"You can't be perfect in volleyball." Will Poland or Germany prevail at the World Championships?

The new/old coach of #VolleyWrocław is returning to his role as head coach of the senior women's team after four years. Interestingly, at the club, still called Impel Wrocław, he also worked as a statistician and assistant coach.

Recent years have been a difficult but valuable life lesson for Wojciech Kurczyński. The coach has worked at German clubs including Allianz MTV Stuttgart, winning the treble – the championship, the national cup, and the Super Cup. Since 2023, he has also been an assistant coach for the Swiss national team, an increasingly dynamic nation on the volleyball map of the Old Continent.

Last season, he worked with the Polish runners-up, ŁKS Commercecon Łódź. This team also saw a rather high-profile coaching change, which gave former Polish international Zbigniew Bartman a chance to make his debut at the… finals of the Tauron Liga. Kurczyński, who saw the situation from the inside, also had the opportunity to discuss this.

Interview with Wojciech Kurczyński, coach of #VolleyWrocław

Maciej Piasecki (Wprost.pl): We're in Wrocław, and it's good news for the volleyball community in this city that you're back. And for you personally? There's a well-worn saying that clearly describes those who step into the same river twice.

Wojciech Kurczyński (#VolleyWrocław coach and assistant coach for the Swiss national team): Let's start with stepping into a river. I understood it, and I still understand it, that it flows, and every time you step into it, it will never be the same. It's a completely new reality. You simply can't step into the same river twice.

Odry, let's establish.

Rightly so. It fits the reality of Wrocław very well.

Returning here is definitely important to me on a personal level. Working three years outside Wrocław, whether abroad or in Poland, but still in Łódź, meant separation from my family. My loved ones were back in Wrocław, with their own lives. We value our independence as a family, both my wife and our sons. They function in their own way, with their own passions and the environment they've been in for many years. And I don't feel like I should be the one to force their daily lives to fit my professional ambitions.

That is why the decision was made to spend these three years away from home.

A difficult but mature decision. Did you feel strongly about it?

It's been a difficult time. That's why it's so important to me that I can now be home much more often. I can once again fulfill my role as a husband and father.

Another important factor is that I'm returning to the role of head coach. It's another step in my development, especially since I'm returning to Wrocław with a completely different experience. I feel like I'm also coming with a healthier approach. And I'm definitely more resilient to the challenges of everyday coaching.

So I don't even want to compare this 1.5 years of experience as a head coach to the prospect that now appears in Wrocław.

I'll ask what gave you this immunity?

A wealth of experience, but also observations of what I've been able to participate in over the past three years. Thanks to this, I knew how to build the team that had just begun training under my supervision.

There's a common misconception that before each match, you'll carefully check the number of foreign players on the court, in accordance with league rules. The foreign destination, I understand, is deliberately calculated?

This is a well-thought-out strategy, one hundred percent.

Here, we could slightly underestimate Zawiercie's performance last season. This demonstrates their misguided "exposure" through certain personnel moves. If you calculate it correctly, even with the imposed limits in Polish competitions, you could build a team based on six foreign players. Firstly, the rule that one or more Ukrainian players do not count towards the limit still applies.

And Wrocław will use this. So, only four "passports" remain for your on-field development. What's next?

We will indeed exercise our option with our Ukrainian volleyball player. What's next?

We have three foreign receivers. Naturally, only two will be on the court at any one time. We have another foreign player on offense, and theoretically, we could have another non-Polish player in that position as a reserve. That means a total of six players in the squad. And then there wouldn't be the challenge the Zawiercie team faced at the end of last season in the PlusLiga. They had foreign players in various positions, and unfortunately, those can't be combined.

When you have a foreign setter and a second attacker also from outside Poland, plus a libero and a receiver, that's how the trouble began in Zawiercie. Of course, bearing in mind the randomness of injuries, which can strike at the most unexpected moments, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. However, it ended as we all saw: a significant shakeup of coach Michał Winiarski's starting six at crucial moments of the season, to stay within their limits.

In our case, the only exclusion in the context of "passport" checks during the match will be that we won't be able to use a third receiver for specific purposes. Otherwise, we'd exceed the limit. This risk doesn't exist in any other situation.

Looking at the team you've built at #VolleyWrocław, I wonder what your selection criteria were. Was there an opportunity to meet your current players somewhere beforehand, was there some managerial experience, or perhaps the national team context and opportunities for observation outside the club won out?

