Sports

NVL newcomers part three – Telford

Published

6 months ago

June 26, 2025

In the third of a summer series of articles on the new teams who will join the NVL for the 2025-26 season, Volleyball England runs the rule over Telford men, who will take a place in Division 3 Central.

Year formed: 1973.

NVL Coach: Patrick Samsom.

Social media handles: Telford Volleyball Club (Facebook), @telfordvolleyballclub (Instagram), @telfordvolleyballclub (TikTok)

Telford gave notice of their ability to compete at national level last season when they enjoyed a successful campaign in the National Shield.

In September, they claimed an impressive 3-0 success (25-15, 25-20, 25-22) over fellow West Midlanders Tamworth Spartans 2 at the Last 64 stage.

Next, in November, they continued their run against another NVL Division 3 Central side in the shape of Darkstar Derbyshire 2, this time coming through in four sets in the Last 32 clash (25-22, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19).

That took their campaign into the New Year where they next faced Nottingham Rockets at the David Ross Sports Centre in January, bidding for a hat-trick of victories against teams from the same league.

Things started well as the visitors took the first set, but the Rockets came back strongly to take the next three (13-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-11). It soon became clear that there was no disgrace in that Last 16 exit as their opponents went on to win the league title without losing a game.

Those performances will certainly have given Telford confidence they can hold their own when they begin their 2025-26 season in the NVL – and the club has already made preparations ready for it when playing their 2024-25 campaign in the West Midlands Volleyball League.

“We had a good, strong start to the season in WMVL Division 1 and, with a secure place in the table, we took the the decision was made to transition and give more court time to the juniors in preparation for their transition into the NVL squad,” said Anna Mottershaw, the club’s Fixtures and Training Rota Secretary and Junior Development Officer.

“That obviously impacted the teams predicted overall position in the league, but proved very useful for both the young players and the coach to plan their progression.

“We are particular looking forward to returning to the NVL after a previous spell in it as it will enable us to compete consistently at a higher level.

“For this first season back, competing at this level whilst putting some wins under our belts will be the aim.

“Alongside that, we want to give our club members the opportunity to play at a higher level – as well as give players from across the club a goal for their own personal volleyball journey.”

Telford last played in the national set-up in the 2019-20 season, while their men last took part in the 2002-03 campaign, winning Division 3.

However, player retirement, a drop in numbers and a lack of a junior club eventually led to the withdrawal of both teams, not helped in the case of the women’s side by the onset of Covid-19.

But now Telford have worked hard to make their player pool wider by focusing in on their junior system and ensuring there is a strong conveyor belt of talent coming through.

They have recognised that developing their own is likely to be key to success, with Anna (née Perkins), along with husband and Club Chair Kevin, leading the way.

They were both pupils at Phoenix Secondary School in Telford where the club was founded by teachers Trevor Knowles and William (Bill) and have remained active members of the club since first getting involved.

Anna said: “To progress our club, we want to be able to offer a wide range of volleyball from juniors upwards, as well as having a fully homegrown NVL team in the future.

“As with all clubs post-Covid 19, we saw an influx of players with the introduction of the cartoon series Haikyu… with it our junior section grew and grew.

“In 2015, our junior club consisted of four people and now we regularly have 35. With the increase in numbers also comes more teams, coaches, sports hall availability and equipment.

“But all of these have enabled us to offer a full range of volleyball, re-enter the NVL and make sure that our teams are made up of homegrown talent.

“With a thriving junior section, we are now able to have two ladies teams and currently three men’s teams, all of which represent the club in the same league but in different divisions.”

Another challenge in the not-too-distant past saw the club forced to move from its roots in 2013 when the old school closed.

It was then that the club changed its name to Telford Volleyball Club, planting its roots at Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT).

The move has proven successful, with coaches giving their time to coach the college team whilst at the same time recruiting new players, ensuring a strong club – college partnership.

For the 2025-26 NVL season, Coach Patrick Samsom will be looking to two key players to lead from the front.

Telford will go up against the likes of Coventry and Warwick Riga 2, Black Country 2, Sheffield 2, Wombourne, Nuneaton Inferno, the two sides they defeated last season – Darkstar Derbyshire 2 and Tamworth Spartans 2 – and fellow newcomers Birmingham City.

“Based on last year’s performances Daniel Searle and Patryk Piecuch are going to be important for us as we settle in,” he said.

“They out together so many beautiful combinations and I could see straight away when one wasn’t there.

“Patryk is probably the best Libero in the West Midlands competition so it’s great to have him in our team.

“The combinations Daniel lets the attackers run is amazing and he reads the game quite well too.”

Find out more about the NVL by clicking here.

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