While indoor and beach volleyball coaching roles differ significantly, both share the fundamental responsibility for a team`s success. This `Secrets of Coaching Success` series aims to offer fans deeper insights into effective coaching, directly from some of Europe`s most distinguished coaches in both volleyball disciplines.
In this seventh installment, we interview Norway`s Jetmund Berntsen, one of the world`s most successful beach volleyball coaches. He is the coach behind the renowned `Beachvolley Vikings,` including the top-ranked men`s duo, Olympic, World, and four-time European champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum. Berntsen also guided the Norwegian men’s national team to victory at the CEV Beachvolley Nations Cup in Vienna last year. Below is the full interview.
What prompted you to become a beach volleyball coach?
Growing up, I was drawn to all ball sports, playing football in summer and volleyball in winter, alongside various other activities. My hometown of Naustdal, where I lived until 1993, boasted a powerful women`s team, Tambarskjelvar, which included my sister Merita and several national players. Nearby Forde also had a top men`s team with professional athletes. This environment allowed me to experience and play high-level volleyball from a very early age, starting organized training at seven. I began playing beach volleyball in the summers from 1990. Later, I was on the national indoor team with Jan Kvalheim, Norway`s first World Tour winner in 1994. My sister`s relationship with my national team coach and beach volleyball partner, Kare Mol, who pursued the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, further fueled my passion. Kare`s influence was a significant inspiration for my coaching interest, and since then, indoor and beach volleyball have been central to my life.
Volleyball has always been my way of life. My lifelong ambition has been to make a living from the sport, not necessarily as a player, but by working with athletes of all ages – children, youth, or adults. Even while playing at Norway`s highest level, I consistently coached younger teams. I find immense satisfaction in mentoring young talent, which led me to spend five years at Toppvolley Norge. I highly recommend this school to any coach for its unique culture, extensive knowledge, inspiring atmosphere, and passionate people.
Tell us the fairy-tale story of the Beachvolley Vikings.
Kare and I had children around the same time, leading to us spending a lot of time together. This closeness allowed me to observe his methods, engage in meaningful discussions, and experiment with ideas early in my coaching career. From 1999 to 2014, I attended the World Tour in Stavanger annually. I vividly recall Anders (Mol), at just 12 years old during the 2009 World Championship in Stavanger, declaring his ambition to be the youngest player ever to compete in a World Tour Grand Slam. True to his word, in 2014, Anders and Mathias (Berntsen), then 16 and 18 respectively, became the youngest team to qualify for a Grand Slam main draw in Stavanger. They also secured a spot in the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, and the following year, they triumphed at the 2015 U20 European Championship in Larnaca.
This marked the beginning of their extraordinary journey. We had a cohort of exceptionally talented young players and experienced coaches. Concurrently, the senior national team faced challenges, failing to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. With our young athletes completing their studies at ToppVolley Norge, a premier volleyball school, it was imperative to provide them with the best possible development program. Thus, we formed the `Beachvolley Vikings.` We recognized the unique potential within this group, initially comprising Anders, Mathias, and Christian (Sorum). Our fourth player, Hendrik, was completing his indoor season in Hawaii. Our primary objective was to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
During 2016 and 2017, we experimented with various team compositions to identify the most effective pairing. This proved challenging due to everyone`s strong performance. We earned medals at youth championships and qualified for elite World Tour events with different combinations, making the selection of a permanent future team difficult. Ultimately, we concluded that Anders and Christian were the optimal duo. Their exceptional chemistry and shared understanding of the game were undeniable. Looking back years later, their achievements—and how they`ve elevated beach volleyball to unprecedented heights—are truly astonishing, even to us.
While winning nearly every major title from 2018 to 2022 has been incredible, my most cherished memory remains our first World Tour victory at the Gstaad five-star in 2018. It was a triumph for a small Norwegian team – just two players and a coach – over the global elite. I distinctly remember kissing Nika Fleiss, who was seated beside me, after the final match point; it was an “out-of-body experience”! I also won`t forget Christian`s crucial defense on match point against Gibb & Crabb in the semifinals of that same tournament. Even their coach, Rich Lambourne, was convinced they had won! It was an incredibly emotional tournament that instilled in us the belief that we could achieve anything.
What was it like coaching a team to heights such as Olympic, world and European titles? How recognizable did this coaching success make you in Norway? No doubt, Anders and Christian are celebrities, but are you?
Being part of a high-performing, title-winning team is always a fantastic experience. The past four years have been an incredible journey for all the `Beachvolley Vikings` and our staff. Within the Norwegian volleyball community, we are well-recognized, and our team`s successes have sparked broader public interest. However, winter sports and football dominate Norwegian media coverage, a deeply ingrained tradition that is difficult to shift. Even in sports like tennis and golf, where Norway boasts top-10 athletes globally, cross-country skiers and ski jumpers remain the national `superheroes.` Despite this, we are committed to working tirelessly every day to promote the growth of our sport, hoping that one day it will gain wider recognition.
Unlike indoor volleyball, coaching during beach volleyball matches is generally not allowed. What is the reasoning behind this rule and would you change it?
I am unaware of the specific reasons for this rule, and personally, I don`t see a critical need to change it. Often, excessive coaching can be counterproductive, not necessarily improving team performance or the game`s quality. We`ve always considered beach volleyball to be fundamentally a technical and mental sport where tactics alone don`t guarantee victory. What I find most captivating about beach volleyball are the constant shifts in momentum during a match and how players adapt to them—that`s the sport`s true charm and beauty for me. I anticipate coaches will have a more integrated role in the future, but I believe limiting direct coaching to time-outs and between sets would be an effective and beneficial compromise.
Because of that rule, beach volleyball coaches are hardly ever in the media spotlight and generally unknown to the wide public. Is this good or bad for the sport?
It`s difficult to say definitively. Perhaps having coaches visible on the sidelines would enhance the sport`s professional image. This has been a long-standing debate, with many countries advocating for greater coach involvement. Allowing coaches to interact during time-outs and between sets could provide additional insights for fans and media. While this might benefit the sport in some ways, I also believe it could detract from the unique dynamic of the game. However, as I mentioned, restricting coaching to time-outs and between sets seems like a sensible approach that everyone could support.
