GREBENNIKOV Jenia

General
FATHER
He played at French Ligue A side Rennes Volley 35 between 2007 and 2013 under his father as head coach. "During the first years we had a father-son relationship. We became very emotional. He was more demanding of me than of the others. Later I understood he only wanted me to get better. It all changed when I was called into the national team at age 19. When I went back to [Rennes] our relationship became more coach-player. I think I had reached the level that he wanted." (volleyball-verband.de, 06 Feb 2014)

LIBERO
His father Boris advised him to switch to the libero position at age 18 because he lacked the size and the strength to be an attacking player. "If I had listened to myself I would have been a wing spiker. It was my father who convinced me that I had to switch to libero to become a star." He also says he enjoys the playing style of the libero position. "I don't wait for the ball to reach me, I go looking for it. I take risks and that's how I enjoy my game. Sometimes you get some bricks thrown at you at 120/130 kilometres per hour. You defend that point and you see your rival getting frustrated. That's really a big pleasure. I love this role because I have already took possession of it." (francetvsport.fr, 23 Nov 2015; lemonde.fr, 21 Sep 2018)

AMBASSADOR
He serves as an ambassador for Smash for Green, an environmental initiative started by Paris Volley which aims to encourage people to protect the environment through sport. "Professional sport must set an example and engage its community to consume better and adopt more virtuous, responsible and solidarity-based behaviour." (tokyo2020.org, 05 Jun 2020)