Nov. 22, 2024: Head coach Tuomas Sammelvuo has announced his departure as head coach of the senior men’s program.

"It is with a heavy heart that I’ve made the decision to step down as head coach of Team Canada," said Sammelvuo. He and his wife welcomed a new baby into their family last month, which precipitated the decision.

Sammelvuo thanked the players and staff for their dedication to improvement since he took over the program.

“We’ve had two great years together… you have been a fantastic team to coach. I never needed to coach attitude or energy levels. That's why it was so great to be in the gym with this team. Wins and losses fade away, but relationships last forever, and that’s what made this decision so difficult.”

Sammelvuo was named the men’s team head coach in 2022, and quickly helped the team in its bid to qualify for Paris 2024, coming second in its pool at the Qualification Tournament in 2023. Canada finished 10th overall at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The team also progressed to the VNL final stage (quarterfinals) in 2024. 

"Tuomas demonstrated great leadership and passion for Team Canada during in his time with the senior program," said Julien Boucher, Volleyball Canada’s high-performance director (indoor). "He worked very hard on and off the court, showing the players what was possible and succeeding in guiding the men’s team to its third Olympic Games in a row. We wish him the best as he takes this time to be closer to his family."

Originally from Finland, he is currently the head coach of the Polish professional team, Asseco Resovia. Sammelvuo was previously the head coach of the Finnish national team and led Russia to 2019 Volleyball Nations League gold and a silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Volleyball Canada will begin the process of hiring a replacement immediately.

Photo: Volleyball World

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