Biella Volleyball and the Bear Wool Volley Biella Tournament
Our Italian office is back, this time talking volleyball; a double interview with Giusi Cenedese, sporting director at the Scuola di Pallovolo Biellese, and Ezio Germanetti, the creator of the largest youth volleyball tournament in Italy.
Giusi, tell us about Volleyball in Biella.
Well, let me say that I am very proud of our where I come from. Biella is small but has a strong volleyball tradition, with men’s and women’s teams taking part in regional and national championships. We also have a sports association which is formed by all the representatives from all the volleyball clubs in the Biella area that organizes, on a yearly basis, the international tournament called, ‘Bear Wool Volley Biella’.
Back in 2004, there was a real desire to create a tournament for our local boys’ and girls’ teams, so, working with the seven clubs in the Biella area, the ‘Bear Wool Volley’ tournament was born. Why the name? Well, the bear is the symbol of the city of Biella and wool is a symbol of the Piemonte region and the history and importance of the wool sector here.
Ezio, can you tell us a bit about your tournament and how it came about?
That first event in 2004 was really popular and beyond our expectations. We got off to a great start with 36 teams from our region entering the tournament. After such a great beginning, the organizers really wanted to follow up on the tournament and develop it internationally. So, in the years after, teams from Eastern Europe began to arrive, the first was from Belgrade in Serbia, then other teams came from all over the world: from Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Canada, China and Israel. Over the years, the number of teams entering the tournament has more than tripled from 36 teams to 115 in 2020. Girls’ competitions are the most popular with as many as 85 teams entering.
There competitions are organised as follows; u13, u14 and u18 for girls and u14, u16 and u18 for boys. Furthermore, 6 years ago we joined the Unified Sport Project which has opened the door for people with learning difficulties to play the game and we now have a Paralympic competition which had 8 teams enter last time out.
The tournament takes place in the first week of January, over 3 intense days with more than 100 teams play in 21 venues located in 18 towns across the Province of Biella. On day one, we have the group stage, then there are playoffs on day two and finally the finals at the Palaforum in Biella on day three which usually has over 4,000 spectators watching on.
Our event has always been very popular due to the happy atmosphere that you find at all venues. We have an impressive opening ceremony in which all teams take part and which parades through the main streets of Biella, and the matches are played in fantastic sport centers across the region, all of which happily accommodate local and international crowds.
Can you tell us any funny or strange anecdotes about your experiences in all the years of the tournament?
To be honest, some of the funniest memories are mainly from foreign teams that have come to play in the tournament. I will always remember one year, it was January with snow blanketing the city of Biella, yet the Finnish team that had come for the tournament, decided to eat outdoors even though it was minus 2 degrees celsius, and even then, they were outside just wearing shirts and shorts. Canadian teams have always been so enthusiastic about visiting places in our region, and they’re not bothered by the cold either!
Speaking of food and cooking, our Chinese entrants have always given us some very specific requests, one time asking our kitchen to cook what we thought was a strange dish with what we thought was overcooked rice, but actually it was a huge success. The Israeli national team also requested very tight security. Their team was escorted by the police at all times and they demanded security checks in all locations.
Giusi, volleyball is the most played team sport for girls across Italy. Can you tell us why it is so popular?
It seems that Volleyball is a very attractive sport for girls in Italy, perhaps because it combines competition, athletic performance and technique, alongside grace and elegance. It is a sport that doesn’t require physical confrontation with an opponent and where each team must work together on its own side of the court. This means that the girls must support each other and work as a team in order to win. Italian girls seem to love and it and take so much from it.
In addition, female Volleyball matches are hugely popular, they get great crowds, and there’s a special atmosphere at matches, even with the fans of the opposition team. Matches are often incredibly close and for this reason they are televised on national channels. The athletes are also superb role-models, they are incredibly professional and help create a superb example and a positive image of the sport, which in turn, encourages more girls to play.
Teams playing at the Bear Wool Volley Biella’ have a busy couple of days with lots of matches, but for those wishing to extend their stay, and visit Biella and the region, what can you do in the local area?
Our local area has some charming natural parks, hills and mountains where you can go trekking, cycling and skiing. Biella is a charming small town, with lots of art and history to explore. It’s also very easy to get into Milan or Turin, both of which are only 1 hour away. Of course, being in Italy we have some incredible food to sample with superb restaurants and unmissable food, which has always been appreciated by visiting teams.
Find out more by visiting https://bearwoolvolley.it/ (in Italian) or if you're interested in attending, contact us by writing to info@energy-travel.com
