Miguel Ángel Falasca

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.

Personal life
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. At the age of 15, due to the unstable economic situation in Argentina, the Falasca family decided to move to Spain. Miguel, his sister María Elisa, his younger brother Guillermo, and his parents settled in Málaga. He eventually married Esther Custodio. They had two children: a daughter, Sara (born 2004), and a son, Daniel (born 2002).

Death
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. He died of a heart attack the next day at the age of 46 in Varese, where he was staying with his wife, despite a resuscitation attempt.



Career as coach
Falasca began coaching with PGE Skra Bełchatów in 2013. In the first season of his work, PGE Skra won a title of Polish Champion 2013-14. 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. In February 2016, he became the head coach of the Czech Republic men's national volleyball team. 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. In May 2016, he signed a two-year contract with Italian club Gi Group Monza.

As a player

 * CEV Champions League
 * Silver medal europe.svg 2002–03 – with Kerakoll Modena
 * Silver medal europe.svg 2011–12 – with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * FIVB Club World Championship
 * Silver medal world centered-2.svg Doha 2009 – with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * Silver medal world centered-2.svg Doha 2010 – with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * CEV Cup
 * Simple gold cup.svg 2001–02 – with Knack Roeselare
 * Simple silver cup.svg 2005–06 – with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * CEV Challenge Cup
 * Simple silver cup.svg 2004–05 – with Son Amar Palma de Mallorca
 * Simple silver cup.svg 2012–13 – with Ural Ufa
 * Domestic
 * 1996–97 Simple gold cup.svg Spanish Cup, with CV Las Palmas
 * 2000–01 Simple gold cup.svg Belgian SuperCup, with Knack Roeselare
 * 2004–05 Simple gold cup.svg Spanish Cup, with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * 2005–06 Simple gold cup.svg Spanish Cup, with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * 2005–06 Gold medal with cup.svg Spanish Championship, with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * 2006–07 Gold medal with cup.svg Spanish Championship, with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * 2007–08 Gold medal with cup.svg Spanish Championship, with Portol Palma de Mallorca
 * 2008–09 Simple gold cup.svg Polish Cup, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2008–09 Gold medal with cup.svg Polish Championship, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2009–10 Gold medal with cup.svg Polish Championship, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2010–11 Simple gold cup.svg Polish Cup, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2010–11 Gold medal with cup.svg Polish Championship, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2011–12 Simple gold cup.svg Polish Cup, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * Universiade
 * 1995 Silver FISU.svg Summer Universiade

As a coach

 * CEV Challenge Cup
 * Simple gold cup.svg 2018–19 – with Saugella Monza
 * Domestic
 * 2013/2014 Simple gold cup.svg Polish SuperCup, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2013–14 Gold medal with cup.svg Polish Championship, with PGE Skra Bełchatów
 * 2015–16 Simple gold cup.svg Polish Cup, with PGE Skra Bełchatów

Individual awards

 * 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