Volleyball

Volleyball first came to the reopened American College in Sofia in 1994, when dedicated and enthusiastic coach Raya Gigova met with ambitious students to create a volleyball team. The first volleyball team consisted of girls only, but soon boys also wanted to join the club. From these modest origins, the volleyball club has become one of the most popular sports at ACS. There are often tournaments against other schools in Sofia in which our school frequently earns prizes and medals. Exciting games and countless practices have developed strong team loyalties and memorable moments that linger in the ACS gym.

The athletes on our current girls volleyball team are distinguished by exceptional general physical qualities, psychological resilience, and enthusiasm. The boys have an unmatched competitive spirit, strong discipline, and great sportsmanship. They devote their time to training and competitions and at the same time excel in their academic duties at the College. The teams are cohesive and united. The captains of the teams are dedicated to their teams and in every way help and support all the players and the whole sports activity in general.

In addition to our varsity-level teams, ACS students enthusiastically participate in the annual intramural tournament. During the intramural competition, varsity-level and non-varsity players compete on mixed teams according to the rules of the tournament.

The Coaches

“I had professional experience, I came from an innovative school for my time. I wanted to start this amazing adventure and it continues to this day.”
- Raya Gigova, the founder of the Volleyball teams at ACS and has been a dedicated coach at ACS since 1994

Valeri Banchev, boys coach, is a professional volleyball trainer and a national champion in Bulgaria for 2020 vice champion 2021, 2025. Mr. Banchev has been working in the College since 2014, and during that time, the boys volleyball team has earned four golds for ACS.

Mark McGivern, girls coach, was born in Glenrothes, Fife, a small town on the east coast of Scotland. He grew up playing football, and would have been a professional football player today if it weren’t for the Scottish weather. One typically rainy school day he decided to get out of the rain and try a different sport - 15 years later he found himself standing on a volleyball court in London competing for Great Britain in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Turns out rain in Scotland wasn’t a bad thing after all.