Tuomas Sammelvuo is the new coach of Finland National Team

Sammelvuo which has 36 years and still active playing in Russia for Lokomotiv Novosibirsk - joined the national team for the first time in 1993. He has signed a contract for two years with an option for two more to join forces with the Finnish Volleyball Association whose main goal is to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"It feels great. I am very happy and proud at the same time for being given this opportunity. I want to thank the Finnish Volleyball Association for their trust as they have made an important decision by appointing me to coach the national team" says Sammelvuo, whose professional career started in France in 1997.

The Finnish Volleyball Association had started its investigations this past autumn after Daniel Castellani had decided to leave the group to focus more on his private life.
"Tuomas has ambition, passion and charisma" stresses the Secretary General of the Finnish Volleyball Association, Hanna Iiskola-Kesonen.

Sammelvuo has played Volleyball in Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Poland and Russia. He speaks six languages, is married and has two kids. He is a double national champion in Finland (1995 and 1996) and France (1999 and 2004), a national cup winner in Finland (1994 and 1995) as well as in Italy (2002), France (2005) and Russia (2010) but his most relevant successes on the international arena are the Champions League trophy from 2005 and the CEV Cup he won in 2002. Sammelvuo has played for Finland four times at the final round of the European Champ (1997, 2007, 2009 and 2011).

Teams:
1997-1998 RC Strasbourg (FRA)
1998-2000 Stade Poitevin (FRA)
2000-2002 Piemonte Volley (ITA)
2002-2003 Copra Piacenza (ITA)
2003-2005 Tours VB (FRA)
2005-2006 Gosei Trefuerza (JPN)
2006-2008 Dynamo-Jantar (RUS)
2008-2009 Volley Tonno Callipo (ITA)
2009-2010 Kędzierzyn-Kozle (POL)
2010-2011 Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
2011-2012 San Giustino (ITA)
2012-2013 Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)

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