I definitely haven't met any new #Volley players in any competitions.

However, working for the Swiss national team, which is a rather average team in European terms, I have the opportunity to connect with countries that aren't leading volleyball players but may have some very interesting players in their ranks. These players might see the Polish league as a springboard to a later, major contract, for example, in Italy or Turkey. I'm jotting down names from countries like Latvia, Spain, Austria, and so on.

In the case of the team formed in Wrocław, during my time with the Swiss national team, our new striker came into the picture. My first national team coach, Lauren Bertolacci, told me a lot of good things about Barbara Dapić. She played for her team in the Swiss league, which convinced me even more.

Although I would like to point out that the Croatian woman's character came into the spotlight from other sources, so it was a happy coincidence that I was able to make such a verification.

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I'll ask right away whether Barbara Dapić will be the leader in the new team?

From a sporting perspective, I wouldn't expect her to be a natural point leader every game. She's not the type of attacker who will be getting 60 rebounds a game and finishing with 25 points. Her role will be a bit different.

So he'll get 50 per game and end up with a decent 20 points.

You got me! (laughter)

On a more serious note, my impression of Barbara was primarily based on her immense professionalism. She has a lot of initiative and the typical pushing style, initiative, and Balkan-Croatian style. As the saying goes: there's no ball you can't defend, no action you don't try hard in training.

Barbara also has excellent reading skills and a keen eye for action, which can further aid the team during games, providing additional control. With a team whose average age is 23-24, such a player could be more important than another young player who scores 25 points a game and that's it. A cool head is essential.

A bit like transfers. Was it a difficult challenge, considering the many negative things that happened at the club last season?

There's no denying that, looking back, we didn't have much comfort in Wrocław when it came to building a new team. The financial turmoil, reported across Poland, unfortunately took its toll. Many things had to be decided to move in the right direction. Importantly, although the 2024/25 season was a very difficult financial year for the club, it was the first such scenario in years. Therefore, such extreme judgments about the disastrous management of Wrocław volleyball were not entirely fair.

I remember my conversation with your predecessor . It wasn't very pleasant.

I hope the club is past the worst. That's my guarantee, and so are the prospects for the new season.

I'll add, however, that even in this situation, I could count on trust and the opportunity to build a team almost entirely according to my own ideas. This is valuable.

You mentioned timing. Since you started building your team later than your competitors, when did it really get underway?

Let me tell you another way. I spoke with a coach from the Belgian league. He had signed contracts with new players and extended contracts with players he wanted to keep on the team, actually as early as December.

In PlusLiga this happens even in November, according to experts on the subject.

Exactly. But note that I'm talking about Belgium, where women's volleyball is set at a lower level than Poland, where it's more of a semi-amateur game. And yet, they've hit the transfer market with lightning speed, which shows the scale of the momentum in this business.

In an ideal world, it would be best to assemble a team composed of volleyball players who played regularly in their leagues last season and stood out. But such players have been spotted for a long time, and not just by us. As a result, such players are either retained by their current teams or have already signed contracts with other, larger clubs.

Working in Germany, I saw how positively a cultural mix can influence a team. How well it can offset the negative influence of local players. I'd also like to emphasize that Polish players are not the black sheep. When I spoke with Stuttgart about the realities, the club's biggest problems were with the German players. It's always a matter of higher expectations, and there's also a greater sense of comfort within a given club, confidence, and conviction in their position.

I can already see the headline. "Wojciech Kurczyński: The fewer Polish women in the team, the fewer problems. A Pole returning to his homeland is shocking!"

And the storm is about to break (laughter). But I think I've explained it adequately.

In Wrocław, we decided to base the team on three pillars. The idea was to give this team a new identity, a different character. One that wouldn't be tainted by league mediocrity. This stems mainly from the fact that you have girls aged 28 and over, who are average in the domestic arena, playing a bit, earning money, but with little ambition. They live from season to season. That was definitely not our path.

We began by adding young players to our roster, who are entering their senior years. We have a group of 19- and 20-year-olds who will be using this season as a chance to get a feel for professional sports.

And if someone asks: Why aren't Wrocław girls or girls from youth #Volley teams in this role, what will you answer?

