# Alex Porter
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{{for|the Paw Patrol character|Paw Patrol#Supporting characters}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Resume-like|date=August 2025}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2025}}
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{{Use British English|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alex Michael Porter
| image = Alex_Porter_exMens_GB_Volleyball_Captain_taken_in_2012.JPG
| caption = Alex Porter Olympics (July 2012)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1980|07|05}}
| birth_place = [Colchester](/source/Colchester), [Essex](/source/Essex), England, U.K.
| known_for = GB Men's Volleyball Captain
| occupation = [Sportsman](/source/Sportsperson), [TV commentator](/source/Sports_commentator), [Volleyball player](/source/Volleyball_player) & coach
| years_active = 1980–present
| height = 6 ft. 9in.
| spouse =
}}
'''Alex Michael Porter'''[{{Cite web |url=http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/alex-porter/22/830/769 |title = Alex Porter - United Kingdom | LinkedIn |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121130060742/http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/alex-porter/22/830/769 |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead}}] (born 5 July 1980) is an English former [volleyball player](/source/volleyball_player), [commentator](/source/Sports_commentator), and former Great Britain volleyball Captain.[{{cite web|url=http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Indoor/Men/ |title=Archived item |accessdate=2012-09-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806033618/http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Indoor/Men/ |archivedate=6 August 2012 }}] He also managed the Great Britain Men's Volleyball Team for the 2012 European Championship.[{{cite web|author=Matt Plummer |url=http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/sport/9928535.Porter_is_appointed_Great_Britain_manager/?ref=ec |title=Porter is appointed Great Britain manager (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette) |website=Clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk |date=2012-09-13 |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] He was a court side expert pundit at the [2012 Summer Olympics](/source/2012_Summer_Olympics)[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/local/clacton/9893401.Olympic_ringside_seats_for_Tendring_volleyball_players/ |title=Olympic ringside seats for Tendring volleyball players (From Gazette) |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date=2012-08-24 |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] and [Paralympics](/source/Paralympics) 2012 Games, covering the volleyball and sitting volleyball competitions matches held at Earls Court & ExCeL venue.
During the games he joined up with [Jonathan Legard](/source/Jonathan_Legard) to commentate for the BBC's live coverage of the Olympic Volleyball, including the men's Gold medal match.
==Biography==
Porter grew up in the village of [Kirby-le-Soken](/source/Kirby-le-Soken). He started playing volleyball at [Tendring High School](/source/Tendring_High_School) aged 11 before joining Tendring Volleyball club later that year. In 1996 he joined his first National Volleyball League Team, Essex Estonians, who played in the Division 3. From here, he signed for London Malory[{{cite web|url=http://www.maloryeagles.org |title=Home |website=Maloryeagles.org |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}]{{failed verification|date=August 2025}} who were reigning League and Cup champions. In his first session for them, he became a starting 6 player and gained his first England cap against Scotland. A knee injury at the end of the 1998–99 season meant he missed the beginning of the 1999–00 season. Halfway through the season when he recovered from surgery he signed for Malory's rivals, London Docklands. After 2 years of commuting to London from his Sheffield home he transferred to Sheffield Volleyball Club. In his first year with them they narrowly missed out on promotion to his previous team, London Docklands.[[http://www.londondocklandsvc.org] {{dead link|date=June 2017}}]
After finishing his university education, Porter moved to Sweden to play semi-professionally in Sweden for [Vingåker](/source/Ving%C3%A5ker) VK (Sweden)[{{cite web |url=http://www.vvk.nu |title=Vingåkers Volleybollklubb | est. 1972 |website=Vvk.nu |date=2017-04-17 |accessdate=2017-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226235625/http://www.vvk.nu/ |archive-date=26 December 2017 |url-status=dead }}] and then professionally in Austria for [Sokol V (Austria)](/source/Sokol_V_(Austria)).[[http://www.sokol.at] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114125227/http://www.sokol.at/ |date=14 November 2012 }}]{{failed verification|date=August 2025}}[{{cite web|url=http://www.londondocklandsvc.com/News/News%202004.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127225142/http://www.londondocklandsvc.com/News/News%202004.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=27 January 2013 |title=London Docklands Volleyball - News |website=Londondocklandsvc.com |date=1994-10-08 |accessdate=2017-05-31}}]
