark on our High Performance Review we are clear that we want to give our Men’s National Team the best chance of success as we move towards London and beyond. Therefore a focus on finding a suitable replacement for Russ that will lead us to success remains at the forefront of our mind.
Thank you all for your continued support and have a safe and happy holiday.
W. Joan Perry | Chief Executive Officer
Volleyball Australia
