CEV Beach Volleyball Supervisor qualification progress for Smith

Volleyball England representative Alex Smith has taken a significant step towards becoming a CEV Beach Volleyball Supervisor by passing the theory exam of her course.

The former England player and coach flew out to Vilnius, Lithuania last month to undertake three days of intense learning. 

As one of the Birmingham 2022 “Game Changers”, a programme designed to enable individuals from the Midlands start a career in sport, Alex entered into sport event management for the first time at the Commonwealth Games.

Her participation on this course to further her career in major international events was supported by B2022 Commonwealth Games legacy funding, sourced by Volleyball England.

The Beach Supervisor Seminar was designed to enhance understanding of competition supervision and management according to the CEV regulatory framework and guidelines. 

The course featured a mix of theoretical lessons and practical exercises, allowing candidates to apply their newly acquired knowledge in real-world scenarios. 

At the end of the seminar, a written exam tested what had been learned and must be passed before the second, practical part of the course can be completed. 

Attended by 13 candidates in all – from a range of countries, including France, Poland, Lithuania, Austria, Croatia, Turkey, Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Czechia, Greece and the Netherlands – it ran alongside one of the Beach Volleyball Nations Cup qualifying competitions. 

“On the course with me were a host of beach volleyball enthusiasts, including two international referees, one currently preparing Paris 2024, and the rest who work in their national federations running multiple international events every year,” said Alex. 

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from my fellow candidates, as well as the incredibly knowledgeable CEV instructors.   

“I’m very pleased and relieved to hear that I have indeed passed the theory exam and now I can progress to the practical assessment where I’ll be the supervisor at an event with a senior supervisor assessing me. 

“It has been confirmed that will be at the CEV U20 Championships in Poland and there will be the added bonus of getting to catch up with England athletes, who I know from my time coaching indoor Junior women.” 

Volleyball England would like to add its congratulations to Alex on passing her theory exam and wish her good luck in the practical assessment.