Porter then became a community development coach.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2009/12/11/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/4788609.New_role_for_volleyball_coach_Alex/ |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}][{{cite news| title=Close links to beach volleyball are fine - girls in bikinis create interest|first=Charles|last=Randall | work=The Telegraph | date=3 May 2006 | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/2336317/Close-links-to-beach-volleyball-are-fine-girls-in-bikinis-create-interest.html | access-date=4 August 2025}}] He used his experience to encourage schools to take up volleyball in the Tendring and [Colchester](/source/Colchester) area, working with primary and secondary schools and establishing a recreational team at Tendring Volleyball Club.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2011/06/16/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9089279.Underdogs_exceed_expectations_at_Stowmarket_Open |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}]{{failed verification|date=August 2025}}
In the summer of 2011 he started to work in finance but maintained volleyball links. He and fellow Tendring Volleyball Club coach Neil Masters took over the coaching roles of England South Boys Cadets and won the 2011 UK School Games and won silver at the 2012 School Games.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2012/05/10/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9699402.Tendring_quartet_scoop_medals_at_the_Sainsbury_s_School_Games/ |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] Again working with Neil Masters, the pair of them have gained Tendring Volleyball Club's Men's team back to back promotions, from Division 3 East to Division 1.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2010/04/01/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/6545114.Tendring_Volleyball_team_celebrate_promotion/ |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}]{{failed verification|date=August 2025}} During the same period they reached the National Shield semi-final 2009–10 and the National Cup semi-final 2010–11.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2011/03/04/HarwichandManningtreeStandard_localsport+%28HarwichandManningtreeStandard_localsport%29/8890160.Tendring_cup_run_hits_a_brick_wall/ |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] In 2011–12 the team won the National Shield against Boathouse Volleyball Club at the National Volleyball Centre.[{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/archive/2012/05/02/ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport+%28ClactonandFrintonGazette_localsport%29/9682162.Masters_so_proud_after_Tendring_win_National_Shield/ |title=Archive news from the Gazette |website=Gazette-news.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}]
==Volleyball career==
Combined England and GB Caps; 75 international caps[{{cite web|url=http://www.tendringvolleyball.com/about-us/coaches/alex-porter |title=Archived item |accessdate=2012-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304050839/http://www.tendringvolleyball.com/about-us/coaches/alex-porter |archivedate=4 March 2013 }}]
Former Coaching at; Sheffield Hallam University, Vingaker Women's Team (Sweden), Sokol School (Austria),[{{cite web|url=http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Athletes/indoor-men.php |title=Archived item |accessdate=2012-09-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815011320/http://www.britishvolleyball.org/Athletes/indoor-men.php |archivedate=15 August 2012 }}]
Former Player at; Men's GB Team,[{{cite web|url=http://www.fivb.org/EN/Infomedia/XPress/2004/2004_129/XPress%20129%20English.pdf |title=2006 World Championships : First round of the World Championships to begin in England |website=Fivb.org |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] Tendring, City of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, London Docklands,[{{cite web|url=http://www.londondocklandsvc.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020531023438/http://londondocklandsvc.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=31 May 2002 |title=London Docklands Volleyball |website=Londondocklandsvc.com |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] London Malory,[{{cite web|url=http://www.maloryeagles.org/ |title=Home |website=Maloryeagles.org |date= |accessdate=2017-05-31}}] Vingaker VK (Sweden),[{{cite web |url=http://www.vvk.nu |title=Vingåkers Volleybollklubb | est. 1972 |website=Vvk.nu |date=2017-04-17 |accessdate=2017-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226235625/http://www.vvk.nu/ |archive-date=26 December 2017 |url-status=dead }}]