NOTEBOOK
American players continue to work overtime internationally
DOUBLE DUTY: U.S. Men’s National Team outside hitter Reid Priddy, left, spends his winters playing in Russia. Priddy’s Zenit Kazan team won the presti- gious CEV Champions League in March.
U.S. Men’s National Volleyball
Team FIVB World Cup Roster Player (Club, Country) Matt Anderson (Casa Modena, Italy) Kevin Hansen (Arkas Spor, Turkey) Russell Holmes (KS Jastrzebski Wegiel, Poland) Max Holt (Copra Elior Piacenza, Italy) Rich Lambourne (unaffi liated) David Lee (Dinamo Moscow, Russia) Paul Lotman (Asseco Resovia Rzeszow, Poland) Ryan Millar (Lokomotiv Nobosibirsk, Russia) Evan Patak (Energy Resources San Guistino, Italy) Reid Priddy (Zenit Kazan, Russia) Sean Rooney (Acqua Paradis Monza Brianza, Italy) Riley Salmon (Corozal Plataneros, Puerto Rico) Clay Stanley (Ural Ufa, Russia) Brian Thornton (KS Jastrzebski Wegiel, Poland)
U.S. Women’s National Volleyball
Team FIVB World Cup Roster Player (Club, Country) Foluke Akinradewo (Dinamo Krasnodar, Russia) Cynthia Barboza (LIU-JO Modena, Italy) Lindsey Berg (MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese, Italy) Heather Bown (Azerrail Baku, Azerbaijan) Nicole Davis (Rebecchi Nordmeccanica Piacenza, Italy) Alisha Glass (Atom Trefl Sopot, Poland) Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Igtisadchi, Azerbaijan) Megan Hodge (Atom Trefl Sopot, Poland) Destinee Hooker (Sollys/Nestle Osasco, Brazil) Jordan Larson (Dinamo Kazan, Russia) Tamari Miyashiro (BKS Bielsko-Biala, Poland) Danielle Scott-Arruda (Sao Bernardo, Brazil) Jennifer Tamas (Azerrail Baku, Azerbaijan) Logan Tom (Fenerbahce Universal, Turkey)
For a complete list of U.S. players competing internationally visit:
www.usavolleyball.org.
10 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
USA Volleyball as of early March had processed 327 international transfers for U.S. volleyball players to compete for men’s and women’s professional clubs overseas for the 2011-2012 season. A total of 210 transfers have been pro- cessed for a combined 196 different female players from the United States, while 117 transfers have been processed for 103 dif- ferent male players. All told, 299 volleyball players from the United States have com- peted overseas this season. The primary targets for the top interna- tional club professional teams remain the members of U.S. Men’s and U.S. Women’s National Teams. Of the 28 players on the U.S. Men’s FIVB World Cup and U.S. Wom- en’s National Team Grand Prix rosters only one player was not on an active international club roster (libero Rich Lambourne) during some part the 2011-2012 season. Salaries range from $50,000 to $500,000 annually for top-level American players, who remain coveted targets of the top interna- tional club teams.
T
The club season presents a challenge to the U.S. National Team coaching staffs, particularly for the men in a year they need to qualify for the Olympics. Coaches try to stay in contact with their players even if they are several time zones apart. U.S. Men’s National Team Coach Alan Knipe says he travels to Europe several times annually to check on players as well as watching video feeds of many matches featuring American players. The training staff also monitors any injury issues for players, staying in contact and monitoring any neces- sary rehab. “It’s not a perfect world, but with the Inter- net we’re able to communicate adequately,” Knipe said. “We can watch a match and give feedback and let them know what we would like them to be working on.” Knipe said a pro league in the United States would make the training of his team much easier.
“Certainly our guys are making decisions based on what they need to do for themselves and their families,” Knipe said. “Most every- body would prefer to be playing in the U.S. instead of spending six months in a foreign country, but that is not the reality of our situ- ation.” U.S. Women’s National Team Coach High McCutcheon echoed Knipe’s sentiment on
he passports of USA Volleyball athletes rarely have time to collect any dust.
the prospect of a pro league that would keep his players from traveling abroad to seek lucrative contracts.
“It would be an extremely signifi cant ad- vantage for our National Team to have a pro league here,” McCutcheon said. “It would also elevate the college game in this country because players would have something to aspire to after their college career because the National Team opportunity isn’t for every- body.”
McCutcheon said his staff makes the ef- fort to stay in touch with the players on the roster, traveling abroad frequently for visits and communicating via Skype regularly. He expects to have his full women’s team roster back in Anaheim by early May. “We do everything we can to keep the communication as strong as possible,” Mc- Cutcheon said. “But it’s not like when we have them full time in the summer where you can have a meal with a player, give them feedback and work on building the relation- ship so the player can be at her best at the biggest moments.”
Long-distance coaching will be part of the success of the U.S. teams later this summer because Americans are actively recruited by the top clubs in both genders. Knipe said most club teams are seeking “point scorers” to fi ll the foreign spots available on rosters. “That means the outside hitters and opposites are the most sought-after players,” Knipe said. “Middles, setters and liberos have less of a premium and that’s one reason a guy like Lambourne decided to stay home and train here. He had opportunities, but decided it would be better for his situation to stay home and train.”
Knipe is expecting the majority of his team back in Anaheim, Calif., to train at the American Sports Centers by April 15. “We already have some of the guys back in the gym now, Knipe said in mid-March. “Get- ting everybody back will depend on the club playoffs and how far their teams advance.” The U.S. Men are focused on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualifi cation Tournament to be held May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif. “That doesn’t give us a lot of time to prepare as a full team,” Knipe said. “This is a long volleyball season for these guys when you combine their club and national team commitments. NBA and the other profes- sional sports have off-seasons, but our guys don’t.”
PHOTO: COURTESY CEV
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