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SILVANO PRANDIBorn: November 13, 1947 in San Benedetto Belbo, Italy
Enshrined: 2023 Country: Italy Category: Coach |
BIOGRAPHY
It may be hard to believe now, but Italy was not always a men’s volleyball powerhouse. The Italians finished eighth in the 1976 Olympics and ninth in the boycott-affected 1980 Moscow Games. But all of that was before Silvano Prandi came on the scene.
In 1982 Prandi took the helm of the Italian men’s national team and two years later, in Los Angeles, the “Bel Paese” won their first Olympic medal, a bronze.
This is perhaps the most highly-visible accolade for Prandi, also a distinguished club coach, but certainly not the only one.
Starting with the sport at age 14 and becoming a student of the game by watching older player’s practicing at age 16, Prandi excelled as a player before his coaching career started. But he always had that coaching mindset. He was thrown into practice situations that challenged his skill and way of thinking. Initially studying to be a chemist, Prandi switched to exercise science in order to learn how to be a better coach. He chose to do his military service at a military school to learn how to manage people. He was a setter with some of the top clubs in Italy, but once his playing career was over, he transitioned into his passion: coaching and teaching.
Early in his days on the sidelines, Prandi was given the nickname “Il Professore,” because of his background teaching physical education in state schools. The nickname stuck, and for good reason. He was able to make a connection with all of his talented players and get them to work together for sustained success, not an easy feat.
Prandi’s 47-year coaching career began with the Bistefani Torino Club in 1976. He remained there through 1987, with brief intermissions for coaching the Italian national team, including the Olympic bronze in 1984.
From 1988, Prandi put his imprint on many of the top Italian clubs with players whose names top the record books. In 2008 Prandi was recruited to coach the Bulgarian national team, where he remained through 2010. Under his leadership the Bulgarians took home a bronze medal in the 2009 European Championships, one of the best finishes the country has ever had in a continental or world competition. He also returned briefly as Bulgaria’s coach from 2019-2021.
Despite the success on the international level Prandi enjoys coaching his club teams more – noting “In clubs you train for more time and you have a greater impact on the growth of players.”
Prandi’s influence is so pronounced in the sport that no fewer than 10 of the players he coached have been previously inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, including some of the biggest names in the history of the sport. He is the sixth Italian to be inducted and only the second coach from the country, joining Julio Velasco.
For his contributions to the advancement of the coaching profession and his success on the sidelines, we are proud to induct Silvano Prandi from Italy, Coach, to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.
In 1982 Prandi took the helm of the Italian men’s national team and two years later, in Los Angeles, the “Bel Paese” won their first Olympic medal, a bronze.
This is perhaps the most highly-visible accolade for Prandi, also a distinguished club coach, but certainly not the only one.
Starting with the sport at age 14 and becoming a student of the game by watching older player’s practicing at age 16, Prandi excelled as a player before his coaching career started. But he always had that coaching mindset. He was thrown into practice situations that challenged his skill and way of thinking. Initially studying to be a chemist, Prandi switched to exercise science in order to learn how to be a better coach. He chose to do his military service at a military school to learn how to manage people. He was a setter with some of the top clubs in Italy, but once his playing career was over, he transitioned into his passion: coaching and teaching.
Early in his days on the sidelines, Prandi was given the nickname “Il Professore,” because of his background teaching physical education in state schools. The nickname stuck, and for good reason. He was able to make a connection with all of his talented players and get them to work together for sustained success, not an easy feat.
Prandi’s 47-year coaching career began with the Bistefani Torino Club in 1976. He remained there through 1987, with brief intermissions for coaching the Italian national team, including the Olympic bronze in 1984.
From 1988, Prandi put his imprint on many of the top Italian clubs with players whose names top the record books. In 2008 Prandi was recruited to coach the Bulgarian national team, where he remained through 2010. Under his leadership the Bulgarians took home a bronze medal in the 2009 European Championships, one of the best finishes the country has ever had in a continental or world competition. He also returned briefly as Bulgaria’s coach from 2019-2021.
Despite the success on the international level Prandi enjoys coaching his club teams more – noting “In clubs you train for more time and you have a greater impact on the growth of players.”
Prandi’s influence is so pronounced in the sport that no fewer than 10 of the players he coached have been previously inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, including some of the biggest names in the history of the sport. He is the sixth Italian to be inducted and only the second coach from the country, joining Julio Velasco.
For his contributions to the advancement of the coaching profession and his success on the sidelines, we are proud to induct Silvano Prandi from Italy, Coach, to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.
