USA NT 2013

    Quote from kondzio

    They have really good searching system, choosing the best players from universities :teach: thanks to this we have players like A. Glass, Hooker, Akinradewo or Larson after Beijing (OG 2008] and now Hill or Murphy after London (OG 2012). Meanwhile others like Harmotto, Lloyd, Fawcett, Newcombe, Faucette, Gibbemeyer were also announced successfully in international volleyball ^^


    I have to say that since Lang Ping's days the program has really blossomed and been able to attract and more importantly keep the top players engaged and involved in the program over the past three quadrennials. The move from Colorado Springs to Southern California has also been a HUGE benefit to the program. Colorado Springs was isolating and required a huge commitment from players to sacrifice the rest of their lives just to play for the NT. In SC, they're able to have a much wider range of social activity and have more normal lives which allows them to balance things more properly. Prior to Lang Ping, the program for many years missed A LOT of the top players coming out of college, like Misty May for example, who either had a very short stint with the NT or didn't participate at all. I really commend USAV for the effort they've put into the overall program (including junior levels) to make it into a proper program with long-term goals and vision. I think you can tell in the way the players speak about the program and the way they interact that it's a very positive atmosphere.

    Quote from TheUSAFAN

    I have to say that since Lang Ping's days the program has really blossomed and been able to attract and more importantly keep the top players engaged and involved in the program over the past three quadrennials. The move from Colorado Springs to Southern California has also been a HUGE benefit to the program. Colorado Springs was isolating and required a huge commitment from players to sacrifice the rest of their lives just to play for the NT. In SC, they're able to have a much wider range of social activity and have more normal lives which allows them to balance things more properly. Prior to Lang Ping, the program for many years missed A LOT of the top players coming out of college, like Misty May for example, who either had a very short stint with the NT or didn't participate at all. I really commend USAV for the effort they've put into the overall program (including junior levels) to make it into a proper program with long-term goals and vision. I think you can tell in the way the players speak about the program and the way they interact that it's a very positive atmosphere.


    Except this year, USA has never been successful for younger competitions, especially Youth WCh.What do you think about the reason? Do they develop later or federation is not good at collecting the best players at younger level? :teach:

    Quote from TheUSAFAN

    I have to say that since Lang Ping's days the program has really blossomed and been able to attract and more importantly keep the top players engaged and involved in the program over the past three quadrennials. The move from Colorado Springs to Southern California has also been a HUGE benefit to the program. Colorado Springs was isolating and required a huge commitment from players to sacrifice the rest of their lives just to play for the NT. In SC, they're able to have a much wider range of social activity and have more normal lives which allows them to balance things more properly. Prior to Lang Ping, the program for many years missed A LOT of the top players coming out of college, like Misty May for example, who either had a very short stint with the NT or didn't participate at all. I really commend USAV for the effort they've put into the overall program (including junior levels) to make it into a proper program with long-term goals and vision. I think you can tell in the way the players speak about the program and the way they interact that it's a very positive atmosphere.

    Speaking on this topic, USAV just released this interview with Courtney Thompson and Kristin Richards-Hildebrand where they speak about the move from Colorado Springs.

    Quote from serdar

    Except this year, USA has never been successful for younger competitions, especially Youth WCh.What do you think about the reason? Do they develop later or federation is not good at collecting the best players at younger level? :teach:

    A few reasons:


    1. Club volleyball is huge in the USA. Girls play year round and it's a platform for them to gain scholarships for college, which is the focus for the vast majority of young female players. A lot of top athletes at the youth and junior level will decline invitations to play for the NT at the younger levels if it conflicts with their club commitments.
    2. The JYNT and JNT practice together VERY little, even more so in between years that don't have major competitions. They come from all over the country and train for as little as a few weeks a year. USAV does a good job of developing a wide pool of talent but with the junior levels it's not really feasible for them to spend considerable lengths of time to really form as a team.
    3. Many top USA players don't blossom into later in their careers as many of them have later starts in volleyball, sometimes even as late as 15-16. Destinee Hooker is an example of someone who came from basketball and track and field and was a very low-skilled volleyball and developed much later. Many top players play basketball or other sports as well and don't fully commit themselves to their sport until college.

