Much like Zaksa is doing, PlusLiga’s Onico Warszawa is eagerly fixing up its roster for the 2018-19 season. The club has just announced in its official website that it has extended the contracts of two of its starters: Bartosz Kwolek and Antoine Brizard.
Kwolek signed for the next two years. His current season with the club has been very successfull, ranking as one of the best of PlusLiga’s receivers. He is one of the most promising Polish youth players, having won the the 2015 and 2017 FIVB Men’s U19 (MVP) and U21 (Best Outside Hitter) World Championships, respectively.
Here is what Onico’s sports director, Pawel Zagumny, had to say of the extension:
“We are very happy with Kwolek’s new contract. He is one of the hopes of Polish volleyball, still very young, but with experience and successes in international competitions. This season he is the offensive power of ONICO, but we all know that he can afford to be even more. We hope that he will contribute to the successes of the club. The new agreement is also a signal that we think long term in Warsaw, and the project called “ONICO Warsaw” is gaining momentum.”
Likewise, Kwolek was thrilled with the extension:
“I am very happy that ONICO has offered me a contract for the next two years. I am happy to work with my coach, I can see how the whole club is developing and I hope to grow with it. Not so long ago I kept saying that I would not like to live in Warsaw, but I really liked this city and changed my mind. In the vision of the club there is a place for me and I hope that during these two years I will help it fight for the best results. I always have the same individual goal – to improve my skills, to be a better volleyball player and to work on elements in which I still have a lot to improve. As for the team – I think that we will be playing for the Polish championship. At the moment, we’re contenders, and I think that in two years we will be able to achieve this goal.”
Meanwhile, Brizard also extended his contract for two more years. The young Frenchman is one of PlusLiga’s best setters. Internationally, he won the 2017 FIVB World League with the French national team. Here is what Pawel Zagumny had to say of his signing:
“Antoine is one of the discoveries of this season, his transfer proved to be the rightshot. He quickly acclimatized in Warsaw and even though he did not have the opportunity to work with the team for the whole preparatory period, he blended well with the team. Brizard is now a key figure of ONICO, a representative of the country and we are happy that he will stay with us for the next two seasons.”
The player, likewise, was also very satisfied with the news:
“Of course! I am very happy with my time here so far, I feel great in this team. It seems to me that I fit into the team, I feel confident in it, which is why I am happy that I will spend two more years in Warsaw. ONICO Warsaw is a big project – I believe in its success and I want to be a part of it. I hope that during these two years we will be able to fully implement all the assumptions. Definitely! I was expecting good time, but I did not think it would be that good. Stephane Antiga is a great coach, I’m delighted with how he works with the team. I also get along very well with my teammates. At the moment our trainings bring effects, we understand each other well. Everything looks as it should. We like Warsaw very much. The fact that we live well here also influenced the decision to extend the contract. Together, we discussed this proposal, but no one had any doubts. It’s perfect, we stay. I’m still a young player, but I have big ambitions. I want to grow and become better and better. The beginning of the season was quite difficult. I joined the team only in September, so I had to find my place in the team quickly. Now I feel definitely more confident. I hope that I will be able to improve my skills and successfully lead our game.”
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