Michał Winiarski – champion on the court, champion on the bench
News
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, guided by head coach Michał Winiarski - a 2014 world champion and 2009 #CLVolleyM winner - continue to reach new milestones, confirming their status as one of Europe’s powerhouses. In only their third #CLVolleyM campaign, they have secured a second consecutive Final Four appearance and arrive in Torino aiming for even more, especially after claiming a historic first Polish championship title on Sunday. "In Volleyball - and in any sport - success depends on the bigger picture. Many factors have to come together. It’s not enough to be well prepared or to have a great team,” said Winiarski ahead of the CEV Champions League Volley 2026 - Men's Final Four in Torino (May 16-17).
Last season’s runners-up have stormed their way back to the Final Four, dropping just four sets along the way - all in the pool stage against domestic rivals Asseco Resovia Rzeszów. When it mattered most, they were dominant. In the quarterfinals, facing Italian powerhouse Cucine Lube Civitanova, they produced back-to-back straight-set victories to secure their place among Europe’s top four.
“This is a truly great achievement for us and for our club in Zawiercie,” Winiarski said.
Michał Winiarski“Last season was already very successful, but this time we entered the competition in a different role - not necessarily as favourites, but as a team that truly matters in Europe. After reaching the final a year ago, confirming that level is always more challenging. That’s why I’m especially pleased that not only did we win our group, but we also performed outstandingly in the quarterfinals, advancing without losing a set against a team that has just reached the Italian league final. For all these reasons, I’m very happy that we’re heading to Torino.”
head coach of Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie
The momentum has extended beyond the Champions League. After claiming silver in both the #CLVolleyM and PlusLiga last season, Zawiercie added a bronze medal from the Club World Championship to their growing list of achievements. Crucially, the club has maintained the core of its squad - a factor that has strengthened both consistency and ambition.
“Both victories and defeats shape a team,” Winiarski explained. “The core of our squad has stayed together over the past few years, and that continuity brings experience while naturally raising our ambitions. For many players, the PlusLiga final two years ago and the Champions League final last year were their first at that level. These moments shape us - me as a coach and the players as competitors. Winning is difficult, but staying at the top is even harder. The fact that we are playing in the PlusLiga final for the third consecutive year and competing again at this level in Europe shows that our work and experience are paying off.”
Zawiercie’s numbers reflect their consistency, with both attackers and setter ranking among the most efficient in the competition. Yet their defining quality lies elsewhere - in their resilience and approach.
“It all comes down to daily work and how the team responds to both wins and losses,” Michał Winiarski added. “I’ve always believed that the final result is a consequence of what you do every day. This season has been extremely demanding, especially with the Club World Championship increasing the number of matches. It may be the busiest season in the club’s history. But it was during those difficult periods that we built our identity - a team that knows how to respond to setbacks. That’s our greatest strength: our approach to daily work and our ability to overcome tough moments, which are inevitable in sport."
In the case of 42-year-old Michał Winiarski, the transition from player to coach came naturally. After ending his playing career in 2017 with PGE Skra Bełchatów - a club with which he won #CLVolleyM silver and bronze medals alongside multiple domestic titles - he immediately joined the coaching staff. Yet, as he admits, this path was not always part of the plan.
Michał Winiarski“The idea of becoming a coach came with age and injuries. It really developed after I turned 30, when I started dealing with more and more physical problems. I spent a lot of time observing matches from the sidelines, and that’s when the idea began to take shape. I felt I could see many aspects of the game that might be useful in a different role.”
head coach of Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie
Winiarski experienced some of the greatest moments in Polish Volleyball as a player. With the national team, he celebrated a historic silver medal at the 2006 World Championship and, eight years later, lifted the world title on home soil in 2014. At club level, he also reached the top, winning the Champions League in 2009 with Trentino and collecting numerous domestic honours in both Poland and Italy. Now, as a head coach, he is chasing success from a different position - but which role brings more emotions and adrenaline: player or coach?
