Skra Bełchatów facts for kids
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| Full name | Klub Piłki Siatkowej Skra Bełchatów Spółka Akcyjna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname | Pszczoły (The Bees) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | 1930 (club) 1957 (volleyball team) |
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| Ground | Hala Energia (Capacity: 2,700) |
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| Chairman | Michał Bąkiewicz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager | TBD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | Grzegorz Łomacz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | PlusLiga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–25 | 7th place | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Club home page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Skra Bełchatów, also known as PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów, is a professional men's volleyball team. They are based in Bełchatów, a city in central Poland. The club started in 1930, and the volleyball team was formed in 1957.
Skra Bełchatów plays in the top Polish volleyball league, called PlusLiga. They are the most successful club in PlusLiga history, having won the league championship 9 times! Their nickname is Pszczoły, which means The Bees.
Contents
Amazing Achievements
Skra Bełchatów has won many important titles both in Poland and internationally.
Polish Trophies
- Polish Championship
- Winners (9 times): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018
- Polish Cup
- Winners (7 times): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016
- Polish SuperCup
- Winners (4 times): 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019
International Trophies
- CEV Champions League
- Silver Medal (1 time): 2012
- Reached Semifinals (1 time): 2019
- Reached Final Four (3 times): 2008, 2010, 2015
- FIVB Club World Championship
- Silver Medal (2 times): 2009, 2010
Club's Journey Through Time
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How It All Started (1930–2000)
The Skra sports club began in 1930 in Bełchatów. It was first a football club. In 1957, the volleyball team was created. They became very successful in the 2000s.
In 1991, the Bełchatów Power Station became Skra's main sponsor. The club changed its name to Energetic Sports Club Skra. By 1994, they moved up to the 2nd Polish Volleyball League. In 1997, they reached the 1st League "B" series. They even got promoted to the "A" series in 1999, but went back down after one year.
Rising to the Top (2001–2010)
In 2001, Skra was promoted to the highest Polish Volleyball League, the PlusLiga. In their first season (2001/2002), they won a bronze medal!
The winning streak for Skra began in the 2004/2005 season. They won their first Polish Championship title. They also won their first Polish Cup that year. They repeated this amazing success the next season, winning both the championship and the cup again.
In 2006, Daniel Castellani became the first foreign coach for Skra. Under his leadership, PGE Skra won three more Polish Championship titles (2007, 2008, 2009) and two more Polish Cups (2007, 2009). In 2008, Skra hosted the 2007–08 CEV Champions League Final Four. They won a bronze medal in that tournament.
In 2009, Jacek Nawrocki became the new coach. Skra won a silver medal at the 2009 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. Two Skra players, Bartosz Kurek and Marcin Możdżonek, won individual awards at this event. In 2010, Skra hosted the 2009–10 CEV Champions League Final Four again and won another bronze medal. Mariusz Wlazły was named the best scorer. Skra also won their sixth Polish Championship title in 2010.
Continued Success (2011–Present)
In 2010, PGE Skra won another silver medal at the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. In the 2010/2011 season, they won their seventh Polish Championship and fifth Polish Cup.
In 2012, Skra won their sixth Polish Cup. They also earned a silver medal in the 2011–12 CEV Champions League. Three Skra players received individual awards: Michał Winiarski, Bartosz Kurek, and Mariusz Wlazły. In the 2011/2012 PlusLiga season, Skra finished with silver medals, ending their seven-season winning streak.
In 2013, former player Miguel Ángel Falasca returned as the new head coach. In the 2013/2014 season, PGE Skra won its eighth Polish Championship title.
On October 8, 2014, PGE Skra won the Polish Men's Volleyball SuperCup against ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle. Facundo Conte was named the most valuable player. In the 2014–15 CEV Champions League, Skra played very well, winning all their pool matches. They reached the Final Four, where they played against another Polish team, Asseco Resovia. Skra won a bronze medal in the Polish Championship in May 2015.
On February 7, 2016, PGE Skra won the Polish Cup. Several players received individual awards, including Mariusz Wlazły who was named the most valuable player. After some changes in coaching, Philippe Blain became the new head coach. In April 2016, the team won a bronze medal in the 2015–16 PlusLiga.
Before the 2016/2017 season, some new players joined the team, like Bartosz Bednorz and Artur Szalpuk. Skra finished the season in 2nd place in the league.
With Roberto Piazza as head coach and Michał Winiarski as assistant, Skra won its ninth Polish Championship in 2018. They also took 4th place in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship.
The 2018/2019 season saw Skra finish 6th in the league, but they won the Polish Men's Volleyball SuperCup. After this season, Michał Mieszko Gogol became the new coach.
The 2019/2020 PlusLiga season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Skra finished in 3rd place. After 17 years, the club's legendary player, Mariusz Wlazły, left the team. New players like Taylor Sander and Mateusz Bieniek joined the club.
Meet the Team
As of the 2025–26 season
Coaching Staff
| Job | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | TBD | |
| Assistant coach | TBD | |
Players
| No. | Name | Birthday | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |  Bartłomiej Lemański |
19 March 1996 | middle blocker |
| 9 | Łukasz Wiśniewski |
3 February 1989 | middle blocker |
| 12 | Grzegorz Łomacz |
1 October 1987 | setter |
| 13 | Mateusz Nowak |
29 February 2004 | middle blocker |
| 15 | Michał Szalacha |
15 January 1994 | middle blocker |
| Maksym Kędzierski |
13 March 2003 | libero |
Honoring Legends: Retired Numbers
Some players were so important to Skra Bełchatów that their jersey numbers were retired. This means no other player will wear those numbers again. It's a special way to remember their amazing contributions!
| No. | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mariusz Wlazły |
opposite |
| 6 | Karol Kłos |
middle blocker |
| 10 |  Miguel Ángel Falasca |
setter |
Club Names Over the Years
Skra Bełchatów has had a few different names throughout its history.
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 1957–1991 | RKS Skra Bełchatów |
| 1991–2004 | EKS Skra Bełchatów |
| 2004–2005 | KPS Skra Bełchatów |
| 2005–2007 | BOT Skra Bełchatów |
| 2007–2023 | PGE Skra Bełchatów |
| 2023–present | PGE GiEK Skra Bełchatów |
See also
In Spanish: Skra Bełchatów para niños
