The SJ Volleyball Committee is delighted to announce Kadhim Virani as the first Head Coach of the Marhum Fazal Virani Volleyball Academy.
For anyone who knows volleyball at SJ, the Virani name needs little introduction. Kadhim comes from one of the finest volleyball pedigrees in our community – a family that has given an enormous amount to the sport at SJ over the years.
It is therefore particularly fitting that Kadhim will now take on the responsibility of leading the Academy and continuing his father’s legacy of developing, encouraging and inspiring the next generation of SJ volleyball players.
The Next Generation Has Arrived
The decision to step up the Academy programme has been made much easier by one thing: the youngsters themselves.
At the recent MAMT tournament, our youth players showed exactly what they are capable of. They competed with confidence, held their own on court and, most importantly, demonstrated the passion and enthusiasm that we want to see from the next generation.
The results and performances were encouraging, but what impressed the coaches even more was their attitude.
They want to play.
They want to improve.
They ask questions.
They listen.
And they want more volleyball!
That enthusiasm has given the Volleyball Committee and coaching team the confidence to take the next step. We want the Marhum Fazal Virani Volleyball Academy to become a permanent fixture in the SJ weekly calendar, providing our youngsters with regular, structured coaching and a clear pathway to develop their game.
Kadhim Won’t Be Doing It Alone
One of the great strengths of the Academy is the number of experienced players and coaches willing to give their time to develop our youth.
Kadhim will have a strong support structure around him, assisted by:
Abbas Rehemtulla
Shabbir Mulji
Mohammed Jabir Merali
Muhammed Mehdi Panju
Together with the rest of the Academy coaches, they have already done some fantastic work with the youngsters. Kadhim’s appointment gives that coaching group a structure from which we can build and develop the programme further.
For the Volleyball Committee, having this group prepared to invest their time, knowledge and experience into our youngsters is something we are extremely grateful for.
More Court Time. More Coaching. More Volleyball.
And now for the bit the youngsters will hopefully like most: Academy sessions are getting longer!
Following discussions between the coaches and assistants, Academy sessions will now run for two hours.
Depending on court availability, sessions will be scheduled either:
7:00pm – 9:00pm
or
8:00pm – 10:00pm
The additional time will allow the coaches to change the format of the sessions, with greater emphasis on individual skills, technique, movement, match situations and – of course – actually playing the game.
The objective isn’t simply to produce better volleyball players. We want the Academy to be somewhere our youngsters look forward to coming every week – a place where they can compete, learn, make mistakes, improve and enjoy being part of SJ volleyball.
Building on a Legacy
The name Marhum Fazal Virani Volleyball Academy carries with it both a legacy and a responsibility.
Volleyball at SJ has been built over many years by people who gave their time and energy to the sport and, crucially, passed their knowledge on to those who came after them.
Kadhim’s appointment as the Academy’s first Head Coach represents the continuation of that tradition.
As a Volleyball Committee, we are thrilled that he has accepted the role and excited to see him build on the excellent work already being done by him and the entire Academy coaching team.
But ultimately, the future of the Academy belongs to the youngsters.
What we saw at MAMT gave us a glimpse of what that future could look like. There is talent there, but even more importantly there is passion, hunger and a genuine willingness to learn.
Now it is our job to give them the opportunity.
Kadhim and the rest of the coaches, have prepared a short survey for the boys who played at MAMT or who have attended the youth training sessions. Please click here and ask the boys to fill out the form. Feedback from this will be useful to set targets and structure sessions that will be useful for all.
There is also now a separate SJVB Youth group as part of the SJ community. We will use that group for updates on youth VB. Please ensure all parents who are interested join the new SJVB Youth Watsapp group
The next generation of SJ volleyball is coming through – and we can’t wait to see how far they can go.
