Guidetti leads Vakifbank resurgence as coaching regulations change
Giovanni Guidetti drives a Vakifbank resurgence as new FIVB regulations mandate female coaches on the bench for international competitions. Meanwhile, Daniele Santarelli continues his success with Imoco Volley Conegliano following a recent victory led by Egonu's 40 points.
Guidetti has led Vakifbank since 2008. He earned five FIVB Club World Championship gold medals and five CEV Champions League titles. He also secured seven Turkish League championships. His 2013 team achieved a sweep of five major championship titles and a 73-match winning streak, a Guinness World Record. The Italian coach, who managed the national teams of Bulgaria, Germany, and the Netherlands, holds several international medals from his time with those squads and was an assistant for the Italy women’s national team between 1997 and 2000. He was also named Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2004. You already know the rosters are shifting. Hande Karakurt faces a transition as the club evaluates its lineup. Ebrar is expected to take her spot as an outside hitter and local player next year. If the team wins trophies this season, Karakurt will stay. The projected roster includes Plummer, Ebrar, Hande, and Yaprak. Karakurt needs a coach to help her improve her consistency and mental strength, as she is already better than starters in Scandicci and Milano.
Daniele Santarelli manages Imoco since 2015. He holds two world titles and six Italian League titles. Santarelli guided Serbia to the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship title. He also coached the Turkish national team until 2026. Between 2018 and 2021, he led Croatia to silver in the 2019 and 2021 CEV European Golden League and gold in the 2018 Mediterranean Games. He recently guided Prosecco Doc Imoco to their second world title in Antalya, Turkiye. In a recent 3-2 victory against Mladost, Imoco relied on Egonu for 40 points. De Kruijf scored 11 points, Hill scored 9 points, Folie scored 9 points, and Wolosz scored 4 points. Santarelli noted the team’s organization despite the spin serve from the opponent. He changed seven players compared to the match against Scandicci. His performance against the spin serve was poor.
The coaching requirements for women’s teams at tournaments mandate at least one female coach on the bench. This applies to international and club competitions at both youth and senior levels. Teams must include two women in their backroom staff, with one serving as the head coach or assistant coach. At the 2023 Women’s World Cup, only 12 of 32 head coaches were women. Additionally, seven of 16 teams at the last European Championship had a female head coach. Jill Ellis says the regulation is a long-term strategy to increase visibility and create clearer pathways for women. Gianni Infantino says the organization should support women in coaching positions. This policy follows patterns in European football where women’s coaching is more developed. Will this regulation lead to more female coaches in the club world championships?
