The 2025 National Youth Volleyball Tournament has ended with the championship for the Information Youth - Northeast team.
The most moving image in the final of this year's tournament is not in the decisive blow or celebration after winning the championship, but the moment the coach Nguyen Trong Linh bleeds nose on the border. A small incident but reflects the stresses and intensity of the tension that this military leader suppresses throughout the tournament.
Talking to Lao Dong, coach Trong Linh expressed: "The Information - Northeast youth team entered the 2025 national youth tournament with a lot of pressure.
Both teachers and students clearly understand their responsibility towards the team because for the past 5 years, the Information Corps youth volleyball tournament has not won the national youth tournament.
In addition, this is the year to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the club's founding. The youth team also has a lot of pressure.
Team 1 is in the process of recovering their strength, so they always receive a lot of expectations. Since the quarter-finals, the team has met many strong opponents.
My students have always fought. Therefore, the championship is an affirmation that they have surpassed their own threshold with this tournament".
For coach Nguyen Trong Linh, the 2025 National Youth Championship has a special meaning, because this is a tournament that brings together all the big names in youth volleyball.
In addition, in a special year for the club, he and the team overcame their "thirst" for titles to bring home the championship.
This championship is the first title for coach Nguyen Trong Linh in the national youth tournament since he was assigned to lead the youth volleyball team of the Information Corps.
Previously, in 2024, Mr. Linh and the military youth team won two tournaments, the Youth Club and U23 National tournament.
Therefore, the 2025 National Youth Championship is an emotional victory, built with the efforts of the team and especially the enthusiasm of the quiet but persistent captain.
Since the quarter-finals, the Information - Northeast youth team has continuously met tough opponents such as Hanoi, Bac Ninh and Tre VTV Binh Dien Long An - a team with many excellent individuals and the defending champion of the tournament before the final match.
The matches always last until the final sets, where physical strength, courage and steely spirit become the decisive factors.
And in all those tense moments, the TV camera recorded the image of coach Nguyen Trong Linh always appearing to stand by his students, not hesitating to take a towel, supporting them in examining their sweat during breaks, encouraging them with eyes, nodding their heads or a few short instructions.
"We are under pressure not only because of our 5-year winless record, but also because I want them to mature from this tournament, no matter the result.
I am proud of my students. Youth training for youth volleyball is a difficult process, requiring perseverance and enthusiasm.
I believe that the 2025 National Youth Championship will be the motivation for the Information Corps youth volleyball to develop strongly and be ready to next up to the first team in the future," coach Nguyen Trong Linh shared.
The passion for the job of the coach born in 1982 is still burning. He did not choose to make an impression with strong statements or ostentatious tactics, but chose to quietly sow confidence, nurture courage and light up the fighting spirit of the younger generations of athletes - the pre-recent generation of Vietnamese women's volleyball.
