domingo, 29 de mayo de 2011

Tammy Mahon: "I look at my whole career as being a success"

Ficha técnica

Name: Tammy Mahon

Nickname: Tams

Shirt Number: 4

Position: Left Side

Club: Team Canada Volleyball



Voleibol

1.How did you start playing?
I started playing in Grade 9 with my high school team

2. Do you have an idol?
My parents and many teammates along the way who have inspired, motivated and supported me.

3. Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
Ken Bentley from the University of Manitoba. In high school, volleyball was not my best sport but it was the one I loved the most. Ken saw my love for the game and my athletic ability, and turned me into the player I am today both physically and mentally.

4. You played in many leagues all over the world. Which is/was your favourite and why?
It would be hard to pick a favourite because each experience was so different and I ve learned so much from each one! Each city, team and situation offers it's own unique experience, and I have loved all of them!

5. What was your biggest success so far?
I would say winning back to back national championships in university and winning the Greek Championship last year would be my biggest accomplishments. But, I look at my whole career as being a success....I love what I do, I ve met amazing people along the way, and would not change a thing about my career thus far.

6. What are your goals for this season?
This is the Olympic qualifying year for Team Canada, so the ultimate goal is the qualify for London in 2012.

7. In which other leagues would you like to play?
I don't really have a preference! Every league and country has something great to offer!

8. Do you have a funny moment or anecdote to share with us?
With a team full of girls, there are lots of funny moments!! Too many to name just one!! I find myself laughing everyday about a situation, or a play made or just a joke from one of my teammates!


Personal

Favourite food: Pizza

Recommend a book: I am currently reading "The Help" and I really love it!
Favourite film: Pretty Woman

If you hadn't become a volleyball player… I would have gone to school to become a Vet because I am as equally passionate about animals as I am about volleyball!

Some words to finish:

I feel blessed everyday to do what I do! I love my job and any athlete who has the desire or opportunity to try playing professionally should do it! Thank you to all the people in my life who continue to support me and be my biggest fans! Leer más...

domingo, 22 de mayo de 2011

Mira Topic: " I am very lucky because I had opportunity to play for really great coaches"

Mira Topic is a volleyball player from Croatia. She's currently playing in Schweriner SC

Ficha técnica

Name: Mira
Nickname: Miki
Shirt Number: my favorite is 15, but currently I am playing under number 4- its also cool
Position: receiver/ attacker
Club: Schweriner SC, German 1. Bundesliga

Voleibol

How did you start playing?
It happened thanks to my older sister Marija who was also playing volleyball. One day she was supposed to take care of me but she had to go to practice so she took me with her, and then her coach told me to come next day and that is how it all started. I was 13 and I just love volleyball since then.

Do you have an idol?
No

Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
Every coach so far in my carrier had a great influence on me in one way or another and helped me to develop in player I am now. I think I am very lucky because I had opportunity to play for really great coaches.

You played in many leagues all over Europe. Which is/was your favorite and why?
Every time I win championship that league stays in my memory as favorite one. That’s why I have a few favorite and I can’t really choose which one.

Do you have good memories about Spain?
I have great memories about Spain. I had opportunity to work with really great coaches; we won Championship and Queen Cup. I met some really nice people that stayed my good friends till now. Murcia is really fun and very interesting city to be living in and I just love the climate.

What was your biggest success so far?
Every time I win national Championship with team I am playing for I consider that a great success, but I have to say that so far only in Spain I took double title so that is I think great.

Do you have a funny moment or anecdote to share with us?
I have one from last season. My team Schweriner has tradition that one day during season players come to practice disguise, and make full practice in some costume or some funny outfit. So I put on my piyamas. I always had this dream to come to practice in my piyama and it finally came true. It was really funny to see that practice.

Are you looking forward especially to play in Champions League next season?
Oh, I am really excited about that!!!!!! :)

What do you think about the chances of Schweriner SC?
In Champions league we have very difficult group but my team is hungry for victory and we will try to do everything possible to win. It would be great to be in final four.

What’s your opinion about the situation in Croatian National team at the moment (withdrawal of Kirillova)?
It is very complicated and delicate situation what is happening there and I would prefer not to talk about that. Irina Kirillova was great player and is great coach and person, and I respect her decision to leave National Team.

