England U18 and U20 National Team Head Coaches named 

They will take charge of the four junior cohorts, while the U22 teams sit under the Senior programmes.  

The U20 men will be led by Sam Shenton (Newcastle Knights, pictured below), who is coming off leading the U19 men to silver at NEVZA in October.  

He will carry on heading up the older male cohort and said: “Over the past three years we have made clear progress with the England U20/U19 Men, improving our NEVZA finish by one place each season, recently finishing second.  

“In terms of profile, we match the Nordic teams, but their players benefit from consistent high-level competition and structured strength and conditioning.  

“Joel Brannigan’s recent S&C material is essential for our pathway because this is one of the areas where the performance gap emerges.  

“Our priority now is to give players regular exposure to stronger competition, whether through domestic cups and leagues or additional international fixtures. 

“Development and high-intensity match experience are still where we lag behind, but the new Super Series and the work from junior club coaches are already driving up the physical, technical and tactical standards across the pathway.  

“As the age group changes, it will make a meaningful difference. It will require a clearer structure for U22-eligible athletes and should push the Super League to introduce rules that guarantee real opportunities for young English players in squads and on court.  

“Without this shift, domestic athletes will continue to struggle to reach the level expected internationally.” 

The U20 women will be taken by Darren Lewis (The Boswells School, pictured above), who returns to leading the older junior female cohort after having worked with the U22 Women in European qualification over the summer.  

“I am very much looking forward to working with the U20 group. starting in December,” he said. “The programme is now moving to Loughborough University, which is exciting in itself and the sporting legacy that comes with such a great University. 

“I think we have a great platform not only to train in better facilities, but also to create and build a culture of sporting excellence there. The priority for this cycle is to compete and qualify at next year’s NEVZA, which is the first round of the Europeans. 

“We have some great opportunities next year to grow as a team and we are planning a trip to Europe in February, then the global challenge in Croatia in July. 

“With the newly-formed U22 team, it’s also a priority to get these athletes ready for that programme too, and the senior volleyball academies. I look forward to meeting the athletes and the newly appointed staff.” 

Ryan Murphy (Richmond/Watford, pictured top) will look to put his stamp on things with the U18 men.  

He recently successfully completed his FIVB Level 2 award and returns to national team coaching after a hiatus.  

Murphy said: “I’m extremely proud and excited to take on the responsibility of England U18 Men’s Head Coach.”  

“It is an honour to represent our country and support the next generation of players and I look forward to building on the excellent work carried out by Keith Trenam.  

“We continue to see a significant increase in the number of talented athletes progressing through our junior pathway, a testament to the hard work and commitment of club coaches across the country.  

“This, coupled with the ongoing development of our domestic competitions, creates a strong and exciting environment for young players to grow.  

“I am committed to supporting our athletes to become more autonomous and adaptable, and to helping them build the confidence required to meet the demands of international volleyball.  

“I’m looking forward to collaborating with Talent Pathway coaches and Volleyball England, with the common goal of providing our athletes with the most meaningful opportunities to challenge themselves on the international stage.”