Miguel Ángel Falasca Fernández (29 April 1973 – 22 June 2019) was an Argentine-born Spanish professional volleyball player and coach. He was a member of the Spain national team from 1993 to 2009, a participant in the Olympic Games Sydney 2000, and the 2007 European Champion.[1]

Miguel Ángel Falasca
Falasca in January 2014
Personal information
Full nameMiguel Ángel Falasca Fernández
NationalityArgentine
Spanish
Born(1973-04-29)29 April 1973
Mendoza, Argentina
Died22 June 2019(2019-06-22) (aged 46)
Monza, Italy
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Coaching information
Previous teams coached
YearsTeams
2013–2016
2016–2017
2016–2018
2018–2019
Skra Bełchatów
Czech Republic
Volley Milano
Saugella Monza
Volleyball information
PositionSetter
Career
YearsTeams
1996–1997
1997–1998
1998–2000
2000–2002
2002–2003
2003–2008
2008–2012
2012–2013
CV Las Palmas
Zinella Volley
Del Monte Ferrara
Knack Roeselare
Modena Volley
CV Pòrtol
Skra Bełchatów
Ural Ufa
National team
1993–2009 Spain (371)
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Spain
CEV European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2007 Russia
European League
Gold medal – first place 2007 Portugal
Silver medal – second place 2009 Portugal
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Russia
Mediterranean Games
Silver medal – second place 2009 Pescara

Personal life

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Falasca was born in Mendoza, Argentina. His grandfather came from Italy. His father, Juan Carlos, was a retired volleyball player from Argentina, and his mother was a native Spaniard.[2] At the age of 15, due to the unstable economic situation in Argentina, the Falasca family decided to move to Spain.[2] Miguel, his sister María Elisa, his younger brother Guillermo, and his parents settled in Málaga.[2] He eventually married Esther Custodio.[2] They had two children: a daughter, Sara (born 2004), and a son, Daniel (born 2002).[2]

Death

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On 21 June 2019, Falasca was at the wedding of his friend and assistant of the Saugella Monza club in Italy, when he felt ill and went to his hotel room.[3] He died of a heart attack the next day at the age of 46[4] in Varese, where he was staying with his wife,[5] despite a resuscitation attempt.[6]

 
Falasca during the medal ceremony of the Russian Championship in 2013, as Ural Ufa player.
 
Miguel Ángel Falasca as PGE Skra Bełchatów player in 2011.
 
On 30 September 2011 during the match PGE Skra BełchatówLOTOS Trefl Gdańsk at Ergo Arena.

Career as coach

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Falasca began coaching with PGE Skra Bełchatów in 2013.[2] In the first season of his work, PGE Skra won a title of Polish Champion 2013-14.[2] It was the eighth title of Polish Champion in the club's history. On 1 July 2014, the club extended the contract with him until 2017.[7] In February 2016, he became the head coach of the Czech Republic men's national volleyball team.[8] In March 2016, PGE Skra Bełchatów, led by Falasca, lost the second match with Zenit Kazan in playoffs 6 of CEV Champions League (the first match Skra won 3–2). Following this loss, Falasca was dismissed during the subsequent club meeting, with an announcement on 28 March 2016.[9] In May 2016, he signed a two-year contract with Italian club Gi Group Monza.[10]

Honours

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As a player

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As a coach

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Individual awards

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  • 2007: FIVB World Cup – Best setter
  • 2009: Polish Cup – Best server
  • 2009: European League – Best setter
  • 2012: Polish Cup – Most valuable player
  • 2012: Polish Cup – Best setter

References

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  1. ^ "Miguel Ángel Falasca". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Miguel Ángel Falasca Fernández". Fundacionandaluciaolimpica.org (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Muere de un infarto el exjugador de voleibol Miguel Ángel Falasca". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 22 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Muere a los 46 años Miguel Ángel Falasca, gran referente del voleibol español". El Mundo (in Spanish). Unidad Editorial Información General, S.L.U. 22 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Volley, tragedy in Monza: Falasca, the technical coach of Saugella, died at the age of 46 (video)". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Monza, Milan. 22 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. ^ EFE; Sport You (22 June 2019). "Muere Miguel Ángel Falasca, histórico jugador de voleibol español, de un infarto a los 46 años". 20 Minutos (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  7. ^ Trener Miguel Falasca na dłużej w PGE Skrze Bełchatów – sport.interia.pl – 01-07-2014
  8. ^ "MIGUEL ANGEL FALASCA TRENEREM REPREZENTACJI CZECH". Pzps.pl (in Polish). 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023.
  9. ^ Miguel Falasca odchodzi z PGE Skry Bełchatów – skra.pl – 28-03-2016
  10. ^ Miguel Angel Falasca będzie prowadził włoski klub Gi Group Monza – onet.pl – 11-05-2016
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Awards
Preceded by Best Setter of
FIVB World Cup

2007
Succeeded by
Preceded by
  Yannick van Harskamp
Best Setter of
European League

2009
Succeeded by
  Guillermo Hérnan