Firstly, potential, and secondly, various ideas, unrelated to a desire to remain within the club. A setter was considered, for example, but ultimately chose Budowlani Łódź (Nadia Siuda, note: eMPe). It was similar with Zofia Pinderska. When I saw her at a youth competition, I immediately suggested to president Jacek Grabowski that she would be worth including in the Tauron League team. Ultimately, the volleyball player won't be staying in Wrocław at the academy.

So these are decisions that just have to be respected.

However, I'd like to approach the talented girls with a bit of a footballing approach. For many years, the academy has operated so that the most talented players have signed contracts, the first senior ones, for two or three years. Of course, not all of them are ready to step up to the Tauron Liga level right away. Therefore, loan deals are the solution, as was the case with Emilia Solarewicz. The attacker has moved to the first-division club Nysa. I'll be monitoring her, and we'll see how her talent develops when she's ready to join the first team in Wrocław.

Is the source of talented girls from the lower leagues in Poland not drying up?

No, I think that, for example, there will be interesting volleyball players at the back of the Tauron League.

We drafted Emilia Kaczmarzyk from Nowy Dwór, who ultimately won promotion with her team. We monitored her closely. Her matches, even in the playoffs, and her numbers throughout the season, were impressive – especially in terms of blocking. Her block per set percentage was 0.9. This means she contributed a point to the team in every set.

Watching her Polish Cup match against Radomka was crucial for me. This gave me an idea, a glimpse of how this girl compares to the team from the league above her, where she would be competing. Emilia looked decent in that match, at least, and that gave us a clear indication that she could do well in the Tauron League.

You mentioned one of the three pillars of team building. The other two are…?

The second group are young Polish players who are already seniors but who haven't yet made a significant impact in the Tauron League. This group includes Natalia Dróżdż, with whom I worked at ŁKS. Her volleyball skills? She was on par with Alagierska, Obiała, and Stefanik in training. However, when she did appear on the court in a match, due to a lack of experience, she didn't reach her full potential. Therefore, the next step in her development is to have a solid season, match after match.

A similar story concerns Sara Wąsiakowska, who is returning to Poland from the United States after five years. And finally, Martyna Łazowska, who will continue as a young setter for another season. Importantly, she will remain in Wrocław.

Let's focus on this one. Martyna Łazowska was the only player to remain at the club, looking back at last season. She's played for the youth national teams and even had a stint with the senior Polish national team. How do you assess her athletic potential?

Regarding the Polish national team, if I'm reading coach Jacek Nawrocki's concept correctly, the team was supposed to feature young players who could be a strength. However, these players weren't always ready for such a challenge. Moreover, the call-up wasn't based on a particular player's current form, but rather on the actual athletic potential of a specific name.

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If you dig even deeper, there was a player like Weronika Wołodko. While playing in the second division for Truso Elbląg, she was also called up to the national team. This was before she joined Wrocław. And unfortunately, she never had the opportunity to make a name for herself in the national team. So I wouldn't want to take anything away from Martyna's call-up, but I certainly wouldn't judge it solely through its lens, as it was quite a few years ago.

This volleyball player has undoubtedly played regularly for youth national teams at various levels over the years. She has always been a standout. She has joined the Tauron League, which also shows her potential.

I've been watching Martyna play for some time. I remember when Wrocław came to Łódź for the Michał Cichy Memorial. That was the first time I saw her, as a setter, improving the quality of her receivers in the game. On the second day, Ada Szady came on the setter, and the same players weren't scoring as freely as they had with Martyna. Which, for me, is key. That's what a setter's job is to improve the quality of her wingers. That's the best way to determine whether the quality of the ball being fielded is adequate.

A good point. Closing the Łódź thread, what's it like working with Zbigniew Bartman? Have you understood what happened in the final stretch of the season, or is it still absurd, after all?

I still don't understand it.

In the worst case scenario, you would end up in the Octagon.

Well, yes, I prefer to avoid that (laughter).

But let's focus on the facts. I calculated this quite meticulously. Until Alessandro Chiappini was coach, the average points scored per game was 2.6 or 2.7. Under Zbigniew's tenure, it dropped to around 1.3.

And this is the simplest calculation of the effectiveness of the decision made.

Whether someone won a medal or not... I'd like to remind you that until Coach Chiappini took over, we had a real chance of winning first place in the league. Everything depended on us. Furthermore, we were the only team to beat DevelopRes twice in league play. We never managed to do so again after that.

