Ken Breen I A lifetime in volleyball, building the game 

From a university pastime to leading the sport at a national level, Ken Breen’s volleyball journey is one built on instinct, opportunity, and a lifelong passion for people, and it all began with a simple choice.

“I went to university and started to play volleyball because it was a mixed sport,” Breen said.

“Coming from an all-boys school, I thought rugby league was a pretty stupid game to be playing, so I chose volleyball.”

What started as a social introduction to the sport quickly evolved into something more serious, and Breen found himself drawn not just to playing, but to coaching, even when there was no clear pathway.

“I decided I really liked it and wanted to become a volleyball coach, even though there were no jobs,” he said.

That ambition led him from Sydney to Queensland, where he began building his coaching career, eventually becoming deeply involved in the sport’s national structure. Working alongside influential figures and contributing to the Australian Coaches Commission, Breen’s impact continued to grow.

His journey would take him across the country, working full-time in state programs in South Australia and Western Australia, before stepping into one of the sport’s most significant leadership roles.

Breen served as CEO of Volleyball Australia from 1989 to 1996, guiding the sport through a critical period of growth, a role that not only shaped his career but also expanded his horizons globally, leading to further international coaching opportunities with Thailand and Indonesia at the Asian Games in beach volleyball.

“Volleyball being such a huge sport, I got to travel all over Asia,” he said.

“I coached the Australian women’s national team when it was still amateur, so I got to go on many trips, including the World Championships in South America in 1982.

“I’ve been able to travel all over the world, and it’s been really fantastic.”

Despite decades of involvement at every level of the game, it’s not just competition or achievement that has kept him connected to volleyball, it’s the people.

“I think it’s the friends that you meet, and they become lifetime friends,” he said.

“That’s a huge driving force for people to become involved and stay involved in sport.”

It’s a sentiment that resonates strongly in one of the sport’s most enduring events, the Australian Volleyball Schools Cup, a competition Breen has witnessed evolve firsthand over the years. 

“When I started as CEO in 1989, there were 36 teams playing Schools Cup with just an elite division for boys and girls,” he said.

“We expanded that for the first time to different age groups and divisions, and it’s grown into a phenomenal event.”

Today, the Schools Cup stands as a cornerstone of volleyball development in Australia, bringing together athletes, coaches, referees, and officials from across the country.

“I’ve met people who have only missed four Schools Cups in the history of the sport,” Breen said.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a referee, a coach, or a teacher manager, you get to be involved, and you can continue to be involved. That’s one of the great things about it.”

That sense of community and continuity is something Breen believes will only strengthen following major international events on home soil.

Reflecting on the recent Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, he praised both the scale of the event and its significance for the sport’s future.

“This federation has had a long history of running events at this level, but this was the biggest of the lot,” he said.

“It’s a credit to the sport that it’s been able to host something of this stature.

“The men’s final was pretty phenomenal, technical and spectacular.

“It really reflects the growing interest from spectators and everyone involved in the sport.”

With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon, Breen sees events like the World Championships as more than just a showcase, but also a launching point.

“Everything has to be framed in the context of what’s coming with Brisbane,” he said.

“It gives young kids that incentive to know there’s a long way to go, but some pretty big prizes at the end.

“There’ll be a great legacy in terms of the incentive it offers kids to get involved now.

“They can see a pathway, and they can dream about being part of that Olympic team in Brisbane.”

For Breen, that’s what volleyball has always been about, not just the game itself, but the opportunities it creates, the people it connects, and the future it inspires.