Volleyball Australia organisational changes to capitalise on golden decade of sport
With the new Olympic cycle underway, Volleyball Australia has made a series of organisational and personnel changes to capitalise on the golden decade of sport in Australia.
As the sport prepares to host the World Beach Volleyball Championships in Adelaide in November, combined with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Australia, there is a rare opportunity for Australian volleyball to maximise interest in the sport to increase participation, create more inclusivity, strengthen our pathways programs as well as further develop our high performance programs.
Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee, said the recruitment of new expertise along with development of additional roles that align to the sport’s strategic plan, is about ensuring volleyball in Australia is set up for success both now and into the future.
“Hosting major events present the opportunity to capitalise on strong interest that can drive participation and investment in our sport, at all levels,” he said. “Our organisational changes are about having the building blocks in place to make sure we fully realise the benefits these opportunities present.
“Our new structure has introduced additional resources in the areas of community engagement and development aimed at growing our grassroots initiatives, para volleyball programs and working collaboratively with the national volleyball network.
“We also want to work more closely with corporate Australia to drive an increased level of investment in the sport, for our Australian teams in preparation for 2032 and for our community programs.
“Since the Paris Olympic Games, we have also made changes to our high performance structures to allow for better support of our athletes as well as recruited world class coaches and support staff. “
MEET THE TEAM
Caitlin Honey – General Manager Growth & Development
Most recently the CEO at Skate Australia during a period which saw Australia bring home two Olympic gold medals from Paris, Caitlin joins VA in a newly created position which will target the development of the sport from community level. The role is focused on increasing participation and driving further engagement in clubs and schools while exploring other opportunities for growth.
Maksym Roiuk – National Coach, Men’s Beach Volleyball
Maksym is the new national coach of the men’s beach volleyball program based at the South Australian Institute of Sport in Adelaide. While leading the programs for national team athletes competing domestically and internationally, the role also covers the planning and delivery of elite performance pathways for athletes across the country. Having spent most of his career coaching in Europe, Maksym most recently helped guide the women’s Swiss team to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Shanon Zunker – National Assistant Coach, Women’s Beach Volleyball (AIS Gen32 Program)
Based at the Queensland Academy of Sport in Brisbane, Shannon joins a successful team in the national training environment for the Women’s Beach Volleyroos and Developing Beach Volleyroos. Having headed up “Vball In Paradise” which delivers events and coaching throughout the Gold Coast and regional Queensland, Shanon was the head coach of the Vanuatu Beach Volleyball program for most of the last decade.
Monty Little – Corporate and Performance Operations Manager
Monty Little joins VA in a newly created role which provides executive level support to the Board, Executive and High Performance teams. Her previous position at Gymnastics Australia proved essential in connecting all areas of the organisation as well as developing operational and strategic plans to guide all areas of the sport forward.
NEW CHANGES
Paul Smith – Deputy National Performance Director
Paul Smith has been elevated to the position of Deputy National Performance Director of Volleyball Australia, working closely with National Performance Director Craig Marshall. Paul is well-known within the volleyball community having previously filled the roles of National Performance Pathways Manager and Program Director for the Australian Volleyball Academy.
Nam Pham – General Manager Disability Sport & Sport Technical
Formerly the Sport Delivery and Growth General Manager at VA, Nam’s new position has a dedicated focus on the disability disciplines of volleyball, sitting and standing beach. With Australia set to feature Sitting Para Volleyball teams at the 2032 Paralympic Games in Brisbane, Nam’s role will establish high performance systems and programs designed to optimise Australia’s performance at the Brisbane Olympic Games.
