Short Volleyball history in Slovakia
By: Helena Hankova
The History of Volleyball in Slovakia started within the development of sports activities for handicapped people post-war in the former Czechoslovakia in 1946.
At the beginning it was at a very amateur level- it was played by men and women. The competitive base of volleyball started in 1966 at the time of establishment of the long term volleyball league (with 16 teams) – with the grand finale of the best team competing for the Czechoslovakian champions title. In this competition Slovakian team TJ Mladost Bratislava performed very well under the leadership of Coach Helena Hankova, which won a title Czechoslovakian champion every year from 1974 with exception of 1976 until to the separation of Czechoslovakia in 1992.
Concurrently with long term competitions we created also the representative volleyball team of Czechoslovakia within the Slovakian players, who held places in the national team of Czechoslovakia. In the 1972 the Czechoslovakian team won 1st place at the World Championship. Since 1976 Mrs. Helena Hankova was head coach of the Czechoslovakian team.
The last common performance of Czech´s and Slovak´s together as one team was during the Paralympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 (3rd place). By happenstance the team had 6 Czech players and 6 Slovak players. Players Josef Mihalco, Lubomír Novosad and Peter Moravcik from this very successful era still are playing.
Since 1993, after the constitution of an independent Slovak republic, there began a very fruitful era of young Slovak volleyball players. Team fight through on each international competition one of the medals except 1994 The most valuable medals were the silver medal from Paralympic Games 1996 in Atlanta and the gold medal from World Cup in Rhodos 2003. As the team grew up on the world format players took roles as – spiker / universal Josef Mihalco, setter Lubomir Novosad and finally universal Peter Moravcik.
“Stand up“
This is the main motto for the Slovak volleyball team who will take part at the World Cup in Cambodia 2009. The team is represented by three volleyball generations. The average age is 28 years and 6 months; average height is 187 cm.
From of my point of view as coach this is my 7th representative volleyball team and third Slovak one. In my opinion the biggest advantage of the team is the love of the team for volleyball, good friends who look forward to meeting each other and who are always rejoice for the meet. In Cambodia, the Slovak team will play good volleyball to show to the WOVD representatives that standing volleyball for disabled players is a gorgeous collective game. The Slovak team never stops dreaming and that is the reason why it will take part at WC 2009 in spite of many problems (financial, some players did not have permission from their employers) – the Slovak team will not miss out on participating in Cambodia.
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 Name Helena Hankova
Head Coach
Head Coach since 1983
Club(s): Coach of Former Czechoslovakian Team 1976-1992
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
- Paralympics 1996 2nd
- Euro Chmp 1995 3rd
- Euro Chmp 1993 3rd
- Paralympics 1992 3rd
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 Player
Name Josef Mihalco
Size 187cm
Number 1
Position: Spiker/Blocker
Category A
Team since 1993
Club(s)
Former Czechoslovakian Team member
1989-1992
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
- Paralympics 1996 2nd
- Euro Chmp 1995 3rd
- Euro Chmp 1993 3rd
- Paralympics 1992 3rd
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 Player
Name Lubomir Novosad Size 170cm
Number 2
Position: Setter
Category B
Team since 1993
Club(s)
Former Czechoslovakian Team Member 1991-1992
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
- Paralympics 1996 2nd
- Euro Chmp 1995 3rd
- Euro Chmp 1993 3rd
- Paralympics 1992 3rd
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 Player
Name Juraj Kosirel Size 183cm
Number 3
Position: Spiker
Category C
Team since Nov. 1996
Club(s)
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
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 Player
Name Pavol Sedlak Size 177cm
Number 4
Position: Spiker
Category B
Team since 1993
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
- Paralympics 1996 2nd
- Euro Chmp 1995 3rd
- Euro Chmp 1993 3rd
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 Player Name Peter Nadasky
Size 196cm
Number 9 Position Spiker Category B
Team since 1998
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
- World Chmp 2004 2nd
- World Cup 2003 1st
- World Chmp 2002 2nd
- World Cup 2001 1st
- Paralympics 2000 3rd
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 Player
Name Jan Kacmarik Size 183cm
Number 4
Position Spiker Category B
Team since 2005
Results
- World Cup 2007 3rd
- World Chmp 2006 3rd
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 Player
Name Eric Nevolny
Size 187cm
Number 6
Position Setter
Category C
Team since 2008
Results
World Cup 2007 3rd
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 Player
Name Juraj Kucej
Size 198cm
Number 10
Position Blocker
Category B
Team since 2008
Results
World Cup 2007 3rd
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 Player
Name Stefan Stevar Size 191cm
Number 8 Position Spiker
Category B
Team since 2009
Results
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 Medical Doctor
Name Juraj Stefak Function. Team Dr.
Team since 1985
Results
World Chmp 2006 3rd
World Chmp 2004 2nd
World Cup 2003 1st
World Chmp 2002 2nd
World Cup 2001 1st
Paralympics 2000 3rd
Paralympics 1996 2nd |