Things have been heating up. We narrowly beat the league's "red light," Kalisz, making it 3-2. Then came the loss to Mielec... We've dropped more points to teams outside the top four in the last seven matches than we did in the previous half of the season combined. That's also reflected in our performance.

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I honestly don't want to get into any personal, emotional details. For me, these are facts that can be calculated at any time. Coach Chiappini's work efficiency was much higher than that of Coach Bartman.

Let's get out of the Polish hell. Swiss national team, what does this point add to your CV?

As I mentioned, it's a different perspective on everyday volleyball, which I needed. Speaking of professionalism, it's maintained at a high level. There's adequate funding, training facilities, the coaching staff is growing every year, and there's a clear vision for local volleyball. Step-by-step action is actually taking place.

What idea are we talking about?

Qualifying for the 2029 World Championships. That's why we're talking about a long-term project, the results of which are visible everywhere. Funding is increasing, and so is the team's level. When I came to work there in my first season, we had, I think, three professional volleyball players on the team. I'm referring to those who play in foreign clubs. Next season, there will be nine.

This idea of development and this significant goal are what draw people to work in such a place. You see, there's a certain future for this project.

So the women's volleyball league in Switzerland is rather semi-amateur?

You could say that. It's more a matter of the profitability of playing volleyball. The conditions at every other job in Switzerland are so good that the opportunities for volleyball players aren't impressive in that regard. Most female volleyball players don't take volleyball that seriously mentally.

But that's changing thanks to girls moving to foreign leagues. It turns out you can leave Switzerland, play abroad, and earn good money with a professional volleyball contract. So the girls' attitudes are changing.

Interestingly, many of them are also studying. But not in the way that comes to mind when you think of the stereotypical combination of a sports career and studies, like at so-called virtual universities. So you show up once a year and complete a semester. I remember returning from a morning walk on match day, we were playing in Riga. Suddenly, I see five or six girls sitting in a row at a table in the hotel lobby. Headphones on, laptops open, and what?

The lecture continues!

Exactly. They simply had activities they could accomplish without disrupting our national team goals. I asked if I could take a photo of them in this student-like setup; I was so impressed at the time. We also had two girls on the team who are currently studying medicine. This shows how organized Swiss volleyball players can be. As the saying goes: the more activities you have, the more time you have.

Can you name some of the most famous Swiss volleyball players?

Sure. The first one is Laura Künzler, currently Künzler-Dervisaj. Besides, the name is probably familiar to you from the days of Gwardia Wrocław.

The world is small though.

I completely agree. Besides, Leon Dervisaj and I meet whenever he's passing through for our training camps. Laura actually contributed to my inclusion in the national team by recommending me, which was very kind. We previously worked together in Stuttgart. It was a great recognition of my quality work.

Laura played in Germany, then in Turkey, now in Italy.

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Add to that Maja Stockr, the German champion with Dresden, then two or three seasons in Italy, and starting next season with Budowlane Łódź. And I'd add Julie Lengweiler to that list; starting in the 2025/26 campaign, she'll be playing for Radomka, also with German league titles. These girls are already at international level, and given the development of Swiss volleyball, combined with the aforementioned system, there will be more and more such players with international achievements.

And the German reality is it the Tauron League shelf, higher or maybe lower?

I'll immodestly admit that my record against Polish teams in European competitions while working in Germany was favorable. Moreover, compared to what's happening in European competition, German teams have nothing to be ashamed of when facing Polish teams.

I'd say the top clubs in Germany are at a similar level to those in Poland. Organization and financial stability are definitely on the German side. The working conditions in Schwerin, Dresden, and Stuttgart are hard to find in Poland. Perhaps Rzeszów has similar working conditions, as did Police during their greatest successes years ago.

The match atmosphere also benefits Germany. While the league has smaller arenas, with capacity for 1,000 to 1,500 spectators, they're packed and very loud.

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In Poland's favor, although Germany's financial stability was cited, we have much better contracts. Germans don't pay as much as Polish ones.

A quick counterargument comes to mind: in Poland, money sometimes stays… mostly on paper. That's a positive difference.

It actually looks a bit like that, to put it mildly.

Marketing value, including image. This is also on the Polish side. I'm referring primarily to the support provided by Polsat television. In Germany, only one or two matches per matchday are televised. The rest is just the online version.

Plus, Polish media have been interested in volleyball for years. This is likely reflected in the equivalents, and it translates better in our country.

The Polish women will play Germany in their group at the World Championships. Is there any reason to be concerned?

