Sitting Men Player Profiles
Rakesh Maisuria
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 37 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I play amputee football for Spurs. Sitting Volleyball were looking for amputees to bring into the sport, so tried it and liked it so much I carried on. |
| What is your dominant position? | Defense |
| What is your disability? | Right through hip amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Fellow GB Player Robbie Barrett |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Hitting |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Too early to say… |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To be selected and perform well for Team GB at London 2012 |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | Doing the 'double'. 2008-2009 Pan Disability League & Cup Winners with Spurs amputee football. |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Rob Richardson
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 27 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | 2007 European Championships Vs Latvia |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | Invited to a launch event in 2006 |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter |
| What is your disability? | Single leg below knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Invited to a launch event in 2006 |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Faster paced than standing game |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Represented GB in 2009 European Championships |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To be a part of the squad competing at London 2012 and to win a medal |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | |
| Any individual Sponsors? | Whittawer-clothing company specialinsing in sport and leisure |
Anton Raimondo
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 31 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | 2009 European Championships |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I wanted to play a team sport in my local area of Tower Hill. After investigating a number of sports, I joined and was welcomed by the East London Lynx club, conveniently just down the road from me. |
| What is your dominant position? | Hitter |
| What is your disability? | Left through knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Through the London Strategic Sport Development Team |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The fun in playing a team sport, the challenge and personal development through playing at international competitions |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Participating in a tournament in Croatia and playing my first ever match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, ranked 2nd in the world. |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To represent GB in an international competition |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I am an entrepreneur, involved in property and developing new digital news products. |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Kelvin Daniels
| Hometown: | Oxted, Surrey |
| Age: | 39 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | January 2009 (Volleer Holland) |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | At 2008 Amputee Games |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter/Libero |
| What is your disability? | Above knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | At 2008 Amputee Games |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The fitnees, team sport and competition |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Playing for Great Britain in the Volleer tournament and playing against China at the Canterbury tournament |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To play for Team GB in London 2012 |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I enjoy fishing, mortorbikes and quad bikes |
| Any individual Sponsors? | Tandridge Leisure Ltd at Tandridge Leisure Centre,
Personal trainer Richard Grange |
Muzaffar Jabber
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 40 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | A friend took me along to a session |
| What is your dominant position? | Hitter |
| What is your disability? | Amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Through a friend |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Playing as a team |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Competing at the 2009 European Championships |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To help people with a disability and develop sitting volleyball |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Robbie Barrett
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 52 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | September 2007 Vs Latvia |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | A friend asked me to help out at a disable volleyball event |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter |
| What is your disability? | Below knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Through watching it at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic games where i was competing in pentathlon |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The speed of play, the technical skills needed, working as a team to achieve the ultimate goal of winning |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Being selected to Captain the GB squad at the 2009 European Championships. I also have 2 Paralympic Bronze Medals from Seoul. |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To play in front of my family, friends and a home crowd at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I played rugby for Portsmouth Command as scrum half during my naval career. I continued to play rugby after I lost my leg. My old club, Old Walcoutians, still have one of my old legs suitably booted and socked in the club colours, which they use to initiate new members by drinking a ‘leg of ale’!
I have been snowboarding for 8 years and help new amputees learn to board within the American Wounded Warrior programme in the USA. |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
John Munro
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 36 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | February 2009 |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | 2008 amputee games |
| What is your dominant position? | Outside, Weakside &Middle Hitter |
| What is your disability? | Right below knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | 2008 amputee games |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The camaraderie of belonging to a team and the competition |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Going to Holland as part of the GB team |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To go to the London 2012 Olympics |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I grew up in Australia and came to live in England 8 years ago |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
John Worrall
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 26 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I was introduced to the sport by a school friend who was already part of the GB programme |
| What is your dominant position? | Blocker |
| What is your disability? | I have a deformity of my foot following surgery as a child, partially corrected by the insertion of metal pins to support the ankle |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Through a school friend who was already part of the GB programme |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Being part of a team and knowing that the problem with my foot does not affect my performance |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Being selected to be part of the GB team. |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To play for GB at London 2012 |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I am over a third of the way to completing ‘the 92 clubs’,visiting all 92 English football league grounds |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Andrew Skinner
| Hometown: | Lincoln |
| Age: | 39 |
| Club/Centre: | Lincoln Imps VC & London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | Januray 2009 Vs Holland |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | Via a British Paralympic Association (BPA) Cluster Session. |
| What is your dominant position? | Blocker |
