While indoor and beach volleyball coaching roles differ significantly, their fundamental importance to team success remains constant. To provide fans with deeper insights into what it truly takes to be a triumphant coach, this exclusive interview series, “Secrets of Coaching Success,” features accomplished European coaches from both disciplines, aiming to uncover their invaluable expertise directly from the source.
Jetmund Berntsen celebrates with Anders Mol and Christian Sorum after their triumph at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic final.
This seventh installment of the series spotlights one of the world`s most successful beach volleyball coaches today, Norway’s Jetmund Berntsen. He coaches the formidable Beachvolley Vikings, including the world`s top men`s pair – Olympic, World, and four-time European champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum. Last year, Berntsen also guided the Norwegian men’s national team to victory at the Beachvolley Nations Cup in Vienna. Here is the full interview.
What inspired you to become a beach volleyball coach?
“I was very active growing up, and anything involving a ball was always my favorite. We played football in the summer and volleyball in the winter, alongside many other sports. In Naustdal, my small hometown until 1993, we had a very strong women`s team, Tambarskjelvar, which included my sister Merita and several national team players. The nearby city of Forde also had an excellent men`s team with professional players. This gave me the chance to witness and participate in high-level volleyball from a very young age. I started organized volleyball when I was seven. From 1990, I also began playing beach volleyball during the summers. A few years later, I played on the indoor national team with Jan Kvalheim, who became Norway’s first World Tour winner in 1994. Around the same time, my sister fell in love with Kare Mol, who was my national team coach and beach volleyball partner. They began their journey towards the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Kare greatly inspired my interest in coaching. From then on, my life revolved around indoor and beach volleyball, and it still does…”
“Volleyball and beach volleyball have always been my way of life. From the very beginning, my dream was to make a living from volleyball, not necessarily as a player, but by working with children, youth, or seniors. I consistently coached younger teams, even while playing at the top level in Norway myself. I truly enjoy working with youngsters, which is why I`ve dedicated significant time to Toppvolley Norge over the past five years. I would recommend this school to any coach worldwide. Its culture, knowledge, atmosphere, and people are incredibly energizing.”
Jetmund Berntsen with the Norwegian national team at the Beachvolley Nations Cup 2022 in Vienna.
Could you share the remarkable story of the Beachvolley Vikings?
“Kare and I had children around the same time and spent a lot of time together. This allowed me to observe him closely, engage in valuable discussions, and experiment with ideas early in my coaching career. I attended the World Tour in Stavanger every year from 1999 to 2014. I vividly recall Anders (Mol) telling us during the 2009 World Championship in Stavanger, ‘I will be the youngest player ever to compete at a World Tour Grand Slam event.’ He was only 12 years old then. In 2014, he and Mathias (Berntsen) qualified for the main draw in Stavanger. They were just 16 and 18, making them the youngest team ever to play a Grand Slam. They also qualified for the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, and the following year, they won the 2015 U20 European Championship in Larnaca.”
“The journey had begun. We had a group of exceptionally talented young players, and coaches with extensive experience and knowledge. The senior national team wasn’t performing as well as before and failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. Our young players completed high school (at ToppVolley Norge, which I consider the best volleyball school globally), and we knew we needed to provide them with the best possible program. That’s how we started the Beachvolley Vikings together. We recognized we had something truly special within this group. We initially began with three players: Anders, Mathias, and Christian (Sorum). Our fourth player, Hendrik, had to finish school and his indoor season in Hawaii. Our primary goal was to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
“During the first few years, 2016 and 2017, we experimented with various player combinations to identify the strongest team. It was challenging because everyone performed exceptionally well. We won youth championships with different pairings and qualified for elite World Tour events with various teams, making the decision for the future team quite difficult. Ultimately, we concluded that Anders and Christian had to play together. Their chemistry was incredible, and they shared a unique understanding of the game. Years later, even we find their achievements unbelievable – not just their results, but how they’ve elevated beach volleyball to an entirely new level.”
“Winning almost everything from 2018 to 2022 has been astounding, but I still consider our first World Tour victory at the Gstaad five-star event in 2018 as my fondest memory. A small team from Norway, with just two players and a coach, defeating the world’s elite. I think after securing the match point in the final, I kissed Nika Fleiss, who was sitting next to me. It was an `out-of-body experience`! And I’ll never forget the semifinal of that same tournament. Christian’s defense on that match point against Gibb & Crabb! Even their coach Rich Lambourne thought they had won! It was a truly emotional tournament and the moment we started believing we could win everything!”
Celebrating victory at EuroBeachVolley 2019 in Moscow.
What was it like coaching a team to such heights – Olympic, World, and European titles? How much recognition did this coaching success bring you in Norway? Anders and Christian are undoubtedly celebrities, but are you?
“It’s always incredible to be part of a team that performs at such a high level and wins titles. The past four years have been an extraordinary journey for all the Vikings players and staff. We are well-known within the Norwegian volleyball community, and the Vikings’ results are generating more public interest. Unfortunately, in Norway, winter sports and football dominate almost all media coverage. It’s deeply traditional and very challenging to change. Even in major sports like tennis and golf, where we have top-10 athletes globally, cross-country skiers and ski jumpers remain the ‘superheroes.’ But we work tirelessly every day to help the sport grow, and perhaps someday…”
Unlike indoor volleyball, coaching during beach volleyball matches is generally not permitted. What`s the reasoning behind this rule, and would you change it?
“I’m not aware of the specific reasoning behind the rule, and for me, it’s not crucial to change it. Many coaches tend to talk too much, which doesn`t always improve teams or the game’s quality. We’ve always maintained that beach volleyball is a highly technical and mental sport. Tactics alone never win games. One of the aspects I most enjoy about beach volleyball matches is the constant shifts in momentum and how players manage them. That, for me, is the sport`s fascination and beauty. I suspect coaches will become more involved in the coming years. Let’s keep it to time-outs and between sets. That could work well.”
Given this rule, beach volleyball coaches rarely receive media attention and are generally unknown to the broader public. Is this beneficial or detrimental to the sport?
“It’s hard to say… Perhaps having coaches on the sideline would make it appear more professional? This discussion has been ongoing for many years, and most countries prefer coaches to be more integrated. Allowing coaching during time-outs and between sets could provide fans and media with more information. It might be good for the sport, but I also believe it would take something away from the game. However, as I mentioned, if coaching is limited to time-outs and between sets, then it’s perfectly fine.”
