Joe Campbell has performed volleyball for 12 years, coached for 16 years and has refereed for over 35 years. He was the primary referee within the USA and Pan America zone to turn into concerned with sitting volleyball (1989) and is considered one of solely two referees in World ParaVolley to be chosen to referee in six Paralympic Video games.
From the primary time he stepped on the volleyball referee stand in 1979, Joe has beloved the sport. And that’s from a soccer and baseball fan rising up by no means having adopted volleyball till Japanese strangers requested him to strive the game in 1979 whereas within the U.S. Air Power serving in Japan.
Extra will comply with about the place Joe’s ardour for sitting volleyball got here from, however he began as a world referee from 1992 to 2014 and served because the referee commissioner from 1994 to 2012 – answerable for the recruitment, coaching and official assignments within the Pan American zone. Joe has stepped up every time as a result of he needed to make a distinction within the sport and continues to drive the event of the game on all ranges. Joe grew to become the Pan America zone president in 2012 and has labored for World ParaVolley at numerous worldwide competitions so far within the position of both Referee Delegate, Jury, Assistant Technical Delegate and Technical Delegate.
1 – How did you get entangled in Sitting Volleyball?
In 1989 I used to be dwelling in Las Vegas, Nevada USA. The Worldwide Sports activities of Disabled (ISOD) introduced the sitting and standing World Championships to the USA for the primary time ever. I used to be a really energetic and excessive profiled volleyball official within the Las Vegas space, and I used to be requested to referee these video games. On the conclusion of the video games, I used to be requested by Dr. Radu Rosenthal (VRC Chair) if I wish to proceed to work extra competitions. I shortly agreed as I believed these athletes have been superior.
2 – What’s it that motivates you every day to additional develop our sport?
The enjoyment in watching athletes compete, and to see their development within the sport. I’ve been blessed to be concerned with sitting volleyball for 35 years now, and I’ve watched all of the groups within the Pan America zone develop from grassroots, to be within the prime 5 on the planet… superb! I get a lot pleasure and satisfaction in watching all groups compete on this fantastic sport.
3 – What has been your greatest achievement in Sitting Volleyball so far?
I must say that my greatest achievement has been being the president of the Pan America Zone. After I accepted this place, we had no zonal board, and solely 5 member nations. My focus has been to see the PVPA zone develop with extra member nations. We’ve had as many as 12 member nations, however I need to see us develop to twenty+ members nations. Again within the 1990’s I used to be requested to journey across the USA to talk about sitting volleyball as most individuals had by no means heard of it. It was not solely an honour to do that, however it was additionally emotional as I spoke with athletes direct.
4 – How would you clarify Sitting Volleyball to somebody in 12 phrases or much less?
It’s a quick paced, energetic, difficult, thrilling, aggressive group sport.
5 – What recommendation would you give to somebody eager to develop Sitting Volleyball of their area?
GO FOR IT! That is the recommendation I might give them. Creating sitting volleyball will give so many alternatives to athletes which have a need and dream to play the sport. For any one that is considering creating sitting volleyball, I might not solely encourage them, however I’d share with them that they may very well be the catapult for an athlete to maneuver up and play internationally on the worldwide stage. In my view, the sky’s the restrict in serving to any athlete to pursue taking part in sitting volleyball nationally, regionally, and/or internationally.
6 – The place/how do you see Sitting Volleyball in 10 years’ time?
For all of society to see sitting volleyball as a sport for ALL. Right this moment, many see this sport as just for bodily challenged athletes. I imagine that World ParaVolley is doing an important job in selling the game for ALL. I do know that some international locations have membership groups, and taking part in on these groups are non-challenged athletes. It’s an important difficult sport, and an individual can get a wonderful bodily exercise.
I do know that internationally it is without doubt one of the prime group sports activities within the Paralympic Video games, however I can see it hovering to the highest because the #1 watched sport within the Paralympic Video games.
The ‘Movers & Shakers’ initiative is aimed toward giving extra recognition to those who are creating Sitting Volleyball across the globe.
It may be anybody working within the sport, whether or not they have excelled at selling it, ran a profitable competitors, began a brand new membership/exercise, organised occasions to extend consciousness, influenced individuals for the larger good thing about the game or a mixture of the above.
Please do tell us if you understand of somebody who deserves to be highlighted by e-mailing
volleyslide@worldparavolley.org with the next:
- Full identify
- e-mail deal with
- Nation wherein they primarily work
- A brief justification of why you’re placing them ahead
Their story can even provide others an opportunity for others to study from their good practise and use what works of their space for even larger profit. That is your probability to offer recognition to those that promote and construct the game of sitting volleyball. We stay up for listening to from you.
Earlier Mover & Shakers:
Fernando Guimarães (BRA)
Remazan Zandi Nezami (IRI)
Peter Karreman (NED)
Robinson Tunwesigye (UGA)
Olga & Oleg (ISR)
Isabelle Collot (FRA)
Daniel Lopez (ESP)
Anton Raimondo (RSA)
Nello Calleja (MLT)
Richard Stacey-Chapman (GBR)
Robert Grylak (GER)
Elliot Blake (USA)
Stephane Girodat (FRA)
