During the Wednesday’s Plus League match, Delecta Bydgoszcz vs. AZS Politechnika Warszawska (1:3), Waldemar Wspaniały for the last time performed as a coach. He is the former coach of the Polish National Team and the top teams in Poland, i.e. Mostostal Azoty Kędzierzynem-Koźle.
- Definitely, noone will ever persuade me to become a coach even for a season again-said Waldemar Wspaniały. – I can not wait to lead my team in May, Płomień Sosnowiec, during the Old boys’ Championships of Poland. The event is very nice and pleasant and everyone play seriously.
The last match of the League for Waldemar Wspaniały’s team finished with failure.
– When you lose you suffer. However, the teams has finally been ranked 6th so the plans from before the season had been realized. Nevertheless, this is not exactly the way I imagined my team to perform at the last matches of the season.
One day after the last match, Waldemar Wspaniały confessed that he feels relieved. – Fur sure it is a hard and tiring work. The age also plays its role. I would like to thank to all of my players with whom I had a pleasure to cooperate for the last 27 years of my work at the league. I had opportunity to work with 40 players of the Polish National Team. For me it was a great adventure, passion, all my life in fact. I was related to volleyball for half century and it’s high time for me to finish – said Waldemar Wspaniały.
For Waldemar Wspaniały work in Kędzierzyn-Koźle was the most pleasant one. – When I came to Mostostal in 1999, the players that were supposed to play in the national teams in several years were very young, almost at the very beginning of their volleyball career. Together, we started the adventure that led us to Final Four of the European Cups. We managed to get the best places on the podium with hard work – recalls Waldemar Wspaniały.
In 2001 – 2003 Waldemar Wspaniały performer on a position of the head coach of the Polish National Team, which two Times has been ranked 5th at the ECH and qualified to the World League Final. – I went on a first sport camp to Cetniewo all alone. there was not even any discussion about the staff of the team. These were hard time, so we had to ask sponsor to provide us with the money to support the national team. Naturally, the money were granted only for the most necessary things. During the next several years the financial situation has significantly improved, but the same achievements, as those from the past, were difficult to repeat. In my opinion, the polish coaches are equally good as those from abroad. The only difference is that in the past, the coach had also to perform tasks of a specialist in particular domains, i.e. physical education – summed up Waldemar Wspaniały.
Waldemar Wspaniały was born on the 2nd of October 1946, in Sosnowiec. Married to Krystyna, with two children: son Robert, daughter Sylwia. Graduated the University of Physical Education in Katowice. His career started in MKS (Local Sport Club) in Sosnowiec. In 1966-1979 player of the team Płomień Milowice, with achievement of the Cup of Europe (1978) and the Championship of Poland twice (1977 and 1979). Then, he lead the top polish team, such as Mostostal Azoty Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Stilon Gorzów and AZS Olsztyn.
- My first coach was Mr. Jakubski, the physical education teacher - said Waldemar Wspaniały. – In Piekary, Mr. Iwański thought me basic skills. Later, I gained hudge knowledge by cooperating with Janusz Strzelczyk and Jurek Wagner. As a matter of fact, we get knowledge from everyone, the most important is just the willingness and desire to learn it – talked about his work years ago.
