Meeting with Steve Peironet, sports director, at the heart of this dynamic.

Its qualification for a second consecutive Final Four, played on April 13 (the club finished 3rd in the Coupe de France), illustrated the strength of a model based on organization, internal structuring, volunteer mobilization, the rising power of the board of directors, and the growing involvement of economic partners.

Beyond sports performance, it is a human and collective adventure, where every trip, every match, and every social action tells the same story: a club that creates value, connection, and emotion.

Meeting with Steve Peironet, sports director, at the heart of this dynamic.

Steve, returning to the Final Four two years in a row, what does this new qualification reveal about the strength of the project you are leading? S. P.

This qualification shows that the club has passed an important milestone. Last year, reaching the final was already a historic moment. Returning to the Final Four this season, in Élite, confirmed that our model holds up.

Sur le plan sportif, vous avez abordé ce rendez-vous avec une dynamique très positive. S.P. Oui, le quart de finale contre Saint-Brieuc, remporté 3–0 devant plus de 1 000 personnes, a été un moment très fort. Ensuite, il y a eu la victoire 3–2 à Bellaing, malgré deux absents majeurs. C’était la revanche de la finale du championnat de l’an dernier. Gagner là-bas, dans ces conditions, c’est une vraie performance. Trois victoires consécutives avant le Final Four, c’est exactement ce qu’il fallait pour aborder ce rendez-vous dans les meilleures dispositions.

It relies on a very broad collective: the players, of course, but also the managers, the board of directors, the employees, and the volunteers. Everyone is invested, everyone contributes. It is this cohesion, this ability to work together with rigor and passion, that allows us to move forward and continue to grow despite limited resources.

On the sporting front, you approached this event with a very positive dynamic. S. P.

Yes, the quarter-final against Saint-Brieuc, won 3-0 in front of more than 1,000 people, was a very powerful moment. Then, there was the 3-2 victory at Bellaing, despite two major players missing. It was the revenge of last year's championship final.

Winning there, under those conditions, is a real achievement. Three consecutive victories before the Final Four was exactly what was needed to approach this event in the best possible shape.

The season was also marked by very heavy logistics. How did you manage it?

S. P.

With a lot of rigor and planning ahead. We made eleven trips to Nord, which represents a huge financial and human cost. Some journeys were made on the same day, with several connections.

These are not ideal conditions to perform, but we have to cope with our resources. With the leaders and the board of directors, we worked to optimize every trip, limit expenses, and preserve the players. It is behind-the-scenes work, invisible to the public, but it proves essential to guarantee performance.

Did the Final Four represent an additional challenge? S. P.

Yes, because you have to play two matches in a weekend, including a semi-final against the leader Harnes, at their home. On Sunday, depending on the result, a final or a 3-4 place, which can count towards accessing the professional Coupe de France. It is a very physically and mentally demanding format.

You have to manage fatigue, recovery, concentration... and all this in the context of a long trip. It is a real organizational challenge.

The club has established itself as a key player in the territory. How do you explain this evolution?

S. P.

The VCHPL represents Hyères, Pierrefeu, and La Londe-les-Maures. Successive mergers have created a strong identity. Match nights offer a real event with local associations, dancers, gymnasts, and DJs.

We want to offer a complete experience, accessible to all. And we also carry out social initiatives with interventions in EHPAD, activities with people with multiple disabilities, and intergenerational projects. The club is not only about sports, as it creates connections, value, and meaning.

This is what sets us apart.

Does the role of volunteers seem decisive?

S. P. Without them, nothing exists. They set up the gym, manage the refreshment bar, the reception, the logistics. During the quarter-final, the atmosphere was incredible. In a 17-year career, I have rarely experienced that. Their commitment is a pillar of the club.

They give time, energy, passion. They are the soul of VCHPL.

Economic partners are also growing in numbers.

How do you explain this? S. P.

We started from scratch. Today, we have a structured business club. One hour before each match, partners meet, exchange, and network.

They find meaning in their commitment: visibility, economic relations, local roots. The Final Four has strengthened our attractiveness. The club is becoming a place where we do sports but also business.

And this benefits the whole territory.

A final word for those who support the club?

S. P.

I thank the volunteers, the partners, the local authorities, the leaders, and the board of directors. Their commitment is essential. With few resources, we create something very strong.

And I invite the economic players of the territory to come and discover a match: they will immediately understand why this club is growing, and why it makes everything around it grow.