Iran will unveil a new generation of volleyball players at the 12th Asian Men’s U18 Volleyball Championships to be held in Tabriz, June 29-July 6.
Despite its fourth place in the last year series of the games, Iran is the most decorated team in the continent with seven titles and one runner-up place in its history.
Regarding new rules of the game, teams are placed into groups based on their rank in last years’ championships. Japan, South Korea and China are in Group A; Iran, Taiwan and Thailand in Group B; and Australia, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong in Group C, IRNA reported.
Iran will open the games with Taiwan on Friday and move to its second match against Thailand the next day.
Asian Volleyball Confederation along with Iran Volleyball Federation have organized the biennial international tournament.
The harmony in finding talent shared between U18 team manager Mohammad Vakili and seniors’ team manager Igor Kolakovic has paved the way for the flow of young players to Iran’s main squad.
Vakili has been in charge of the U18 team since April 2014. His hunt for tall players made an improvement of 3.5cm in the average height of the team reaching 198.5cm. It was during the last week of the Volleyball Nations League that Kolakovic benefited from his young roster in defeating Bulgaria, South Korea and Germany at Azadi Stadium. Iran hammered the three rivals in its three final games.
The U18 team has been a supply source of players for the senior squad as the men find their way to the national team. Players such as Javad Karimi, Ali-Asghar Mojarad and Amir-Hossein Tookhteh are among players coming from U18 team to the senior team.
The element of experience would complete their talent in the upcoming events as they progress and play alongside experienced players, namely Milad Ebadipour, Mohammad-Javad Manavinejad, Saeid Marouf, Amir Ghafour, and Mojtaba Mirzajanpour who have played in international games such as the World League and Nations League.
