Arkadiusz Gołaś

Arkadiusz Gołaś
Personal information
Full name	Arkadiusz Gołaś
Nationality	Polish
Born	May 10, 1981 Przasnysz, Poland
Died	September 16, 2005 (aged 24) Griffen, Austria
Hometown	Ostrołęka, Poland
Height	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight	83 kg (183 lb)
Spike	370 cm (150 in)
Block	352 cm (139 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Middle blocker
Number	16
Career
Years Teams 1991–1996 1996–2000 1997–2000 2000–2004 2004–2005 2005–2005 UKS Olimp Ostrołęka MKS MOS Wola Warszawa SMS PZPS Spała AZS Częstochowa Sempre Volley Lube Banca Macerata
National team
2001–2005  Poland (141)
Last updated: 29 April 2016

Arkadiusz Gołaś (10 May 1981 – 16 September 2005) was a Polish volleyball player, a member of Poland men's national volleyball team in 2001–2005, a participant of the Olympic Games Athens 2004.

Personal life

He married to Agnieszka (née Dziewońska) on July 21, 2005.^[1] His best man was another volleyball player, his best friend Krzysztof Ignaczak. On September 16, 2005 Arkadiusz died in Griffen near Klagenfurt in Austria on the A2 motorway^[2] when the car he was riding in struck a concrete wall. His wife, Agnieszka, who was driving, survived. They were on their way to Macerata, where Arkadiusz was due to begin playing his first season at the club Lube Banca Macerata. His last match with the Polish national team was on September 8, 2005, when Poland beat Portugal (3-0). His funeral held on September 22, 2005 in Ostrołęka.

The grave of Arkadiusz Gołaś in the cemetery in Ostrołęka.

Sports achievements

Clubs

National championships

• 2000/2001 Polish Championship, with AZS Częstochowa
• 2001/2002 Polish Championship, with AZS Częstochowa
• 2002/2003 Polish Championship, with AZS Częstochowa
• 2003/2004 Polish Championship, with AZS Częstochowa

National team

• 1999 FIVB U19 World Championship

State awards

• 2006 Gold Cross of Merit (posthumously)

Memory

• After his death, his best friend from the Polish national team - Krzysztof Ignaczak took over wearing the shirt bearing number 16, to honor his memory.
• The silver medal won by the Polish national team at the World Championship 2006 was dedicated to him. At medal ceremony all Polish players were in shirts with his surname and number 16. On December 6, 2006 was posthumously awarded Gold Cross of Merit by the Polish President Lech Kaczyński for outstanding sports achievements.^[3]
• A sport hall in Ostrołęka has been named after him. Since 2006 it has been the venue for the annual Memorial of Arkadiusz Gołaś.^[4]
• Sebastian Świderski, who was a player in Italian club Lube Banca Macerata in 2007–2010 played with Arkadiusz's number 16 on his shirt.
• In 2009 son of Mariusz Wlazły was named after him.
• In 2013–2015 the next Polish volleyball player – Bartosz Kurek has been playing with Gołaś's number 16 on his shirt.
• Mariusz Wlazły after gained title of World Champion 2014, he dedicated his medal to him.^[5]

References

1. Ślub Arkadiusza Gołasia - interia.pl - 23-07-2005
2. Siatkarz - Arkadiusz Gołaś nie żyje - rmf24.pl - 16-09-2005
3. Jesteście skuteczniejsi od polityków - prezydent.pl - 06-12-2006
4. Arkadiusz Gołaś - jego śmierć wstrząsnęła całą siatkówką - onet.pl - 16-09-2014
5. Polscy siatkarze zdobyli złoto! Wlazły: "Dedykuję medal Arkowi Gołasiowi" - eostroleka.pl - 22-09-2014