Urpo Sivula

Urpo Sivula (born March 15, 1988) is a Finnish professional volleyball player. Season 2008 he plays in Finland Volleyball league team Pielaveden Sampo. Sivula plays wing-spiker.

Junior years

Urpo Sivula started his career with his friends seven years old. First team was Kurun Ryhti, from Kuru. Soon his talent realize and Sivula started play in Virtain Veikot. In Virtain Veikot he win two Finland junior Championchips.

When Urpo come sixteen he moved in Kuortane. There he started stydy and training with the best junior players in Finland. Two years he live in Kuortane and played third highest level in Finland season 2004-2005, and second highest level in Finland season 2005-2006. He became Finland junior team captain 2004, and also he played two year older boys national team in Finland. There he friendly with Mikko and Matti Oivanen, Simo-Pekka Olli and Konstantin Shumov.

National team

Before Sivula played even one game in Finland league he got call from men's national team headcoach Mauro Berruto. Berruto wanted Sivula to his team right now. Sivula started play in men's national team sensational just eighteen years old guy. First national team game in Finland short was too sensational. Sivula come to the cort in game decision moment, and hit two point and Finland win the first game ever in volleyball world league. The hole summer Sivula played in national team, and earned place too to the European Championchips.

"Sensation in Moskow"

In European Championchips 2007 Sivula and Finland national team played amazing volleyball. Team win World Championchips silver medalist Poland, and too World Championchips bronze medalist Bulgarian. Finland loose only two game, and both in medalgames. Against Spanish Finland had gameball to the final, but team loosed that and dreams break down. Sivula played in World league 2008 with Finland. He was one of the leader player on the team whole summer. He made his breakthrough in Finland national team.

Finland league

After national team summer 2006 all team in Finland highest level wanted Sivula. Finally Sivula wrote contract with Pielaveden Sampo. Contract was two years long, and third year was option year. First season in league Sivula come one of the best players in league. He won with Sampo Finland Cup-Champion, and played himself CEV-Cup quarterfinal. In Finland league Sampo loose finaldivision against Rovaniemen Santasport. Finals was on of the best finals in Finland league ever. After season Sivula chose best newcomer in league.

Sivula started his second league season in Finland big heads. Media wanted ecpect that Sivula come final discovery in league. In the first game that season Sivula played amazing. Media wrote that game like this: "Sivula show". In international court Sivula made too good work. Against Italy A1-league team Roma Volley, Sivula was best spiker of both teams on the court. Too his reception was good, what is his weaknes.

Season 2007-2008 Sampo played himself Challenge Cup quarterfinal, and there they loosed tight against Russian Superleague team Lokomotiv Ekaterinburg. Sampo won again Finland cup-champion, but league they lost again Rovaniemen Santasport in finals. That was big disappointment in Sivula and Sampo.

After season Sivula got many prices. Finland biggest newspaper Ilta-Sanomat chose him best player in league. Finland favourite volleyballsite hotsport.info chose Sivula best player too in league, and all-stars team of course. Also Sport Channel chose him All-Star team.

Palmares

Club:

* Finland league silver 2007, 2008
* Finland cup 2007, 2008
* Fourth place in men's European Championchips 2007

Personal:

* Ilta-Sanomat chose best player in Finland league 2008
* Sport Channel All-Stars team 2008
* Year youth player 2006, 2007
* Best newcomer in Finland league 2007
* Third best server in Finland league 2007

Check too

* Fansite (English) [http://www.freewebs.com/eng-urposivula]