Volleyball

The appearance of volleyball on Belarusian soil dates back to the late 20s of the last century. At that time, volleyball sections were formed in Minsk and regional centers.

Since 1934, the republic’s championships have been held, and a year earlier, the men’s and women’s teams of Minsk took part in the First USSR Championship, which was called the All-Union Volleyball Holiday in those years. Both our teams took the last 5th place. In 1938, it was decided to hold the USSR championships not among the national teams of cities within the framework of the All-Union volleyball holidays, but among the strongest teams of the DSO and departments. The new formula for holding the national championships had a positive impact on further increasing the mass and skill of volleyball players, the final tournaments of the championships in 1938, 1939 and 1940 were preceded by zonal competitions in which the teams “Voskhod”, “Nauka” and “Spartak” from Minsk performed.

In the post-war years, the center of volleyball life in Minsk was the Park of Culture and recreation named after him. Gorky, and then the grounds at the entrance to the Dynamo Stadium and the Spartak hand games stadium, where anyone, depending on their fitness, had the opportunity to take part in the game at one of the three sites.

In the post-war years, the calendar of all-Union competitions was continuously expanded and improved, since 1950 the USSR Cup began to be played, all-Union and republican championships and championships of DSO and departments were organized. The international calendar was expanding.

In the post-war years, the right to play in the USSR championship from Belarus was given to the women’s and men’s teams “Bolshevik” Minsk (1947). In 1953, the women’s volleyball of Belarus in the USSR championship was represented by the Iskra Minsk team (10th place). Then “Burevestnik” (1954 — 1955), “Spartak” (1960 — 1973), TTU (1974 — 1978). Since 1979, the Iskra team began to perform from Minsk again. In 1983, the team changed its name, acting as “Kommunalnik”.

From 1947 to 1953, the teams “Nauka”, “Bolshevik”, “Dynamo”, who took 13th — 17th places, competed in the men’s championships of the USSR in class “B” from Minsk. From 1955 to 1973, Minsk was represented in the USSR championships by the Burevestnik team, formed mainly from students of the Institute of Physical Culture and the Polytechnic Institute. Since 1974 the team of masters of the DSO “Red Banner” was taken over by the Minsk Motor Plant and the Minsk Motor team began to perform in the USSR championships, which took 7th place in the top league in 1978, then the team had the names “Kommunalnik”, Zvezda and SKA, the highest achievement of which was the 5th place of the USSR championship (1988) The greatest success at the club level was achieved by the Kommunalnik Minsk women’s team, which twice became the bronze medalist of the USSR Championship in 1986 and 1987, and in 1987 became the winner of the European Volleyball Confederation Cup Winners’ Cup. In 1978, in the city of Minsk hosted one of the stages of the World Championship among women’s teams. The competitions were organized at a high level and were highly appreciated by the International Volleyball Federation. Belarusian volleyball has brought up a galaxy of famous masters, whose game has been a benchmark for many generations of athletes in the republic, and the best of them shone in the various national teams of the USSR in the international arena. Most of them were awarded the titles of Master of Sports of the USSR, and I. Gorbatyuk, T. Stepanova, T. Shapovalova, N. Kozlova, I. Bryuzgina, A. Teterina, I. Yarkovenko and V. Alekno became masters of sports of international class. T. Mysiakova won a silver medal at the 1983 European Championship, I. Gorbatyuk holds the title of European Champion (1985) and World Champion (1990), O. Shemakova, N. Savochkina, I. Shiryaev, A. Deryabin and I. Gorbatyuk became European champions among youth teams in different years.

In 1992, after the collapse of the USSR, the Belarusian Volleyball Federation joined the European Confederation and was recognized by the International Volleyball Federation.

Since that time, national championships have been held, in which not only teams representing recognized volleyball centers – Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev, Gomel and Grodno – took part, but also clubs from other regional and district centers – Brest, Baranovichi, Kobrin, Orsha, Novopolotsk, Soligorsk, Zhlobin and Mozyr.

The women’s championship was dominated by the Amkador team from Minsk, which was the undisputed champion from 1992 to 1999, while the men’s championship was contested by the favorites who had experience of participating in all–Union competitions – Sputnik Vitebsk (1993-1995) and the metropolitan army men (1992, 1996) were the volleyball players of Kommunalnik Grodno (1997, 1999).

Winners of the Belarusian Volleyball Championships

1992 SKA Minsk
1992/93 “Sputnik” Vitebsk
1993/94 “Sputnik” Vitebsk
1994/95 “Sputnik” Vitebsk
1995/96 SKA Minsk
1996/97 “Kommunalnik”
1997/98 SKA Minsk
1998/99 “Kommunalnik”
1999/2000 SKA Minsk
2000/01 GVK Gomel
2001/02 “Kommunalnik”
2002/03 “Kommunalnik”
2003/04 GVK Gomel
2004/05 “Kommunalnik” Grodno
2005/06 “Technopribor”-BeLa Mogilev
2006/07 Metallurg-BeLa Mogilev
2007/08 “Metallurg” Zhlobin
2008/09 “Metallurg” Zhlobin
2009/10 “Builder” Minsk
2010/11 “Builder” Minsk
2011/12 “Builder” Minsk
2012/13 “Builder” Minsk

Belarusian Volleyball Federation

Address: 25 Kalvariyskaya str., Minsk, 220073, room 427, 428
Tel./fax: +375 (17) 252-50-59
Tel.: +375 (17) 204-17-78
Е-mail: bvf@solo.by
Website: http://bvf.by/
Chairman of the BFV Batura B.V.