Albert Einstein’s quote, “The only source of knowledge is experience”, perhaps sits well when discussing the longevity of the legendary Ruben Wolochin’s coaching career in volleyball.
The Argentine, who also holds the position of head coach of the Morocco national team, has an outstanding volleyball coaching resume with over 30 years of grooming talents in South America, Europe and, lately, Asia.
Wolochin is the only foreign coach in the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23 and will return for the second edition that is set to begin on February 4, albeit with a new team.
Ahead of the season’s start, Ruben Wolochin spoke about his experience so far, his objectives with new team Chennai Blitz, his playing system and his aim for a positive relationship with the home crowd.
Q: It’s great to have you back in RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23. Could you tell us about your overall experience of the inaugural season with the Hyderabad Black Hawks?
A: Firstly, I’m happy to be back after a very nice experience with Hyderabad. We were well taken care of with the Black Hawks; up to the mark in all terms.
I am very thankful for the opportunity that Chennai Blitz has given us. We are fully committed to this new project because Chennai has a great volleyball community, and it is crucial to perform well for the sake of our organisation and volleyball in general.
Overall, the first season (of RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23) was a great experience in getting to a new league with a high organisational standard from Day One. Additionally, the attractive playing system surprised us positively with the number of players capable of reaching the international level. That also gave us a good knowledge of other players and organisations.
Q: A new team in Chennai Blitz for Season 2. How were the first training sessions with the team, and what is your initial impression of the squad?
A: We have finished our first week of training, and everything went as per plan. All the players and staff are getting to know each other as we learn the various training and playing systems. I’m always confident that a team can play at a higher level.
Q: Your impressive playing style with Hyderabad Black Hawks in Season 1 kept the audience engaged. Will we see more of it at Chennai Blitz, or is a new strategy in the works?
A: Last season was very special; touching a new country with a new volleyball culture. Thus, we were trying to implement the latest trends in the game. We hope to keep adding exciting things to our volleyball audience again this season.
Q: What is your early assessment of Chennai Blitz?
A: Chennai Blitz is doing an excellent job in terms of organisation to provide the best environment for the team. We also did well in the player auction, recruiting a good mix of experienced players and some emerging talent. A strong force as a unit can help find solutions throughout the season.
Q: At Chennai Blitz, you have experienced Indian players like Akhin GS and Naveen Raja Jacob. How vital will they be for your side?
A: Akhin and Naveen should be the team's leading bodies and show how they do it daily. Having such players also helps the younger fellows at Chennai Blitz improve.
Q: As Chennai Blitz coach, what message would you send to the other teams?
A: The best message we can give (to the other teams) is showing that we can play hard looking for the best at any single point. That's how I would like our team to play and be respected by our opponents.
Q: Have you explored Chennai as a city and its volleyball culture?
A: We have had very little time for sightseeing besides our morning walk after the training session. There were small talks with the Chennai volleyball community, and I'm looking forward to meeting more people from our community to exchange volleyball experiences.
We visited Thulasi Reddy's hometown last weekend for the Southern Volleyball Tournament sponsored by the Chennai Blitz, and it turned out to be a very, very moving experience.
Q: Your message to the Chennai faithful?
A: We train daily to represent and honour Chennai on the level that a team must represent this city. Training and playing hard is the best way to show our fans and organisation the team's commitment to registering good results.
Under his management, Ruben Wolochin got Hyderabad Hawks to the semi-finals in Season 1, while Chennai Blitz had an indifferent campaign.
With the Argentine coach at the helm, Chennai Blitz will look for a splendid turnaround in Season 2 of RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23.