Personal

Favourite food: Sushi
Recommend a book: The Cabin
Favourite film: Beautiful mind
If you hadn't become a volleyball player…: it was never another option, since the first day I touch volleyball I knew I wanted to be a volleyball player
Some words to finish: Thank you very much for your time …Besos para Espana!!!!

Thank you for answering our questions, it is a pleasure to get to know more about you. Good luck for next season!

Colaboration: Matthias Weber Leer más...

sábado, 14 de mayo de 2011

Lynne Beattie: "We have worked very hard for London 2012"


Ficha técnica
Name:  Lynne Beattie
Nickname: Beats
Shirt Number: Normally 10, but 12 for Las Palmas
Position: Zone 4, Outside Hitter
Club: CV JAV Olimpico Las Palmas





Voleibol
How did you start playing?  
I started playing at the age of 12 at school and immediately fell in love with the sport.

Do you have any idols?
I do not have any idols, but there are many players I love to watch and admire very much.   Yoshi Takeshita, the Japanese setter, is a player I love to watch. The speed of her offence is inspirational.  I also aspire to play like Logan Tom as she is a very good all round player with power and flair. 

Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
My first volleyball coach had a huge influence in my career as he is the one who fascinated me with the sport and made me want to play volleyball at a high level.  However, my current Great Britain National Team Coach, Audrey Cooper has influenced me the most in my career.  She is a huge motivator and she has driven me to become the player I am now, and still pushes me to be better. 

 

What was your biggest success so far?
Being appointed as Team Captain of the Great Britain National team preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

This season you’re going to play in Spain, Why did you choose this league and team?
It has always been an ambition of mine to play in the Spanish Superliga.   The level of volleyball is very high and I like the speed of the game out here.  And of course…the weather  : )

What do you expect for this new experience?
I expect this season to be the highlight of my volleyball career so far and am really looking forward to the experience of playing in a very good league. 


What’s your opinion about Great Britain’s current NT and their participation in London 2012?
I am very excited about competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games.  We are a team that has worked very hard for this amazing opportunity and we deserve the chance to compete at our home Olympics.  Our Team preparations are going really well and we are looking to make history for British Volleyball next summer at London 2012. 

What do you think why volleyball is not so popular in the UK?
Volleyball is becoming more and more popular in the UK, especially with the opportunity we have to compete at the Olympics.  We hope that London 2012 will boost the participation of people playing volleyball in the UK.  The problem is getting children to play a sport other than football at an early age. 

Personal
Favourite food: Chinese
Recommend a book: BOUNCE, by Matthew Syed
Favourite film:  Law abiding Citizen
If you hadn't become a volleyball player…
I am a qualified pharmacist, so would have continued with my career as a pharmacist if I hadn’t played volleyball. 
Some words to finish:
I can’t wait to experience Volleyball in the Spanish Superliga.  I am enjoying life in Las Palmas very much.  The people are great and the weather is fantastic.  Muchos Gracias!
Thank you for answering our questions, it is a pleasure to get to know more about you. Good luck for next season!
Leer más...

viernes, 6 de mayo de 2011

Lauren Bertolacci: "I have always dreamed of playing in Italy"

Ficha técnica
Name: Lauren Bertolacci
Nickname: Loz
Shirt Number: 10
Position: Setter
Club: TSV Düdingen Power Cats

Voleibol
1.How did you start playing?
I used to play basketball, and I followed a very tall friend of mine to state try outs for volleyball when I was 14. She made the team and I didn't, although I was more skilled... which made me want to make the next team and work harder. From then on I fell in love with the game volleyball, worked very hard to get to a high level and have never stopped.
2. Do you have an idol?
I have two setters that I love to watch and model myself on. Yoshie Takashita, the setter from Japan, the way she distributes and runs the game is phenomenal. We play against her in many Asian  Championships and it is an honour and a huge learning experience every time. I also like to watch Eleonora Lo Bianco from Italy.
3. Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
To be honest it's hard to pinpoint one, I have had so many coaches and you always are able to learn and take something from each of them. However, Yiang Jing was my first National Team coach, and gave me a huge opportunity when she selected me and trusted me to go on tour with the Australian Team in 2005. At this stage I was still very raw, but she saw a lot of potential in me, told me I had a special character, attitude and vision of the game. She taught me how to play with my height and most importantly, to never give up despite the obstacles that will come my way.
4. What was your biggest success so far?
I would have to say so far it is still being involved with my National Team since 2005, I've competed in four Asian Championships. This year I was named co-captain for one of the tournaments and it was a very big honour. I am proud of what I have achieved professionally so far, it wasn't an easy road for me and I am still working for everything I get, but there is a lot more I would like to achieve for in Europe and I will concentrate on that from now on.

