The Widening Pyramid: the state of volleyball nearing Sydney 2000

As I write this, I just found out that Japan failed to qualify for the Sydney Olympics. Not only is this a bad way to end the millennium for Japanese volleyball, but it is (probably) the first time this traditional superpower will not participate in this sport at the Olympic Games. However, it's not so much a fault of Japan's as it is a merit of the rest of the world, because Japan has always maintained a good technical level within its domestic league and in the national teams it selects from the best talents of that league. So even though Japanese volleyball is still of a high quality, the difference nowadays is made by the fact that the rest of the world has not only caught up, but has surpassed Japan.

Cuba, undoubtedly the team of the '90s. How much longer will their reign continue? [FIVB Archives]

On the good side, it's refreshing to see new countries, new players, new rules, and possibly new winners at Sydney 2000. Whoever wants to walk away with gold around their necks will definitely have to bring something new to volleyball. Cuba and Russia are the favourites, yet again, but I have high hopes that either Brazil, Italy, or South Korea will pull major upsets. These are teams that at different points on the spectrum, combine agility and speed with power and consistence. I like teams that can shift their playing styles according to their opponents. Against Cuba they might want to play a bit faster to avoid their high blocks, and against Russia that speed will probably take advantage of their not-so spectacular defence. Against lesser teams, like Germany, the USA, or (I really hate to say this) Peru, they might want to use more force.

The USA is a wild guess. They have, I believe, an Asian assistant coach who is bringing quickness to the offence, but that also depends on whether Charlene Tagaloa can shake away the jitters of her first Olympic experience and show us some excellent setting (which she has been seen to do). They have power in Danielle Scott and possibly Tara Cross-Battle, but the rest of the team is still young. And as far as Peru concerns, I really wish them the best and hope that if they are going to lose they will do so battling five setters here and there. Unfortunately, the lack of money has only permitted them one international tour in May and June 2000—just months shy of the actual Olympics—while teams like the USA, Italy, and Brazil have been competing in international competitions for years and training abroad. It's in those competitions abroad that teams come together, not in laboratory settings like the one in Lima. Who knows, maybe these new Peruvians will show more fighting spirit than the last team that bombed in Atlanta. Joined by überveterans Rosa García and Natalia Málaga who have been playing volleyball for over 15 years (!), and with the return of Korean coach Man Bok Park, this Peruvian team is an even wilder guess.

The Koreans also have strong intra-team chemistry. Here they are gathering before a match at the '99 World Cup in ritual to get ready and perform their best. These demonstrations of team solidarity are extremely important for overachievement, something the Koreans seem to do very well. [Photo: Daniela Tarantini, FIVB]

As for South Korea, there isn't a team that I enjoy seeing play more than this one. I've seen several photos on the internet where they gather in a circle and kneel down on the court before/during/after a match. It's so inspiring to see a team with this type of team bonding, supporting and believing in one another. When they're "on" they play like the most efficient of machines. Unfortunately, the amazing Chang Yoon-Hee didn't play at the Tokyo Qualifier (rumours say she is pregnant) and probably will miss Sydney, which takes a bit away from the spectacle. Nevertheless, Korea has a new generation of young and tall players who are quick, strong, witty, and most of all, solid in their skills. What they need is a bit more fighting spirit, which was something Chang Yoon-Hee brought to the team. Hopefully, there is a team leader among them waiting to come forth in Australia and push her team to its best levels.

However, it would come to me as no surprise (but certainly it would be a bore) if Cuba or Russia were to win this one again. Yes, Cuba is the best team in the world right now, and yes, they do have an awesome player in setter/hitter Taismary Agüero (who is as complete a player as they ever come off that island), and yes, they have more than enough fighting spirit to go around, and yes, their power-play is unstoppable, BUT... isn't it high time their power trend be replaced by a more interesting one? Cuba has been vulnerable in some of the second-tier tournaments of the '90s—such as every Grand Prix from '94 on—so it has been known that they're vincible. It's only a matter of catching them in that particular state. As for Russia, they seem to have bounced back to the top again ("top" still meaning under Cuba, whom the Russians seem to have difficulty beating when it matters—but doesn't everyone?). I'm not expecting Karpol to come up with anything new for Sydney. At most, the levels of the extraordinary Ljubov Chachkova-Sokolova will continue to rise, making her the most complete player Karpol has ever produced (if only he could produce 4 more of her, he would rule the decade uncontested). Though she's not quite a Russian Agüero, her all-around skills are still in dire need by the unidimensional Russian squad. And another thing that helps: she smiles, which is something none of the other robotic, stoic Russians do (except for Yelena Godina at times). And will Karpol use some of his new "trees" in Sydney, namely, Yekaterina Gamova, who is over 2 metres tall? Women's volleyball is definitely changing—in the '80s somebody two-metres tall was considered an anomaly, now they have become a necessity.

A spectacular photo of Russia during the '99 World Cup in Japan. [Photo: Daniela Tarantini, FIVB]

Some names for the future: I think the next decade will give us much to talk about players like:

• USA's Sarah Noriega,
• Brazil's Érika Coimbra and Elisângela Oliveira,
• Russia's Yekaterina Gamova,
• Italy's Vania Beccaria,
• China's Zhao Ruirui,
• and many more surprises yet to come.

• from Peruvian Rosa García the deceptive floating serve, and from Natalia Málaga the flat netscraper;
• from Korea's Chang Yoon-Hee you can learn how to tip in the most unreachable places;
• if you want to learn how to tool on the outside, watch Sun Yue's lightning quick armswing, or Virna's gimpy-footed buy very VERY smart hitting;
• to pound a left-handed crosscourt kill watch Brazil's Léila Barros find the exact gaps in the block;
• learn killer defence from Japan's Hiroko Tsukumo, who isn't afraid to land flat on her stomach, or dash out to the back of beyond and roll to keep the ball in play;
• for blocking tips just watch Cuba's Magaly Carvajal curl her hands downward as soon as she touches the ball, or Brazil's Janina Conceição penetrate over the net with her long arms;
• for roundhouse serves, watch China, the only team that still does them;
• for jump serves, watch Russia's Yevgeniya Artamonova and Yelena Batukhtina, and Brazil's Ana Moser and Raquel Silva;
• for directing your sets in disguise I watched Kumi Nakada fool many a blocker;
• for accurate passing I observed Peru's Gabriela Pérez del Solar (yes, isn't that funny? it didn't use to be one of her strengths), or the USA's Tara Cross-Battle, or two of the best passers in history: China's Cui Yong Mei and Zheng Meizhu;
• the long slide I learned from Japan's Norie Hiro, the medium slide from Brazil's Ana Flávia, and the quick slide from Russia's Valentina Ogienko and Brazil's Tina Lopes;
• what about quick "ones"? there are many players you can learn those from: Cuba's Ana Ibis Fernández, Brazil's Ida Alvares, Peru's Gabriela Pérez del Solar, China's Lai Yawen, and the USSR's Yelena Chebukina;

...and so forth; every single player I observed taught me something that I imitated and over time got it to work. Watching helps improve your game immensely, believe me! Remember, we might admire all these players because of what they accomplish at the international level, but on a more personal level, they serve to inspire people, young and old, to be like them, play like them, and hopefully, win like them.