Hall of Fame!

First up...Amanda Glover

What was your greatest volleyball achievement?

"The obvious answer is being part of the first England & GB Volleyball Team to qualify by right to compete at the 1996 Olympic Games. I would also say 4th place at the Beach Volleyball European Championship finals, and 9th at World Championships finals is just as big an achievement. Playing for both indoor and Beach Volleyball National Teams is up there too. My career as a coach has been one of my biggest challenges and achievements, to give back to the sport I love was truly as important to me as being an athlete. I have loved every minute and cherish every minute, when another person says will you help me with my Volleyball Journey it does make you feel very special!"

Do you have a moment in volleyball that you're most proud of?

"Representing your country is a very proud moment, but to also have your parents make the journey to watch and see their proud faces was a very special moment in my life.

I am also very proud of my Olympic Team, Audrey Cooper, Vince Joyce, Marzena Bogdanowicz, Angela Cowell, Sarah Hopkins - “Once an Olympian always an Olympian” We did it Team!!

To my volleyball coaches Barbara Thomas, Paul Westhead, Jefferson Williams, Simon Golding, Clayton Lucas, Indoor National Team coaches Barry Swan, Ian Goswell - thank you for your trust in my ability to give your time to develop me.

My Beach Partners - Audrey Cooper, Denise Austin, Vanessa Lucas, Mandy Sheaf so very proud and very lucky that you choose me to be your partner.

My Indoor Volleyball Teams (Birmingham VC, Britannia VC, Mallory VC, Wolverhampton VC) - amazing female athletes, we are a family not a team.

Without them all I wouldn’t have achieved my goals along my journey in volleyball, and could have taken a different road into another sport, I am truly grateful and forever in your debt for what you have given me…Your Time and Time is very precious".

What made you pick volleyball right at the beginning?

"I wasn’t supposed to play volleyball in the beginning. I was a long distance runner and football was in my blood with my dad playing professionally with Coventry City. I was 15 and every excited to be going for a trail at Aston Villa Football club in 1986, but the same week I was asked to make up a school team by my PE Teacher, Mrs Green, to play at the Birmingham Athletic institute schools Volleyball Tournament. This was where I met Barbara Thomas, who saw me playing and asked me to come along to a Volleyball Team session, and I was hooked…Volleyball will do that after one session with the right coach and teammates!! I had found My second Family"

What is your favourite thing about the sport?

"Being part of a big family - that’s my favourite thing about Volleyball! I have met and still have life long friends all around the world in this sport, who are my family. They know who they are and I will always be grateful for their honesty, support and respect - thank you. I also love the chance of exploring what you can do individually, and when you have the even bigger challenge of working with others to achieve a joint goal, it’s so exciting navigating your way on the life/sport rollercoaster".

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out in the volleyball world?

"Play because you enjoy it, train because you want to, explore how to play, compete because it will give you those levels of excitement that sport can only give you in your journey of life. Smile when you win & lose because you just found out another thing about yourself in your development as a person and an athlete that you didn’t know yesterday. Pay as much time and effort looking at all areas of your development as an athlete and a person on and off the court. Being able to have a balanced life is the key, you will need to have many skills to be a volleyball athlete, coach or official. My key ones are Compassion, Ownership, Expression, Commitment and most of all the ability to Listen and Communicate when your challenged with those Emotional barriers".

"I live by these quotes:

- Explore, Live & Share your moments, it’s so much

more fun with others!!

- Ask yourself everyday, how bright and long can your

star shine?

- I will be the best I can be in any single moment in

time"

Thank-you so much for your time Amanda, it has been truly fabulous chatting with you