Łukasz Tomasz Żygadło (born 2 August 1979) is a Polish former professional volleyball player who serves as a chairman of the Polish PlusLiga team, Norwid Częstochowa. Żygadło was a member of the Poland national team from 1998 to 2014 (247 matches in the national team), participant in the 2012 Olympic Games, 2012 World League winner, and a silver medallist at the 2006 World Championship. He is also a multiple Champions League and Club World Championship winner with Trentino Volley.
Personal life Łukasz Żygadło was born in Sulechów, Poland. He attended School of Sports Championship in Rzeszów. He graduated from Częstochowa University of Technology with a master's degree in Management and Marketing. He is married to Agnieszka. He is an honorary resident of Trentino, Italy. He speaks Polish, Italian, English, Russian. He graduated in 2015 and receive diploma from Associazione Italiana Sommelier. He is a member of AIS in Italy.
Career Club He started his career in club Orion Sulechów. When he was 15, he moved to AZS Częstochowa. After graduation, he continued his career at the club from Częstochowa. Between 1997 and 2001, he won gold, silver and bronze medals in the Polish Championship and Polish Cup of 1998. Then he played for Polish clubs Nordea Czarni Radom and Skra Bełchatów. In the 2003/2004 season, he won the Polish Cup with his club, Polska Energia Sosnowiec. In 2004 he moved to Greece, to play for Panathinaikos. With this club, he won the bronze medal of the Greek Championship. In the next season, 2005/2006, he played for Halkbank Ankara and won the bronze medal of the Turkish Championship. He was awarded the title of best setter of the Turkish League in 2006. In next the two seasons, he played for Polish club, ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Russian club Dinamo Kaliningrad.
In 2008, Żygadło moved to an Italian club, Itas Diatec Trentino, where he played for four seasons. During his time playing in Italy, he won the gold medal at the CEV Champions League three times with his club (2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011) and the bronze medal in 2012.Final Four 2012: Trentino z brązowym medalem – belsport.pl – 18-03-2014 He was chosen as the best setter of Champions League 2010.Jeden Polak nie życzył Skrze zwycięstwa – sport.fakt.pl – 04-05-2010 He won three gold medals in the FIVB Club World Championship (2009, 2010, 2011). With the club from Trentino, he won three silver (2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2011/2012) and one gold medal of the Italian Championship (2010/2011) and two Italian Cups (2010, 2012).
After four years, Żygadło moved to the Russian League, where he played for Fakel Novy Urengoy for one season, 2012/2013.Łukasz Żygadło podpisał kontrakt z Fakiełem Nowy Urengoj – eurosport.onet.pl – 04-05-2012 Then he moved to another Russian club, Zenit Kazan.Łukasz Żygadło podpisał kontrakt z Zenitem Kazań – eurosport.onet.pl – 14-05-2013 He signed a 2-year contract and replaced Italian setter Valerio Vermiglio.Zenit Kazan Hires Lukasz Zygadlo – volleywood.net – 17-05-2013 On October 6, 2013, he was injured during training.Lukasz Zygadlo injured – russiavolley.com – 07-10-2013 He lost season 2013/2014, because of injury.Kontuzja Łukasza Żygadły. Lekarze muszą zrobić korekcję kości – sport.pl – 09-10-2013 He broke his foot, which is after two surgeries and reconstructions of bone.Łukasz Żygadło: Po drugiej operacji noga goi się prawidłowo – sport.interia.pl - 21-10-2013 In the club from Kazan he has been replaced by Serbian setter Nikola Grbić.Serbian Volleyball Player Nikola Grbić in Zenit Kazan – russiavolley.com – 11-10-2013 After two surgeries, bone reconstruction and rehabilitation, Żygadło returned to training in March 2014.Lukasz Zygadlo Is Ready To Play – volleywood.net – 26-03-2014 After the season 2013/2014 Żygadło left Zenit Kazan. The contract was terminated by mutual agreement of both parties.Łukasz Żygadło nie jest już siatkarzem Zenitu Kazań! – s-w-o.pl – 06-05-2014 After two seasons spent in Russia Żygadło accepted an offer from Italian club Trentino Volley. He returned to the club, where he won several titles in 2008–2012.Secondo colpo del mercato gialloblù: in regia torna Lukasz Zygadlo! – trentinovolley.it – 10-07-2014 His official return to the club from Trentino was announced on July 10, 2014, and the player stated he was glad about his return to the city and the team.Zygadlo: "Trento mi mancava: lavoriamo assieme per tornare grandi" – trentinovolley.it – 10-07-2014 On May 13, 2015, he won title of Italian Champion with Trentino Volley.
