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Post by beachman on Dec 27, 2006 12:42:02 GMT -5
A major step in the right direction for the program would be to move it to a place where the players want to live and WORK outside of training.....Colorado Springs is a beautiful place but there isn't much to do there outside of volleyball...the costs may be prohibitive in moving however w/o a major sponsor.....
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Post by Murina on Dec 27, 2006 13:53:17 GMT -5
A major step in the right direction for the program would be to move it to a place where the players want to live and WORK outside of training.....Colorado Springs is a beautiful place but there isn't much to do there outside of volleyball...the costs may be prohibitive in moving however w/o a major sponsor..... You emphisized "WORK." What does that mean? These people can't have a job like normal people. I also can't understand the "nothing to do" excuse. When you're in training with the national team, you train as much as 7-8 hours a day and you rest. There isn't time or energy to "do" anything outside of volleyball! Example: Brazilian NT players Fafao and Walewska have played club ball in Perugia, Italy for about 8 years between them. Neither has been to Rome (about 2 hours away by train) or Florence (about 5 hours) except to play a match!!! They are either training, playing or recovering (or in Walewska's case, smoking). Training with a national team is the same way. That's why I said in an earlier post that these athletes who play year round for several years are so amazing!
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Post by holidayhusker on Dec 27, 2006 20:05:05 GMT -5
Murina....Beachman has that mentality that like him these players need to be entertained on a regular basis. Sort of like the integrity and work ethic that the NBA proudly boasts. He just cannot wrap his mind around anyone actually dedicating some time to " working, " for a goal. He especially cannot wrap his mind around anyone wanting to live anywhere else but the west coast . Explains alot huh!
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Post by PierreAmi on Dec 27, 2006 20:32:43 GMT -5
You guys have obviously never been involved in sport at the national level. Even when training "full-time" it is still essential for their mental health that the athletes have the opportunity to have a life outside of the training center and be able to have relationships outside of their immediate teammates. Many Olympic athletes will take part-time jobs coaching high school or college, working at Home Depot, at health clubs, as web site designers or even in the financial services. It would be great if the v-ball players have the same opportunities that perhaps do not exist in Colorado Springs.
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Post by Murina on Dec 27, 2006 23:15:11 GMT -5
You guys have obviously never been involved in sport at the national level. Even when training "full-time" it is still essential for their mental health that the athletes have the opportunity to have a life outside of the training center and be able to have relationships outside of their immediate teammates. Many Olympic athletes will take part-time jobs coaching high school or college, working at Home Depot, at health clubs, as web site designers or even in the financial services. It would be great if the v-ball players have the same opportunities that perhaps do not exist in Colorado Springs. I'm not talking about the players who are training year round with the USA NT right now. Those players are the ones who aren't good enough to help team USA medal. Those players do get a week here and there to see family, and they aren't training 8 hours a day. They also aren't preparing for competition. They are on an 8 month tryout. Heather Bown, Danielle Scott, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Nancy Metcalf... These players aren't working at Home Depot or doing financial services when they are in National Team camp! They aren't coaching high school teams (except maybe popping into a friends practice on an irregular basis). Besides, in CoS there are high schools, people who need financial help, web site design companies and I'd be shocked if there wasn't at least one Home Depot! Besides, I'm not saying "don't move the program." I'm just saying there don't seem to be any reasons to expect better results when you move the program. People here are making a lot of assumptions: 1. the NT would have better players if it were located somewhere else (SoCal?). I ask "who would be on the NT?" Logan Tom? Who else? Which brings me to the second assumption: 2. it is Tom's choice to not play for the NT. It may be out of her hands... Beachman probably doesn't need to beat on LT as much as he does on this board, but what he says does have some basis in reality... 3. If the best USA players trained at home together year round the team would be better. It's hard for me to believe that training in the USA would improve Haneef, Crawford and Wilkins ability to receive serve or get kills.
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Post by bunnywailer on Dec 28, 2006 0:05:19 GMT -5
The National Teams have and have had a relationship with many businesses in the community at both the Colorado Springs and the old San Diego training centers.
In the late 80's/early 90's, Scott Fortune worked part-time with one of the banks in San Diego. In the previous quadrennial leading up to Athens 2004, Reid Priddy worked for Home Depot and was even featured in their commercials during the Olympics.
There hasn't been any compelling arguments for either team to move to SoCal. The fact that the USA Men haven't had any greater successes since moving demonstrates the faulty logic and assumptions which generated the move in the first place. The supposed "thin air" arguments and the effect on executing jump serves and receiving jump serves was pure hogwash. And Murina brought up probably the best point of all - the location of the training center has no bearing when the entire talent pool of available athletes isn't good enough or skilled enough to push either the USA Women or USA Men to better performances in major international competition.
Everyone likes to drop all kinds of ex-collegiate All-Americans or superstars as the "next big thing" for Team USA. Not gonna happen. The past twenty years have proven that it takes more than a closet full of collegiate awards to make it internationally.
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Post by beachman on Dec 28, 2006 0:13:16 GMT -5
Murina....Beachman has that mentality that like him these players need to be entertained on a regular basis. Sort of like the integrity and work ethic that the NBA proudly boasts. He just cannot wrap his mind around anyone actually dedicating some time to " working, " for a goal. He especially cannot wrap his mind around anyone wanting to live anywhere else but the west coast . Explains alot huh! Husker you really are an idiot! These athletes need something to do outside of training....some even look for part time jobs....some like to play and work out on the beach.....some actually live in So California.....damned sure don't live in KNEEBRASKA!!
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Post by Murina on Dec 28, 2006 1:49:08 GMT -5
...In the late 80's/early 90's, Scott Fortune worked part-time with one of the banks in San Diego. In the previous quadrennial leading up to Athens 2004, Reid Priddy worked for Home Depot and was even featured in their commercials during the Olympics. Were those guys working during the months immediately before the Olympics? I think they were able to do that because they weren't playing overseas and they worked during the club season. Actually I think the future is fairly bright, it's just 4-6 years away. This last few years was just terrible for the critical passer/attacker position. Cruz, Gordon, Jerkov were all foreign. Willoughby decided she liked Puerto Rico. Tom is in her prime right now. Burdine decided to play on the Beach. The USA always comes up with middles, and they usually have plenty of setting. Opposite was week before Metcalf. USA's future has Barboza, Larson, Hodge (?)... Maybe Morrison or a healthy Richards could help some. Loads of good setters are in college now. There are plenty of potential opposites and middles. 2008 probably won't be very good. 2012 could be a lot better.
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Post by blastingsand on Dec 28, 2006 2:11:06 GMT -5
How bright is the future really for team USA? If what some of you say is right and that relocating the center or doing anything different is not gonna help, does it just mean this country is not good in volleyball?
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Post by holidayhusker on Dec 28, 2006 4:21:37 GMT -5
Murina....Beachman has that mentality that like him these players need to be entertained on a regular basis. Sort of like the integrity and work ethic that the NBA proudly boasts. He just cannot wrap his mind around anyone actually dedicating some time to " working, " for a goal. He especially cannot wrap his mind around anyone wanting to live anywhere else but the west coast . Explains alot huh! Husker you really are an idiot! These athletes need something to do outside of training....some even look for part time jobs....some like to play and work out on the beach.....some actually live in So California.....damned sure don't live in KNEEBRASKA!! Beachwear...........what a shock you feel that way. It is obvious to me and everyone else that you have not been to Colorado Springs. It is a city like every other city and actually have many businesses including " Home Depot," that players could work at if chosen too. By the way............we KneeNebraskans thank you for living elsewhere. We couldn't stand the whining!!
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