“The emotions are similar, but my current role definitely comes with more stress. As a coach, you take responsibility for the entire group and for the result, and you can’t release that tension on the court. As a player, I would go into a match full of adrenaline and channel it directly into my performance. Now, you have to find other ways to deal with it, because you can’t release it physically anymore. So the emotions are similar - but being a coach is definitely more demanding.”
Having worked under some of the most respected coaches in Europe, Winiarski built his philosophy step by step, drawing from experience while shaping his own identity. “I tried to take something from every coach I worked with. I learned a lot from Roberto Piazza. I worked with him as an assistant for two years at Skra - one outstanding season that ended with a Polish championship, and another very difficult one, when we finished sixth and struggled with injuries. In those two years, I experienced everything a coach needs to go through and could observe it from the inside. It taught me a lot and helped me build my coaching craft. But I believe the most important thing is to be yourself. In my work, relationships and passion matter the most.”
As a former Champions League winner, Winiarski knows better than most how difficult it is to reach the very top - and how many factors must align. “It’s extremely difficult. When I was playing in Bełchatów, we lost a final and once finished with a bronze medal. In Volleyball - and in any sport - success depends on the bigger picture. Many factors have to come together. It’s not enough to be well prepared or to have a great team; you also need a bit of luck. You work for that luck, of course, but there are also things beyond your control - injuries, a touch off the net, or a single defensive play that can change everything. Last year in PlusLiga, for example, we advanced to the final under huge pressure, turning around two tie-breaks despite trailing heavily and dealing with injuries. The #CLVolleyM semifinal against Jastrzębski was similar - we were down 0-2, then won the tie-break 22-20. These moments are decided by the smallest details. That’s why, to achieve success, many positive factors - and a bit of fortune - have to come together at the right time.”
Michał Winiarski arrived at Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie for the 2022/2023 season, marking the beginning of the most successful period in the club’s history. His first campaign ended with a fourth-place finish in PlusLiga and a Champions League play-off appearance, where Zawiercie fell to ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle in their debut season at that level. The breakthrough came quickly. The following year brought a historic first PlusLiga final and a silver medal, along with a landmark triumph in the Polish Cup. Last season elevated the club even further, as Zawiercie collected three silver medals - in the Champions League, PlusLiga, and the Polish Cup - confirming their place among the elite. In recognition of this progress, Winiarski extended his contract last year until 2030, turning the project into a long-term vision for both sides. This season brought another major milestone, as he guided Zawiercie to the first Polish championship title in club history.
Michał Winiarski“Here, I’ve found everything I need to do my job at the highest level. Family circumstances also played a big role, because stability in this profession is very difficult - everything can change quickly. Over these few years, I’ve been able to provide that stability for my family. At the same time, I have all the conditions necessary to work at the highest level in Zawiercie. It allows me to think not only about professional success but also about living a relatively normal life, because a coach’s daily routine is extremely intense and often comes at a cost to family life.”
head coach of Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie
Family has always played an important role in Winiarski’s life - and in Zawiercie, it became part of the story on the court as well. Two seasons ago, his older son, Oliwier, made his PlusLiga debut at just 17 years old.
“It was a fortunate coincidence. Miguel Tavares got injured, we weren’t able to make a medical transfer, and we had to rely on our youth program. As it happened, my son was part of that group, and we needed a setter. He helped us a lot in training, and for me his debut was something truly special - I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t incredibly proud. As for my younger son, things are still developing when it comes to Volleyball. He’s in a sports class, but it’s too early to say whether he’ll fully pursue that path. Naturally, sport - and Volleyball in particular - is very present in our lives, sometimes even too much. It has given us a lot, but it has also taken away many family moments. Still, I hope that in the coming years it will give us more than it takes.”
From building a long-term project in Zawiercie to returning to the biggest stage in European Volleyball, Michał Winiarski now stands on the edge of another defining chapter. Already a Champions League winner as a player, he now has the chance to join the select group of those who have lifted the trophy both on the court and from the bench.