In July 2015 he decided to leave the Italian team and signed a contract with newly founded Iranian club Sarmayeh Bank Tehran.Market, the final transactions and the roster for the season 2015/16 – trentinovolley.it – 22-07-2015 On March 14, 2016, Iranian Volleyball Federation decided that Sarmayeh Bank Tehran achieved title of Iranian Champion because their opponent in finale Paykan Tehran was not able to attend in the third and the decisive game of the final series. Żygadło was one of the notable players in Iranian League that season and one of the best in his position.IRN M: Paykan's request denied, Sarmayeh clinched the national title! – worldofvolley.vom – 14-03-2016 In 2016–2017 season he went on to win second Iranian Championship with his team. On 6 July he won for second time Asian Club Championship which were held in Vietnam, received Best Setter Award of the tournament.
National team He debuted in the Polish national team in 2000, when he was appointed to the matches of the World League, European and World Championships. On December 3, 2006, he won with the national team the silver medal of World Championship 2006 in Japan. On July 5, 2010, he gave up his career in the national team, because of the lack of training and lack of competition for his position in the composition.
On March 31, 2011, he returned to the national team after receiving an appointment from coach Andrea Anastasi.Łukasz Żygadło wraca do reprezentacji Polski – eurosport.onet.pl – 31-03-2011 In 2011, he won three medals with the Polish national team: silver at World CupPoland shoot up World Rankings on back of World Cup silver – fivb.org – 06-12-2011 and two bronzes at World League2011 FIVB Volleyball World League Final Report – fivb.org – 10-07-2011 and European Championship.Bartosz Kurek is the man of the day as Poland strikes bronze at EuroVolley – cev.eu – 18-09-2011 He is a gold medalist of World League 2012 in Sofia, Bulgaria.Poland beat USA to claim first World League title – fivb.org – 08-07-2012Poland wins historical gold at the 2012 World League – fivb.org – 08-07-2012 Despite his injury and lack of play in the 2013/2014 season, Polish coach Antiga appointed Żygadło to the national team in summer 2014.
Honours Club CEV Champions League 2008–09 – with Trentino Volley 2009–10 – with Trentino Volley 2010–11 – with Trentino Volley FIVB Club World Championship 2009 Doha – with Trentino Volley 2010 Doha – with Trentino Volley 2011 Doha – with Trentino Volley AVC Asian Club Championship 2016 Naypyidaw – with Sarmayeh Bank Tehran 2017 Vietnam – with Sarmayeh Bank Tehran CEV Cup 2014–15 – with Trentino Volley Domestic 1997–98 Polish Cup, with AZS Częstochowa 1998–99 Polish Championship, with AZS Częstochowa 2003–04 Polish Cup, with Płomień Sosnowiec 2009–10 Italian Cup, with Trentino Volley 2010–11 Italian Championship, with Trentino Volley 2011–12 Italian Cup, with Trentino Volley 2014–15 Italian Championship, with Trentino Volley 2015–16 Iranian Championship, with Sarmayeh Bank Tehran 2016–17 Iranian Championship, with Sarmayeh Bank Tehran 2017–18 Iranian Championship, with Sarmayeh Bank Tehran
Individual awards 2004: Polish Cup – Best setter 2010: CEV Champions League – Best setter 2017: AVC Asian Club Championship – Best setter
State awards 2006: Gold Cross of Merit
References
External links
Player profile at LegaVolley.it Player profile at PlusLiga.pl Player profile at Volleybox.net