Beyond the St. Paul's Court: Júlio, Volleyball Trainer

By R. Renzo

An interview with Júlio Lanzelotti reveals a rich story that goes beyond his role as the beloved volleyball coach at St. Paul’s School. Since joining the community in 2019, Júlio has trained volleyball teams from Form 1 and 2 up to Varsity level, leading several of them to victories. His dedication to the sport has not only brought remarkable achievements but has also started to inspire a culture of resilience and discipline among his players.

Júlio’s journey in sports began in 1994, in his first year of college, when he started as an intern at Sport Club Banespa. Over the next decade, he coached both the male and female teams, with the Banespa men's team being one of the top-ranked in Brazil at the time. His career later led him to work in various schools and clubs, where he cultivated his coaching skills. An exciting turning point came when an old friend from his time at Banespa, working in sports statistics or a "scout",invited him to join her. This gradually led Júlio to an incredible offer: to join the Brazilian Beach Volleyball team as a scout at the Olympics.

The year 2008 was a very special year in Júlio's career. During the Beach Volleyball World Tour and the Olympics, he traveled far and wide, finding himself in a "new country nearly every week". Sports provided him with the chance to explore parts of the world not present in a normal travel itinerary, with "Russia and Serbia" being the most notable. That year, the Brazilian team earned both bronze and silver medals in women’s and men’s events, both remarkable results.

Bringing his abundance of experience to St. Paul’s, Júlio emphasizes the importance of "being fully present in every training session". This mindset applies not only to his students but also to himself—he is sure to commit himself to giving his best effort, no matter the "size of the team or how many are present during the training sessions". Júlio highlights that the Olympic teams were built on the "dedication of the trainers and committee present". Reflecting on his own career, he shares a core lesson: it is also crucial to have faith in yourself and in your dreams, no matter how ridiculous or far away. He describes that at the start of any career, you have dreams that you deem impossible. However, there must be belief in these dreams, and above all you must try your best even if it is not the best. He says that "being able to go home for the day and that you did your best without any feeling of insufficiency is the most important".

Júlio also instills in his players the essential values required for success in volleyball: "discipline, mutual respect, and teamwork". Volleyball, in comparison to many sports, demands an enhancedcollaboration; it is fundamentally a game of actions that are dependent on one another. Every play requires players to rely on one another—each move, from receiving to setting to attacking, depends on a teammate’s support. "Selfishness has no place in this sport", he explains, and respect for all your teammates is something necessary while on the court.

Under Júlio’s guidance, the St. Paul’s volleyball teams have prospered. Last year the JV teams took first place at the Rancho tournament, while the girl's Varsity team achieved a second-place finish overall. However, a sad news came during the interview: the Rancho tournament has been suspended for St. Paul’s. This is a "loss deeply felt by the school community". For many, joining the team was partly motivated by the dream of competing in this beloved event. However, Júlio hopes that the new tournament, one that involves traveling to Argentina, "will slowly replace Rancho" in the heart of St. Paul's pupils. He hopes that not only the female Varsity teams will be able to go, but also the males, suffering from a lack of players at the moment. ​

In all, Júlio's story is a testament to the power of commitment, teamwork, and unwavering belief in oneself. His influence at St. Paul’s stems from years of experience, and a beautiful career story that should be heard by all.