Lausanne, Switzerland, April 30, 2019 – Joel Banks has taken over as Finland’s men’s coach for the next two and a half years. He is currently finishing up his duties in charge of Greenyard Maaseik in the Belgian league and will take over Finland once the domestic season ends.
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Banks will continue his new role alongside his current one as his contract with Maaseik runs for another season.
His first major job in his new position will be to lead his team when they compete in the FIVB Volleyball Intercontinental Olympic Qualification Tournament. Finland are in Pool F in China, where they will face the host nation, Canada and Argentina from August 9 to 11. Pool winners will join hosts Japan in the volleyball competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“This is a big step for me and my motivation is extremely high,” Banks said. “I am very interested in combining the role of club coach with one of a national team.
“At this moment I do not know very much of the Finnish team, but I have seen the Finnish national team playing and many of their players in the Belgian league.”
Former England international Banks is on course for a second consecutive Belgian title and he also won a Dutch title with Langhenkel Volley Orion in 2012, the same year he was on Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s coaching team at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Since then he has juggled his club coaching duties with responsibility for a number of Belgium’s age-group teams.
“Finland has a strong team and my job is to lift the team and the players to the next level,” Banks added. “My way to coach is to work hard and give a lot to my team and players. I want them to be the best version of themselves they can be. Together we must find the best way to play for this team.”
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