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In this episode of The Heritage Show, we sit down with Janet Inman to explore a remarkable life in volleyball — one shaped by leadership, service, vision and a deep commitment to people.

Janet shares how her journey first began at an all-girls school, where volleyball gave her the opportunity to compete against a local boys’ school — a connection that would later lead to meeting her now husband. From there, her love for the sport grew through college, club volleyball and into coaching, where she was influenced by some of the people who helped shape her own style, standards and approach.

We explore Janet’s evolution from player and coach into local, regional and national leadership roles, including her long-standing contribution as Chair of Lincolnshire Volleyball Association. Throughout the conversation, it becomes clear that Janet has a natural ability to bring people with her, build trust and step forward when the sport needs leadership.

Janet reflects on her time with Volleyball England, including her work on the Whole Sport Plan and the safeguarding standards that helped position volleyball as a model of good practice for other sports — all while working full-time in education.

She also shares what it was like to become CEO of Volleyball England at a challenging time, when trust in the sport’s leadership needed to be rebuilt. Janet talks openly about making tough decisions, working incredibly hard, and helping to steady the organisation so it could move forward.

We also discuss her role in helping secure Beach Volleyball’s place at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, as well as her ongoing work with the Volleyball England Foundation, supporting grassroots volleyball, inclusion, sitting volleyball, club development and access to the sport.

This is a conversation about leadership, volunteering, legacy and using your talents in service of something bigger.

Janet is no-nonsense, direct, passionate and deeply committed to the sport. Her belief is simple: if you have a talent, you should use it — and this episode shows just how powerfully she has lived by that.

A true volleyball legacy, and a conversation you don’t want to miss.

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In this episode of Digging Deeper, I’m joined by Katarina Cepinova for a brilliant conversation about her remarkable journey through volleyball.

Katarina reflects on her early playing days, including her time playing in London and in the National League, and shares how a referee course with her best friend first opened the door into officiating. What began as something new soon became a huge part of her life, with playing becoming more social as her refereeing journey gathered momentum.

We talk about her development through the referee pathway, including her first NVL match experience and how a difficult encounter with a coach helped shape her resilience, confidence and determination. Katarina also shares her experiences at London 2012 as a dual official, working as a line judge and scorer — a key moment that inspired her to aim high and ultimately become England’s first female international indoor referee.

This episode also explores the art of refereeing — moving from simply knowing the rules to learning how to manage the game, the people and the pressure that comes with it. We discuss referee development, the skills required to officiate well, and Katarina’s thoughts on how officials can be better supported.

Katarina also talks about HerCall, the Volleyball England initiative she launched to support and develop female officials, helping build confidence, connection and a stronger support network for women in refereeing.

More than anything, this is a conversation about someone who truly loves the game. Katarina speaks openly about the challenges she has faced, but also about the joy volleyball has brought to her life. She is a real ambassador for the sport, and her story is one of passion, perseverance and impact.

A really powerful episode — don’t miss it.

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In this latest edition of The Heritage Show, in partnership with Volleyball England, I’m joined by Ron Richards for a brilliant conversation that journeys through more than six decades of volleyball history.

Ron reflects on his early days of discovering the sport in the 1960s, what volleyball looked like in those formative years, and how the game began to evolve through the 1970s and 1980s as more sports halls became available across the country. We talk about his playing days, competing with Exeter University, and the early growth of the National Volleyball League.

The conversation then moves into Ron’s huge contribution to junior development. As a teacher, he created opportunities for young people to play, setting up school and club programmes and building successful junior tournaments that gave countless players their start in the sport. We also explore his incredible impact in the South West, where he has been a tireless advocate for volleyball — supporting clubs to grow, strengthening the regional game, and helping drive junior development, including the creation of the mini volleyball Grand Prix series in the 1990s, which helped produce some of the country’s best players.

Ron also shares his thoughts on the power of volunteers in volleyball, the importance of creating club environments that feel like family, and why that sense of community matters so much in sustaining the sport.

From there, we move onto his national contribution — including his time as Vice President of the English Volleyball Association and his experiences as Head of Delegation for national and club teams travelling abroad. He shares fascinating stories from those trips, including memorable experiences in the Soviet Union.

We also talk about Ron’s role in establishing the Whitefield Volleyball Tournament, which grew into one of the most successful and well-loved grass tournaments in the country, and why its legacy continues to this day.

This is a fantastic conversation with a truly special man — a gentleman with a huge heart for volleyball, whose dedication to the game is remarkable. Having served as Secretary of South West Volleyball for over 50 years, Ron’s contribution to the sport is nothing short of extraordinary.

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