Alex Porter

Alex Michael Porter

Alex Porter Olympics (July 2012)
Born (1980-07-05) 5 July 1980
Colchester, UK
Residence Colchester, UK
Nationality English
Occupation Sportsman, TV commentator, Volleyball player & coach
Years active 1980–present
Known for Tendring Volleyball Coach 2006 onwards Tendring Technology College (GB Mens Volleyball Captain)
Height 6 ft. 9in.
Spouse(s) none
Children none
Parent(s) Ken Stephen Porter & Janice Porter

Alex Michael Porter[1] (born 5 July 1980) is an English volleyball player, commentator, and former Great Britain volleyball Captain.[2] He has also managed the Great Britain Men's Volleyball Team for the 2012 European Championship.[3] He was a court side Expert Pundit at the 2012 Summer Olympics[4] and Paralympics 2012 Games, covering the volleyball and sitting volleyball competitions matches held at Earls Court & ExCeL venue.

During the games he joined up with Jonathan Legard to commentate for the BBC's live coverage of the Olympic Volleyball, including the men's Gold medal match. The coverage was broadcast on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and their interactive service (Red Button) BBC Red Button

Biography

Born at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust he grew up in the village of Kirby-le-Soken he is one of three children to Electrical Engineer Ken Stephen Porter and Janice Porter. Alex initially started playing volleyball at Tendring High School (later rename Tendring Technology College) aged 11 before for joining Tendring Volleyball club later that year. In 1996 he joined his first National Volleyball League Team, Essex Estonians, who played in the Division 3. From here, he signed for London Malory[5] who were reigning League and Cup champions. In his first session for them, he became a starting 6 player and gained his first England cap against Scotland. A knee injury at the end of the 1998–99 season meant he missed the beginning of the 1999–00 season. Halfway through the season when he recovered from surgery he signed for Malory's rivals, London Docklands. After 2 years of commuting to London from his Sheffield home he transferred to Sheffield Volleyball Club.[6] In his first year with them they narrowly missed out on promotion to his previous team, London Docklands.[7] The following year Sheffield topped the league only losing one game all year.

After finishing his university education Alex moved to Sweden to play semi-professionally in Sweden for Vingåker VK(Sweden)[8] and then in professionally in Austria for Sokol V(Austria).[9][10] He took the 2005–6 season off due to a niggling injury that wouldn't heal.

He returned to fitness as the Team GB program started to come together, returning to his former club London Docklands and helping them to win their first ever league and cup double. Unfortunately he missed out on the cup final as he required another knee surgery which happened to be the day before the final.

A year after the Team GB program started he was promoted to captain as the former captain Andrew Sinclair decided to stay in England as the team moved to the Netherlands.

Shortly after the 2007–08 season, Alex returned from the Netherlands to have a micro-fracture Microfracture surgery procedure. A year after he retired from international duty as his knee wouldn't allow him to train the number of hours needed to compete at the top.

Since then Alex has given back to his local community by taking up the position of Community Development Coach.[11] He used his experience to encourage schools to take up volleyball in the Tendring and Colchester area, working with primary and secondary schools and establishing a recreational team at Tendring Volleyball Club.[12]

In the summer of 2011 he changed career to work in the finance industry but has still maintained his volleyball links. Working with fellow Tendring Volleyball Club coach Neil Masters, they took over the coaching roles of England South Boys Cadets and won the 2011 UK School Games and won silver at the 2012 School Games.[13] Again working with Neil Masters, the pair of them have gained Tendring Volleyball Club's Men's team back to back promotions, from Division 3 East to Division 1.[14] During the same period they reached the National Shield semi-final 2009–10 and the National Cup semi-final 2010–11.[15] In 2011–12 the team won the National Shield against Boathouse Volleyball Club in front of a large crowd at the National Volleyball Centre.[16]

At the 2012 Tendring Volleyball Club he was voted in as chairman of the club.

