Hubert Wagner

Hubert Aleksander Wagner (also known as Hubert Jerzy Wagner) (born 4 March 1941 – 13 March 2002) was a former Polish volleyball player and head coach, a member of Poland men's national volleyball team in 1963–1971, a participant of the Olympic Games Mexico 1968, a bronze medalist of the European Championship 1967, as head coach led the Polish men's national volleyball team to titles of World Champions 1974 and Olympic Champions 1976.

He was born in Poznań, Poland. His parents were Romuald and Zofia (née Kotlińska). He had younger siblings - sister Elżbieta (born 1946) and brother Leszek. Married twice. On October 15, 1963 he married to Danuta Kordaczuk, who was volleyball player, medalist of Olympics, World and European Championships. With wife Danuta, he had one son Grzegorz Wagner (born 1965), who was also volleyball player (setter) and coach. They got divorced in 1978. In 1979 he married to Anna Baraniecka. In last two years of his life, his partner was Danuta Marzec. He had two grandsons - Iwo (born 1991) also played as setter and now he works as scoutman, second grandson Jakub (born 1993) also is volleyball player and one granddaughter named Sara (born 2003).

In 1973 he became a head coach of Polish men's national volleyball team, when he was 32. He was known as a demanding coach, who attached great importance to physical preparation of their players. In 1974 he led Poland men's national volleyball team to first title of World Champions 1974 in history.

As World Champions his team was one of the main contenders for next title. Poland went to European Championship 1975 held in Yugoslavia and won silver medal.

Before going to Montreal for the Olympics he said: I am only interested in gold.

The tournament was fatiguing and hard for his team but Wagner completed plan. On July 30, 1976 he achieved with Polish men's national volleyball team title of Olympic Champions 1976. In final his team beat Soviet Union in tie-break, despite the fact that Polish volleyball players spent on the pitch 11,5 hours - a lot more time than opponents (5 hours) throughout the tournament. Two months after success he left national team.

• 1974 FIVB World Championship, with Poland
• 1975 CEV European Championship, with Poland
• 1976 Olympic Games, with Poland
• 1978 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1980 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1981 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1982 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1983 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1983 CEV European Championship, with Poland
• 1985 Polish Championship, with Legia Warszawa
• 1987 Turkish Championship, with Filament Bursa
• 1987 African Championship, with Tunisia
• 1992 Turkish Championship, with Halkbank Ankara
• 1993 Turkish Championship, with Halkbank Ankara
• 1998 Polish Championship, with Dick Black Andrychów (women's team)

• Historia MŚ: Meksyk 1974 - historyczny triumf reprezentacji Polski pod wodzą Huberta Wagnera - sportowefakty.pl - 12-08-2014
• Drużyna siatkarzy - onet.pl - 17-04-2012

On March 13, 2002 he left the hotel in Warszawa after a lively discussion at a meeting of members of the Polish Association of Volleyball, which he was secretary. Some time later he had car accident caused his heart attack. Despite the rapid resuscitation he died. An autopsy showed advanced coronary artery disease.

Every year (since 2003) is organized Memorial of Hubert Jerzy Wagner, which is three-day tournament for four national teams invited by Poland. It is one of the most important and popular volleyball event in Poland. In 2010 Hubert Wagner joined to International Volleyball Hall of Fame. Five schools and two sports arenas in Poland are named after him.