    As estranged posted here before, USa Volleyball is making a serie of interview so the fans get to know more about their players..I think Its always really ncie to know a bit more from them..and I must confess I'm really starting to love this american team, they have such a game philosophy and passion for what they do. I mean, obviously I always admired their game and everything...but now that I'm following a bit closer..I must say it is really impressive their work. And I really like the way they do things. When you lsiten to some of their histories it's really inspiring. The latest one from Thompson and Kristin is really cool as well.

    Videos are great, I wish our federation would do the same to our players. All the interviews done to each player by several magazines or websites are full of the same basic, boring question :down: It would be nice to hear who is the player who inspired our players or funniest one (I heard from an interview that is was Güldeniz :) )


    P.S: How adorable Kristin is :rose:

    I agree with you all.. I always loved USA team but now I love them even more with all these insights they show us.. And this media thing also has another purpose.. you know in Turkey or Brazil or Italy, Poland athletes are recognized in the streets and people admire them, you know they know them, they follow them on the net they want to see their games.. since USA has no pro league.. people in USA don't even know who plays for USA even in the Olympics.. Even people who play volleyball in the USA in college an high school don't know.. they are related to volleyball but they don't know it.. that's a shame and since there are very few times USA's games are broadcasted and very few times they get to play in front of their audience this is how they try to do something about it..

    It si easy to see which american players has come to Brazil and which not by looking their feet...the ones that has havaianas flip flops on and the ones that has other flip flops brands.. :lol:

    Quote from TheUSAFAN

    A few reasons:


    1. Club volleyball is huge in the USA. Girls play year round and it's a platform for them to gain scholarships for college, which is the focus for the vast majority of young female players. A lot of top athletes at the youth and junior level will decline invitations to play for the NT at the younger levels if it conflicts with their club commitments.
    2. The JYNT and JNT practice together VERY little, even more so in between years that don't have major competitions. They come from all over the country and train for as little as a few weeks a year. USAV does a good job of developing a wide pool of talent but with the junior levels it's not really feasible for them to spend considerable lengths of time to really form as a team.
    3. Many top USA players don't blossom into later in their careers as many of them have later starts in volleyball, sometimes even as late as 15-16. Destinee Hooker is an example of someone who came from basketball and track and field and was a very low-skilled volleyball and developed much later. Many top players play basketball or other sports as well and don't fully commit themselves to their sport until college.


    Quote from TheUSAFAN

    3. Many top USA players don't blossom into later in their careers as many of them have later starts in volleyball, sometimes even as late as 15-16. Destinee Hooker is an example of someone who came from basketball and track and field and was a very low-skilled volleyball and developed much later. Many top players play basketball or other sports as well and don't fully commit themselves to their sport until college.


    Gibbemeyer didn't start volleyball until she was 15, and her first club season at 16.

    An interview Lauren Gibbemeyer gave.. http://www.vivovolley.net/2013…erybody-working-together/


    I am in love with this new USA team.. I mean I always loved USA, but his new team, this is a whole new attitude.. I love love love.. they are much closer that the previous team and I thought it could be much more of a ''team'' that USA brought to London.. guess I was wrong.. this is a TEAM!


    P.S. My fave quote - In Italy I know that they’re scared about the fact that, if I help you,
    you can be better than me, but I don’t really understand that. It sounds
    a little selfish. I know that it’s a competition, in which you wanna be
    the best, but it’s all for your team. You’re supposed to do your best
    for your team, to be together and to try to win together, as a team. If I
    am not hoping a teammate to do her best, I am not doing my job. It
    doesn’t make my team any better. Team is not about one person, not about
    me, it’s a unit.

    i totally agree with you, i love this young US team -- anyone else notice they are blonder than the previous ones? :_P


    but i don't know how many of them will be around when the principals, the titulaires, come back, right? i mean, i guess with tayyiba retiring, they need a backup for hooker, so there's only one spot between murphy and fawcett. only 1 or 2 spots for the backup OHs for larson and hodge, so that might be richards and/or hill, and the others will be left out. same with MBs and setters. so we might not see many of these girls around for the WChmps and WCup or olympics.