Faig Garayev, head coach of Azerbaijan’s women’s national volleyball team, has reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to working in the women’s game, describing it as a career choice he has “never regretted”, İdman.Biz reports.
Speaking at the first-ever Coaches Forum in Azerbaijan during a panel discussion titled The role of the head coach: leader, educator or manager, the experienced coach looked back on the achievements he has shared with his players on the international stage.
“I have always worked with women volleyball players and I have never regretted it,” Garayev said. “We achieved these successes together. We competed at World and European level tournaments. I have had the opportunity to work with both local and foreign players”.
Garayev, who has been a central figure in Azerbaijani women’s volleyball for many years, used the platform to offer advice to younger colleagues in attendance. “I would tell young coaches here that we should focus only on the athlete’s preparation and not interfere in their personal lives,” he noted. “No matter how much experience we have, we must continue attending international seminars and learning new methods”.
The veteran coach also highlighted the specific challenges of working in women’s sport. “We have developed star volleyball players,” he said. “But at the same time, we have lost 20 to 30 talented athletes. Some stepped away from sport because of family or other personal reasons”.
Garayev stressed that coaches must also maintain their own physical condition. “Otherwise it is very difficult to achieve high results,” he explained. “Another important point is that training must be interesting. Both the coach and the athlete should enjoy the sessions. If not, the player will not want to come to training and will try to avoid it. This applies not only to volleyball but to all sports”.
The Coaches Forum brought together leading figures from across Azerbaijani sport and served as a platform to discuss leadership, professional development and the evolving demands placed on modern coaches.