5. What are your objectives with National Team?
We lost in the Olympic Qualifications in September, so we are out. 2012 will be a rebuilding year for us. My personal objective is to help build the team up for the next 4-5 years, being some good juniors through and hopefully we can start to make an impact on the very hard Asian region in World Championships and Olympics Qualifications. 
6. What are your goals for this season with your club?
Our goals were to finish top 5 after the first round, top 5 move through to playoffs in Switzerland this year. Unfortunately we missed out narrowly, and have therefore missed the playoffs. Now it is to finish in 6th position and get as many wins on the board as possible. 
7. In which other leagues would you like to play?
I have always dreamed of playing in Italy, but my mind is very open, I just want to play the best Volleyball possible. Without a doubt Tenerife was my favourite place to play so far and would love to return when the economic situation improves, but in the near future I am looking to get back into the German League and play in a European Cup team there.
8. Do you have a funny moment or anecdote to share with us?
Yes, watch until around 30 seconds! (watch the video).  It was very painful, in a tournament in Vietnam this year.


Personal
Favourite food: My infamous Chicken Pumpkin Salad.
Recommend a book: Nineteen Minutes
Favourite film: The Sandlot
If you hadn't become a volleyball player… I would probably be working as a Strength and Conditioning coach, I have a degree in Human Science and am finishing my Masters slowly :-)
Some words to finish: Volleyball has shown me a new side of life. I am exceptionally blessed to have all the experiences I have had... but nothing comes easy. You always have to fight for what you achieve, but when you are able to sit back and enjoy it you realise how lucky you are. 
Thank you for answering our questions, it is a pleasure to get to know more about you. Good luck for the season!

Leer más...

jueves, 5 de mayo de 2011

Nicole Davis: "We became more unified as a team and that is probably the most important success of the summer"

Ficha técnica

Name: Nicole Davis

Nickname: “Coley”

Shirt Number: USA, #6 (Rebecchi Nordameccanica, Piacenza, #3)

Position: LIBERO

Club: Rebecchi Nordameccanica, Piacenza, Italy

Voleibol

1.How did you start playing?
I was actually doing Martial Arts, and playing softball when I was young. My parents were tired of me playing softball, and so I signed up to try out for the volleyball team for my first year of high school. I made the 2nd team, and this is how I started playing volleyball. I was 14 years old.

2. Do you have an idol?
I idolize my Mother and my Grandmother. They are both strong and successful women, who have had a big influence on my life, and who are constantly supporting my career and motivating me to keep pursuing my dreams. I don’t really have a sports idol. There are a few athletes that I really respect and pay attention to, for example, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Micheal Phelps, etc., because of their success in their respective sports.

3. Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
I’ve been fortunate to have played for several good coaches, and they have all had a big impact on my career at the time I was playing for them. My very first coach (Fay Murdoch) used to say, “If you believe, you can achieve”. Belief in myself has been a central construct in my volleyball journey. My high school coach, Bret Cezar, taught our team about what success actually means, in terms of effort and hard work, and what it means to be on a functional team. My university coach, Mick Haley, challenged me to be a better person, and influenced my growth from a good athlete to a good volleyball player. My assistant coach at university, Paula Weishoff, is one of the best American players to ever have played the game. She played in Italy for 7 years professionally, and went to 3 Olympic games. She helped prepare me for the national team, and has guided me through the ups and downs of competing at this level. Jenny Lang Ping challenged me to be a better teammate, and gave me a chance to learn. Hugh McCutcheon and Karch Karily, our current national team coaches, taught me how to be a more refined player, and helped me learn to read and understand the game better.

