They were at the top, but disappeared from the PlusLiga map. Strong words about the fate of AZS Częstochowa

It is difficult to find a more clear example of how a club fighting for the highest goals can disappear from the nationwide club map. The history of the volleyball team AZS Częstochowa, every time it is recalled, evokes extreme emotions. Some talk about an organizational and financial disaster, others look for something like a conspiracy. The fact is, however, that there is no point in looking for a six-time Polish champion at a high level.

Ryszard Bosek spoke out about the meltdown of AZS Częstochowa

One of the figures who publicly refers to what happened to the volleyball legend at Jasna Góra is Ryszard Bosek. World champion (1974) and Olympic gold medalist (1976), after finishing his rich sports career, he became, among others, director of the Częstochowa club.

Bosek admits that there were apparently few people in Częstochowa who actually cared about saving AZS. Let us add that after years of increasing problems, the Częstochowa team did not join the 2019/20 league season.

– Everything was certainly done to prevent AZS from getting back on its feet. Maybe someone wanted to take over the club? We won’t find out today. The city certainly didn’t help the club. Speedway was also in a difficult situation at that time, but they received help. The new company received a subsidy in an amount that would allow us to remain in the middle of the PlusLiga table. We don’t want to envy Włókniarz, but it happened in a strange way. The division of the money was determined by non-sports considerations, which we did not even fully understand – we read Bosek’s words in an interview with “Przegląd Sportowy” and Onet.

Let us add that currently there is also a club called Eco-Team AZS Stoelzle Częstochowa. This is an association that was founded in 2013 to fill the gap in youth support at the senior AZS. In addition to youth competitions, the club plays young volleyball players at the second league level. This is a commendable initiative, but completely separate from what happened with the struggling club years ago, among others. with Mostostal Kędzierzyn-Koźle for the Polish championship.

Currently, Kędzierzyn-based Grupa Azoty ZAKSA (formerly Mostostal) is playing for the highest goals in the PlusLiga, winning the European Cup three times in a row. AZS is a memory of beautiful sentiments from the bursting at the seams Polonia hall in Częstochowa and a sad end to this story.

Norwid from Częstochowa, the successor of the legend?

Exact Systems Hemarpol Norwid Częstochowa is hope for better times for volleyball near Jasna Góra. The Częstochowa team quite surprisingly advanced to the PlusLiga, without being mentioned among the favorites to be in the elite. However, coach Leszek Hudziak’s team was more than successful in this feat and the club from Częstochowa will certainly want to achieve as much as possible in its debut season.

We recently announced that Łukasz Żygadło became the director of the PlusLiga newcomer. There are many famous faces associated with Częstochowa volleyball, including those from the very top. In addition, Częstochowa also has a solid sports facility, a hall at Żużlowa Street, which certainly meets the requirements of a large volleyball team.

We can only hope that the city near Jasna Góra will once again host the fight for the highest goals, both domestic and, in the future, international ones. And who knows, maybe there will even be room for two solid clubs in the longer term, including a derby match at the PlusLiga level.