| What is your disability? | Above knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Via the BPA |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Everything |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Being selected for Team GB |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To reach 2012 and continue playing after |
| Any other interesting facts about you? |
Preparing to climb Mount Kilamanjaro in October 2010 |
| Any individual Sponsors? | LA Fitness, Kimeera, Gardner & Collis |
Asghar Nasimi
| Hometown: | London |
| Age: | 22 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | Through East London Lynx VC |
| What is your dominant position? | |
| What is your disability? | Polio |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | It is a group sport and fun to play |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | I went to the European Championships |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To get better and better for London 2012 |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | As a disabled person i like getting involved with sports. I also go to university |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Charlie Walker
| Hometown: | Aylesbury |
| Age: | 29 |
| Club/Centre: | Surrey Sitting Volleyball |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I attended the Amputee Games |
| What is your dominant position? | Middle Blocker |
| What is your disability? | Double below knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I attended the Amputee Games |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | It is a very active sport that requires a high skill level. It is good to play as a team |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To represent GB at the Paralympic games and compete for a medal |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | Served in the army 2004-2008 (bomb disposal) |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Justin Philips
| Hometown: | Maidenhead |
| Age: | 19 |
| Club/Centre: | Surrey Sitting Volleyball |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I attended a talent day |
| What is your dominant position? | Hitter |
| What is your disability? | Double Amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I attended a talent day |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | It is very enjoyable to play and is a sport I want to learn more about. |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Playing for Great Britain |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To represent GB at London 2012 and for GB to win a gold medal |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I have a hand written letter from Sir Alex Ferguson |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Adam Walker
| Hometown: | Crawley |
| Age: | 30 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I attended a Paralympic Potential Day |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter |
| What is your disability? | M.D. (Left knee in a pole vault accident) |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I attended a Paralympic Potential day |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The team aspect of the game |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To be the fastest with the strongest dedication. To be in the starting 6 at the Paralympic Games |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I run a sports conditioning business and used to be a teacher. |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Glyn Theobald
| Hometown: | Epsom |
| Age: | 42 |
| Club/Centre: | East London Lynx VC |
| GB debut: | November 2009- International 3 match series |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I attended a paralympic potential day |
| What is your dominant position? | |
| What is your disability? | Above knee amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I attended a paralumpic potential day |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The team camaraderie and the training |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To play at the World Championships and the 2012 Paralympic Games |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Russell Young
| Hometown: | Barnstaple |
| Age: | 40 |
| Club/Centre: | Barstaple Volleyball Academy |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I attended a paralympic potential day |
| What is your dominant position? | Blocker |
| What is your disability? | Amputee |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I attended a paralympic potential day |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The team banter |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Being selected to be part of the GB Sitting Volleyball Programme |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To play regularly for Great Britain |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I volunteer for North Devon animal ambulance |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Sam Scott
| Hometown: | Cardiff |
| Age: | 19 |
| Club/Centre: | Wales Sitting Volleyball |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I was invited to try out the sport when the Celtic Dragons were formed in Cardiff. |
| What is your dominant position? | Blocker/Hitter |
| What is your disability? | Spina Bifida |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | I first saw Sitting Volleyball during the Beijing Olympic Games on television. |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | The competitive nature of the game. Playing any sport gives me a big rush. |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Being selected for the 2010 World Cup in Egypt. |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To compete and challenge for medals at London 2012. |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I am a performing singer/songwriter and perform in the bars of Cardiff |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Richard Toulson
| Hometown: | Dumfries |
| Age: | 48 |
| Club/Centre: | Glasgow Mets |
| GB debut: | Iran C Team |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I was looking for a team sport and was put in touch with Sitting Volleyball. |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter |
| What is your disability? | Bilateral above knee amputee. |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Word of mouth |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | Team Dynamics |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Playing at the World Games in Assen |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To make sure the GB team does well in London 2012 |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I am interested in motorcycles and ride a trike |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Ben Hall
| Hometown: | Virginia Water |
| Age: | 24 |
| Club/Centre: | Surrey Sitting Volleyball |
| GB debut: | |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I was introduced by a friend |
| What is your dominant position? | Universal |
| What is your disability? | MD- Knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | Through friends |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | It’s a thinking game. The power play from standing volleyball doesn’t always work, so you’ve got to use your head more. |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Gaining an army qualification |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | To compete in the paralympic games |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | I’m a qualified pilot. My party trick is that I have independent control of my eyelids! |
| Any individual Sponsors? |
Richard Dobell
| Hometown: | Beckenham |
| Age: | 42 |
| Club/Centre: | Kent Wyverns |
| GB debut: | 1st cap for England Vs. Brazil aged 19 (standing) |
| How did you get into sitting volleyball? | I was politely ‘asked’ given the old joints are not what they used to be…. |
| What is your dominant position? | Setter |
| What is your disability? | Ruptured ACL in left knee and arthritic right knee and hip. |
| How did you first find out about sitting volleyball? | First played in 1988 |
| What do you enjoy about sitting volleyball? | It’s a lot quicker and actually more combative given you are closer to your opponents. |
| What is your biggest achievement to date? | Getting through my first training session and its after effects!. |
| What is your ambition in sitting volleyball? | First off, to get used to it and hopefully get selected for the World Cup in Egypt. Then if I survive, London 2012. |
| Any other interesting facts about you? | An ex standing GB/England player with over 160 International caps |
| Any individual Sponsors? |