Raul Lozano – Argentinian volleyball coach, currently working for the German national team (since 2008). In 2005−2008, Raul Lozano coached the Polish national team, leading it to second place in the 2006 World Championship.

He holds a degree in engineering and graduated from the Management School in Argentina. Even though he played professionally as a setter in the Argentinian league, his most significant achievements have been as a coach. Currently he is considered one of the best coaches in the world. Raul Lozano embarked on this career path by coaching junior teams (Estudientes de la Plata in 1974−1978 and Gimnasia y Esprima la Plata in 1978−1981).

Coaching career

Raul Lozano has been coaching adult teams since 1981.

In Argentina, he worked with Gimnasia & Esprima la Plata (1978−1981), Obras de Sanitarias (1981−1983) and Ferro Caril Oeste Ok (1983−1987, winning the Argentina Championship and the South America Cup). In 1987, he moved to Italy to coach second league teams Rex Pordenone (1987−1988) and Cedisa Salerno (1988−1989), and progressing to first league teams Olio Venturi Spoleto (1990−1991) and Misura/Milan Volley (1991−1993), the latter of which won two silver medals in the Italian Championship, the World Cup and the CEV Cup Winners’ Cup.

In 1994−1996, he coached the Spanish national team, which won silver at the Universiade in Japan.

In 1997, he returned to Italy, this time to coach first-league teams Lube Banca Marche Macerata (1997−1998, bronze medal of the Italian Championship, third in the CEV Cup) and Iveco Palermo (1998−2000, two bronze medals in the Italian Championship and the 2000 CEV Cup). In 1999−2000, he also coached the Spanish national team, leading it to 5th place in the World League and the World Cup (1999) and 9th place in the Olympic Games (2000). In 2000, he coached the Italian team Sisley Treviso (2000−2001, Italian Champion, finalist of the Cup of Italy, winner of the Italian Super Cup, finalist of the Champions League). In addition, Raul Lozano worked as a lecturer training other coaches.

In 2002, he was employed by the Greek team Iraklis Thessaloniki (2002−2003, silver medal in the Greek Championship), returning to Lube Banca Marche Macerata in 2003 (2003−2004).

On January 7th 2005, he was appointed head coach of the Polish national volleyball team. His main achievements with the team included:

• 4th place in the World League (2005)
• 5th place in the European Championship (2005)
• 1st place in the 4th Hubert Wagner Memorial (2006)
• 2nd place in the World Championship (2006)
• 4th place in the World League (2007)
• 5th place in the World League (2008)
• 1st place in the 6th Hubert Wagner Memorial (2008)
• 5th place in the Beijing Olympic Games (2008)

On December 6th 2006, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta from the President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński in recognition of his contribution to Polish sport and outstanding achievements as a coach.

On September 16th 2008, the Board of the Polish Volleyball Federation decided not to renew his contract, which expired on December 31st 2008. Shortly thereafter, Raul Lozano became coach of the German national team.

Awards:

• Named best coach in Italy by La Gazzetta dello Sport in 2004
  • Received the Coach of the Year title at the Sport Champions Gala organised by the Polish public television on January 6th 2007
• Man of the Year 2007 according to the Wirtualna Polska website

Man and Coach of the Year 2007 according to readers of the Super Volley monthly