Mende Lozère Volley-Ball returns to the net with a reasonable project

MLVB won the three points of victory and is in first place in the standings. Midi Libre – Sabrina Khenfer

Christian Barthier, amoureux et fidèle serviteur du volley-ball. – Julie Fernandez

The new entity, which replaces the late Mende Volley Lozère, played its first match on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the Piencourt gymnasium, in RMA (Regional Men's Occitanie East). The club hopes to return to National 3 in two years.

Saturday, September 21, at 8 p.m., a small clamor well known to the Mendois began to vibrate again around the Piencourt gymnasium. After being put into receivership and several weeks of uncertainty, the new Mende Volley Lozère, renamed Mende Lozère Volley-Ball, resumed service in front of some 120 spectators.

A nice demonstration of loyalty from a public that has not been discouraged by a now more modest formula: exit League B and the professional world. The first team now officiates at the regional level, while the club, led by its new president Jean-Marie Gras, has regained its amateur status.

The family spirit

“We met with several former players and the desire to rediscover the spirit of fifteen or twenty years ago, that is to say that of a family club, where we have fun playing with friends”, explains Anthony Velay, known as Toto, a historic figure of the club, whose father, Jean-Marie, was one of the founders in 1983. “It's important to remember where we come from. What others have done for me, I wanted to do so as not to leave out all the young people who love volleyball in Lozère."

In his task, Toto was able to count on Ali Kerboua, former captain of the professional team, who arrived at the club ten years ago and is now player-coach of the new team. "Several players who played in N3 last season were motivated to continue, reveals the Algerian international. To complete the team, I sent a few messages and almost everyone responded. For me, who had lived so many beautiful moments with the MVL, it was impossible to let the club disappear like that."

A first easy victory

The team now has a majority of players trained in the early 2010s by the very dedicated Maxime Meunier – the most loyal will remember – and has an average age of around thirty. This team, composed largely of former N3 players, two divisions above the current level, should get by without too much difficulty in this regional championship.

This first round, Saturday, where the MLVB easily won on September 21, against Perpignan Roussillon Volley-Ball 2 (3 sets to 0, 25-12; 25-7; 25-17), is in any case a good omen. “It was a good start despite a lot of stress, confesses Anthony Velay. Even though the opposing team was below par, there was some good play on certain actions and we led the match seriously."

Very different conditions

The club's stated objective: two successive climbs to return to National 3 within two years. “It is entirely achievable if we manage to keep the old players and integrate new players,” continues Toto, who points out that the old squad sadly ended its 2023-2024 season with two withdrawals, a direct consequence of a lack of commitment and assiduity within the group. “This new squad is undoubtedly less strong in sporting terms, especially after the departures of four players, but collectively we are much stronger, because we are more committed and more concerned by the team and the club.”

The new conditions, in fact, are very different from what they were in recent years: “We take our own cars. We pay for our travel, gas, highway, restaurant. We are all volunteers, including the coaches. There is no longer any question of paying outside players.”

Search for sponsors and volunteers

The club does not have any sponsors at the moment but it is actively working on it. Just as it is actively looking for volunteers. “We are very confident, concludes Ali Kerboua.There were many former leaders and volunteers in the audience on Saturday, as well as several community representatives. It was heartwarming. We hope that people will find, or rediscover, the desire to invest themselves alongside us."

The workforce

A. Kerboua (ent), L. Mamende, V. Sybillain, Y. Ben Rhouma, L. Teissier, S. Chabert, Q. Artigas, P. Martin, R. Chabert, C. Margot, A. Velay. Next match this Saturday, September 28, at 8 p.m., in Saint-Estève.

Christian Barthier, forty years in the service of French volleyball

Christian Barthier, one of the founders of Mende Volley Lozère in 1983, and a great lover of this sport, was honored on the sidelines of the match between Mende Lozère Volley-Ball and Perpignan Roussillon Volley-Ball 2, this Saturday, September 21. A gold medal and a diploma from the French federation were indeed awarded to him “in recognition of all the services rendered for the development of French volleyball”.

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