Volleyball career

Combined England and GB Caps = 75 international caps[17]

Coaching = Head Coach EVL Tendring 2, Assistant Coach NVL Men,[18] Assistant Coach England South Boys Cadets

Former Coaching at = Sheffield Hallam University, Vingaker Women's Team(Sweden), Sokol School(Austria),[19] Martinus Mens 5th Team (the Netherlands)[20][21]

Former Player at = Mens GB Team,[22] Tendring, City of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, London Docklands,[23] London Malory,[24] Vingaker VK(Sweden),[25][26] Martinus (the Netherlands)[27][28]

twitter = @TheAPorter

website =tendringvolleyball.com

Education and Jobs

BSc computer and network engineering 2:1 (Sheffield Hallam University)
Ma Globalisation of Business (Sheffield Hallam University)

EDS(now HP)
Work Placement June 2000 – September 2001
Project Co-ordinator

2011–2012 Broadcourt Investments(part of Siva group)
US Equities Trader
2011–Present The Trader Training Company
University Lab Leader

Media career

During the 2012 Olympics he worked as an in stadium commentator, and was asked to also commentated for the BBC's live coverage of volleyball. Alex Porter is also the media coordinator for the Tendring Volleyball club speaking on many radio shows on behalf of for the club and releasing weekly news articles.

Life Time Line

Playing career
1991–1996 Tendring Volleyball Club
1996–1997 Essex Estonians VC
1997–1999 London Malory (Eagles) VC
1999–2000 London Docklands VC
2000–2003 City of Sheffield VC
2003–2004 Vingåker VK (Sweden)
2004–2005 Sokol V (Austria)
2010–2012 Tendring VC

1997–2005 England
2005–2009 Team GB

Coaching Career
1999–2003 Sheffield Hallam University
2003–2004 Vingåker women's team
2010–11 Community Coach Tendring & Colchester area
2010–Present Tendring NVL Men & Tendring Heatec EVL Men
2010–Present England South U17 assistant coach

Manager Career
2012 European Championships in Turkey for Team GB
2012–Present Tendring VC chairman

Media Career
2010–Present Tendring VC Media & Communications Officer
Weekly reports in local and county newspapers
Launched new club website
Interviewed on BBC Essex radio throughout seasons
2012– London Olympics and Paralympic court side Expert Pundit.
Commentating and explaining the game to crowds of 15,000 and 10,000.
2012-BBC commentator at the London Olympics
Commentated with John Legard on live men's and women's matches including men's Gold medal match. Broadcast on BBC 1,2,3 and Red Button

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Alex Porter

Notes

  1. ↑ http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/alex-porter/22/830/769
  2. ↑ http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Indoor/Men/
  3. ↑ http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/sport/9928535.Porter_is_appointed_Great_Britain_manager/?ref=ec
  4. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/local/clacton/9893401.Olympic_ringside_seats_for_Tendring_volleyball_players/
  5. ↑ http://www.maloryeagles.org
  6. ↑ Sheffield Volleyball Club
  7. ↑ http://www.londondocklandsvc.org
  8. ↑ http://www.vvk.nu
  9. ↑ http://www.sokol.at
  10. ↑ http://www.londondocklandsvc.com/News/News%202004.htm
  11. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2009/12/11/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/4788609.New_role_for_volleyball_coach_Alex/
  12. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2011/06/16/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9089279.Underdogs_exceed_expectations_at_Stowmarket_Open
  13. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2012/05/10/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9699402.Tendring_quartet_scoop_medals_at_the_Sainsbury_s_School_Games/
  14. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2010/04/01/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/6545114.Tendring_Volleyball_team_celebrate_promotion/
  15. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2011/03/04/HarwichandManningtreeStandard_localsport+%28HarwichandManningtreeStandard_localsport%29/8890160.Tendring_cup_run_hits_a_brick_wall/
  16. ↑ http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2012/05/02/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9682162.Masters_so_proud_after_Tendring_win_National_Shield/
  17. ↑ http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Athletes/indoor-men.php
  18. ↑ http://www.tendringvolleyball.com/about-us/coaches/alex-porter
  19. ↑ http://www.londondocklandsvc.com/News/News%202004.htm
  20. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-494824/GB-volleyball-team-floundering-Flanders.html
  21. ↑ http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Athletes/indoor-men.php
  22. ↑ http://www.fivb.org/EN/Infomedia/XPress/2004/2004_129/XPress%20129%20English.pdf
  23. ↑ http://www.londondocklandsvc.com
  24. ↑ http://www.maloryeagles.org/
  25. ↑ http://www.vvk.nu, Sokol V(Austria)
  26. ↑ http://www.londondocklandsvc.com/News/News%202004.htm
  27. ↑ http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Athletes/indoor-men.php
  28. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-494824/GB-volleyball-team-floundering-Flanders.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.