Given the current situation, the Polish team will be favorites in this match. We have a slightly deeper squad. The strongest position in the German squad is undoubtedly the center of the net. There are four girls there, all playing in Italy and among the best in the world.

Agnieszka Korneluk just shifted in her chair as she read this opinion.

Aga is also a world-class player, so there's no need to worry! (laughter)

Let's remember that in the end, two middle players will play, not four.

The German receivers also have international experience. So the potential could be quite similar to our receivers'. Sarah Straube is a very talented player at point guard, but she still has a few international trips ahead of her. We have an advantage when it comes to point guards.

Additionally, the Germans currently lack a striker who could swing the match in their team's favor. We have that offensive power.

The Germans will play their own style, very fast. Typical German football, played as quickly as possible. The Germans don't have the potential to play a "high ball." Expect them to drag out the action, trying to force a mistake with a pass, a trick, or a change of pace. This will be the toughest group match for Poland, I assume, but they are still the favorites.

Do you think that after winning the Nations League medals, the Polish national team should take the next step and attack the podium of events like the World or European Championships?

The potential is there. Moreover, we can still consider this a relatively young band . With a few exceptions, these are girls whose best playing is still ahead of them.

The VNL can be a testing ground for some teams. You have to look at some of your opponents' lineups objectively. Okay, it's great that we're taking advantage of opportunities and regularly finishing on the podium starting in 2022.

Now, however, we can ask ourselves: How many of our internationals played, for example, in the Champions League semifinals in the 2024/25 season? We have Łukasik and Wołosz. The latter has retired from the national team, and the former was mainly a reserve in Conegliano.

On the other side of the net, the Italians and the Turkish women will appear. In both cases, teams composed of players who have played regularly at this highest level. There's also the Brazilians, another team with no shortage of leaders. And that's crucial in a close match, when it comes to finishing a set point or a match point.

I don't think the American women's team will win much at the World Cup this season. The Serbians are defending their title, but they're at a point similar to the Polish team's in 2012-13, when the "Golden Girls" were still developing an international-level team. And suddenly, our champions retired, and it turned out that no one else had played seriously in the national team. It seems we're in a similar situation with the Serbians.

Serbs also have no reason to be particularly enthusiastic.

Exactly. Maybe it's a broader problem with volleyball training in this country? Suddenly, a significant gap has appeared; there are no successors. Of course, there's Tijana Bosković, and there are a few interesting figures, but they don't have, for example, another Maja Ognjenović. Although, of course, that's not our problem.

Returning to the Polish national team, if we want to expect medals at events like the World Championships or European Championships, we need Polish volleyball players, who are the strength of their club teams. Not only do they play in top leagues, but – let me emphasize this again – they are the strength of the team.

And what will be the strength of #VolleyWrocław in the 2025/26 season?

I don't like to talk about a clear-cut style of play. It always depends on the potential, the characteristics of the players, and each girl's approach to the game. And we're just at the beginning of our journey together.

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I've always appreciated the grayness of volleyball. So that we don't focus on winning something with one successful move, while forgetting about the next.

I like to say that the key to volleyball is keeping the ball in the air on your side for as long as possible. And there are many ways to do this. The important thing is to find your bearings in these chaotic situations. This automatically creates opportunities for another action to complete the attack, and another, and another. The style isn't entirely important; the important thing is to give yourself another chance if the previous one doesn't work.

So there will be a sign in the locker room at Orbit that says "Long rally"?

Why not, nice idea.

It's not an art to play well once and then be prepared for the opponent to respond and suddenly have the ball back in our court. We instill in our players the feeling that subsequent turns happen within a matter of seconds, in a single action; we need to constantly keep this in mind.

Working for the Swiss national team, we try to move away from the idea of perfection on the court. In volleyball, that's impossible. I'll also translate this into the realities of Wrocław. It's about taking advantage of whatever opportunities are available at any given moment. A "nail" driven into the second meter is as important as a "scratch card." In both cases, it's about the prospect of a single point.

Additionally, we will strive to accelerate the game as much as conditions allow, utilizing our potential appropriately.

Time should work in favor of the development of the #VolleyWrocław team.

Read also: Iga Świątek's Wimbledon victory "from the inside." A mental coach discusses the Polish volleyball player's changes. Read also: The Polish national volleyball team's "Oczko" (Eyelash)! Let's learn to celebrate success.