
Vital Heynen (born 12 June 1969) is a Belgian professional
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
coach and former player. Since 2024, he serves as head coach for the
China national team.
Career as coach
Heynen started out his career as a volleyball coach in his hometown club
Noliko Maaseik
Greenyard Maaseik is a Belgian professional men's volleyball club from the city of Maaseik. They compete in the Lotto Volley League, and their home stadium is Steengoed Arena. Greenyard Maaseik holds most of the titles in the Lotto Volley L ...
. In 2005 he became assistant coach and a year later - a head coach. During his six-year work at the club, his team won four Belgian Championships, five Belgian Cups and four Supercups. Additionally Heynen was twice named Belgian ''Coach of the Year'' in 2009 and 2011. In 2012 he left his hometown club and joined Turkish club
Ziraat Bankası Ankara, which he coached in the season 2012/2013. In December 2013 he was named a new coach of
Transfer Bydgoszcz,
PlusLiga
The PlusLiga is the highest level of men's volleyball in Poland, a professional league competition featuring volleyball clubs located in this country. It is overseen by Polska Liga Siatkówki SA (PLS SA). It is currently a 14 teams league from Oc ...
.
In February 2012 he became a head coach of
Germany national team.
At the
World Championship 2014 his team beat
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in 3rd place match and won bronze medal. In 2017 he took over Belgian national team. On 7 February 2018 Heynen was chosen as the new head coach of
Poland men's national volleyball team
The Poland men's national volleyball team (Polish language, Polish: ''Reprezentacja Polski w piłce siatkowej mężczyzn'') represents Poland in international volleyball competition. The team is directed by the Polish Volleyball Federation (''Pol ...
. At the
World Championship 2018 in Italy, Poland led by Heynen beat
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
in the final, defended the
World Championship 2014 title, and achieved 3rd World Champion title in total. In 2019 Heynen coached Poland to the
European Championship 2019 bronze medal by beating
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in 3rd place match and losing only to
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
in the semifinal. At the
FIVB World Cup 2019 his team lost only against
USA
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
and
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and eventually was placed 2nd in the competition, winning the silver medal. In November, 2019 he became a head coach of
Sir Safety Conad Perugia.
In the 2019/2020 season
Sir Safety Perugia
Umbria Volley Perugia, known as Sir Safety Umbria Volley Perugia due to sponsorship from Sir Safety System, is a professional Italian volleyball club based in Perugia. It plays in the highest level of the Italian Volleyball League. In the Italian ...
coached by Heynen achieved the Italian SuperCup after defeating
Modena Volley
Modena Volley is a professional volleyball team based in Modena, Italy. It has played in the highest level of the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 1968. It is the most successful Italian club, having won both the national le ...
in the final.
Honours
As a player
*
CEV European Champions Cup
**

1996–97 – with
Noliko Maaseik
Greenyard Maaseik is a Belgian professional men's volleyball club from the city of Maaseik. They compete in the Lotto Volley League, and their home stadium is Steengoed Arena. Greenyard Maaseik holds most of the titles in the Lotto Volley L ...
**

1998–99 – with Noliko Maaseik
* Domestic
** 1995–96

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1996–97

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1996–97

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1996–97

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1997–98

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1997–98

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1997–98

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1998–99

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1998–99

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1998–99

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 1999–2000

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2000–01

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2000–01

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2000–01

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2001–02

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2001–02

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2001–02

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2002–03

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2002–03

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2002–03

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2003–04

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2003–04

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
As a coach
*
CEV Cup
The CEV Cup is the second tier official competition for men's Volleyball clubs of Europe. The competition takes place every year.
Until 2000, it was the CEV Cup Winners' Cup. In 2000 it was renamed to CEV Top Teams Cup and in 2007 to CEV Cup. T ...
**
2007–08 – with Noliko Maaseik
* Domestic
** 2006–07

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2007–08

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2007–08

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2007–08

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2008–09

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2008–09

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2008–09

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2009–10

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2009–10

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2010–11

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2011–12

Belgian SuperCup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2011–12

Belgian Cup, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2011–12

Belgian Championship, with Noliko Maaseik
** 2014–15

French SuperCup, with
Tours VB
Tours VB is a professional men's volleyball club which is playing their home matches at the Salle Robert Grenon in Tours, France.
Tours VB plays in LNV Ligue A, top volleyball league in France. According to Media Guide book, the annual budget o ...
** 2015–16

German SuperCup, with
VfB Friedrichshafen
VfB Friedrichshafen Volleyball GmbH is a German professional men's volleyball club founded in 1969 and based in Friedrichshafen, southern Baden-Württemberg. Main stakeholder is VfB Friedrichshafen e.V. The club plays in the German Deutsche Volle ...
** 2015–16

German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2016–17

German SuperCup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2016–17

German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2017–18

German SuperCup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2017–18

German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2018–19

German SuperCup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2018–19

German Cup, with VfB Friedrichshafen
** 2019–20

Italian SuperCup, with
Sir Safety Perugia
Umbria Volley Perugia, known as Sir Safety Umbria Volley Perugia due to sponsorship from Sir Safety System, is a professional Italian volleyball club based in Perugia. It plays in the highest level of the Italian Volleyball League. In the Italian ...
** 2020–21

Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
References
External links
*
*
Coach profileat ''LegaVolley.it''
Coach/Player profileat ''Volleybox.net''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heynen, Vital
1969 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Maaseik
Belgian men's volleyball players
Belgian volleyball coaches
Volleyball coaches of international teams
Coaches at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Poland
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in France
Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Setters (volleyball)
20th-century Belgian sportsmen
Nilüfer Belediyespor coaches