4. What was your biggest success so far?
Silver Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. 2 World Grand Prix gold medals (2010 & 2011).


5. How do you evaluate the year 2011 of USA National Team?
We had a great season. We won a second World Grand Prix title, we dominated the NORCECA Championship, and we qualified for the 2012 Olympics at World Cup. We would have liked to, and had an opportunity to win the World Cup, and so, the end of the season was not ideal, but it shouldn’t over-shadow what we accomplished all summer long. We became more unified as a team, through all of these experiences, and that is probably the most important success of the summer.

6. What are your objectives for next year with National Team?
My goal is to make the Olympic team.

7. What are your goals for this season with your club?
My goal is to play well, work harder and smarter, and try to help the team as much as possible. Our goal is to finish in the top 8, and I think it’s very attainable.

8. In which other leagues would you like to play?
I’m happy in Italy :)

9. Do you have a funny moment or anecdote to share with us?
There are SO many funny moments on the USA National team. There are a lot of really funny girls on our team, and we enjoy making each other laugh, and acting crazy. But, I think it will never sound as funny written here, as it is in real life, so it’s difficult to say.

6-9-10_nicole_davis_olympic_tattoo

Personal
Favourite food: Mexican food
Recommend a book: Three Feet From Gold, by Sharon L. Lechter
Favourite film: Dirty Dancing
If you hadn't become a volleyball player…I might be a lawyer.
Some words to finish: It’s my pleasure to answer these questions!

Thank you for answering our questions, it is a pleasure to get to know more about you. Good luck for the season!

Leer más...

Jelena Alajbeg: "We all dream about Final Four"


Ficha técnica
Name: Jelena
Nickname: Mala, maleni
Shirt Number: 17
Position: opposite
Club: Volero
Voleibol
1.How did you start playing?
No special story,.. at that time I didn t even know what volleyball was. I was in 2nd or 3rd grade of elementary school, and volleyball was popular there. All the girls from my class signed for it, so I went too J ,but  I loved it at first. With time most of them quit, and I stayed along. I tried other things with it, but I quit from everything and kept persistent with vb.
2. Do you have an idol?
No I don’t.
3. Which coach influenced you the most in your career? Why?
I cant say just one, each of them taught me something and from each of them I went further carrying something new what upgrade me and influenced me . Each of them made some changes. It s nice now to look  back and see all the coaches I had and all stuff each of them was teaching me and compare it.
4. How do you evaluate the year 2011 of Croatian National Team?
As always this team has so big potential, but it cannot be shown trough results because the federation is not organized and is in such big problems. In circumstances we are, we did good, but with potential we have, we did nothing. We qualified for the tournament for Olympics in Turkey so we ll see there.
5. What are your objectives for next year with National Team? Do you think it’s possible to qualify for Olympic Games?
For sure will be to pass qualification for European championship in September and of course to give our best on qualifications in Turkey. I’m an optimist and little bit of a dreamer so I always believe there’s a chance. It’s going to be really difficult, but nothing is impossible ;)
6. What are your goals for Champions League with Volero?
First goal is to pass group, and from there we ll see… we all dream about Final Four. This is young team but full of potential and possibilities, we ve worked hard and we r very eager to start competition. Last year was incredible, we ll try to make this one the same J
7. What was your biggest success so far?
With club, I should say it was last year entering playoffs 6..and the national as youth being second in Europe
8. In which leagues would you like to play?
I would like to try Turkish and maybe Japan or Korea.
9. Do you have a funny moment or anecdote to share with us?
Well last year I was with the national team on tournament in Poland, and during the game I lost shoe  J .. I went for the attack and in approach, I don t know how but, I took off the shoe and ended on ground with ball going over me…all beside coach were dying laughing…hehe ups, there are even pictures of thatJ
Personal
Favourite food: mmm sarma
Recommend a book:  Thousand splendid suns

Favourite film: Don t have it
If you hadn't become a volleyball player…
I have no idea; I would finish university for sure and maybe try dancing ;) cha cha cha J
Some words to finish:
Just relax, don t overthink it and enjoy with everything that comes in your life.
Thank you for answering our questions, it is a pleasure to get to know more about you. Good luck for the season!
Leer más...