Michal Winiarski stepped down as the head coach of the German men's national volleyball team for personal reasons with immediate effect. The German Volleyball Federation (DVV) will hold talks with several candidates in the coming weeks to find a successor.
The 42-year-old Pole had been coaching the German men's team since the beginning of 2022 and extended his contract until 2028 last year. However, he informed the federation and the team about his decision to resign in personal conversations. The deciding factors for his resignation were his desire to have more time for his family and the heavy double burden of combining his job with the German national team with his club duties at Poland’s Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie.
“The last few years with the German national team have been among the most significant and fulfilling of my career – full of passion, development and unforgettable moments with extraordinary people,” said Michal Winiarski, adding that it was “a great honour” to coach the team.
“However, I recently realised that my family needs more of my time and presence,” Winiarski added. “The work in the PlusLiga is very intense, and between the league and the national team, there was hardly any time to catch my breath. On top of that, I had some minor health issues. All of this showed me that it is now time to take a break, recharge my batteries and look ahead with a fresh perspective.”
