16 Feb 2023

Obituary: distinguished volunteer and stalwart Ken Edwards

Obituary: distinguished volunteer and stalwart Ken Edwards

We are saddened to announce the passing of long serving volunteer and all-round volleyball and sitting volleyball supporter Ken Edwards.

Ken, known for his vast knowledge and generous nature, put his hand to just about any role imaginable within the sport. He was a player, volunteer, a level three coach and grade 3 referee, held the Competitions Secretary and Vice-Chair positions at the English Volleyball Association, and set up Essex Pirates Sitting Volleyball Club.

He first started playing volleyball around 1970 at Lancaster University. On leaving university two years later, he returned to Essex and attended the inaugural meeting of the Essex Volleyball Association, taking on the role of Treasurer.

In 1973, Ken took on the role of the English Volleyball Association’s Competitions Secretary, a role he held until he became Vice-Chairman in 1980.

Work saw him re-locate to Bedfordshire, where he soon became active in the local community. Not only did he coach a couple of clubs, but he also became Secretary and later Chairperson of the Bedfordshire Volleyball Association.

Shortly before his return to Essex, Ken began playing National League volleyball in Bedfordshire and continued this on his return to Essex, playing for newly formed Chelmsford Partners, where he later became Head Coach and Chairperson.

He also organised junior training camps in Essex, as well as setting up Chelmsford Bears as a juniors team to feed players into the Partners squad and to help grow the sport, with several of the Chelmsford Bears alumni going on to coach the next generation of players around the country.

In more recent times, Ken became involved with sitting volleyball and was instrumental in establishing Essex Pirates who became Tier 2 champions of the Sitting Volleyball Grand Prix in 2012. He was also a major contributor as the GB Men’s and Women’s squads prepared for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Richard Osborne, Head Coach at South Hants Sitting Volleyball Club, said: “Ken wasn’t just an integral part of the sitting volleyball community, in many ways he epitomised it.

“The first time I met Ken, in 2011, I instantly warmed to him. He was quietly spoken, unassuming, but his words resounded with me as a fledgling coach and he always had words of encouragement, which have even more impact today and which I will cherish forever.

“I will miss those catchups in the margins of the Grand Prix or the knowing glance through the net when one of us had made an error. It was a pleasure playing Essex Pirates because our matches with them were always played in the right spirit, that is with honesty, integrity and a healthy dose of friendly rivalry.

Amanda Pollard, who played under Ken at Essex Pirates, said: “He was the man you went to about volleyball. He always knew the answer.” 

Richard added: “Today, I and every member of the sitting volleyball community is joined in sorrow at Ken’s passing but we will remember him with great fondness and respect at the next Grand Prix and well beyond that too. Thank you, Ken, for everything.”