Italy - Serie A1 2021/22

    Quote from beri

    Good set by Eda too! Will Lazareva have her own collection of Afrontes videos in youtube? :lol:

    Quote from avid

    (long caption)

    I don’t get it - it’s not like she is forced to play in Italy or the NT.


    If you want shorter season, go to China.

    If you want more rest, skip NT season.

    If you want success and fame, work as hard as or even harder than others.


    All about choices and sacrifices.

    Unfortunately injuries are really one part of any athlete’s career.

    This is such a bad take. The leagues and FIVB are taking advantage of the athletes...


    The seasons are absurdly long... A top division does not need 14 teams. nor do they need playoff series as long as they do.


    The international season is just as long, with travel all over the world. (Italy this summer are traveling across three different continents for the VNL... yikes)


    What other sport has athletes playing all year around like volleyball does? (the answer is none of them)


    It's not right to say "well just go to China.... don't play with the national team".... that's making excuses for the people in power (and that have the money) (and not everyone has that opportunity anyways)


    The athletes give theses clubs and countries their success.... their wellbeing should be more on their forefront of their priorities.. and good for Haleigh for speaking up.

    She isn’t forced to play in Italy nor the NT, but the governing bodies of this sport force her and all other players to play in such nonsense schedule. The athletes don’t have a single month to rest in, not only the entire year, but their entire career if the have to obligate to such schedules every single year.


    It’s very irresponsible to say that if you want a rest, then choose a shorter league or skip the NT. From past experiences we can clearly tell the athletes don’t really have a choice. If she was like Dixon playing in China, she couldn’t face the best teams to keep her best form and she might end up losing her spot in NT. If a player asked to skip the NT season, look how Stevanovic was expelled from the NT afterwards.

    Injuries SHOULD NOT be a part of the game. FIVB/CEV and all other governing bodies of this sport has the responsibility to come up with a more humane schedule to give necessary rests to the players in between the pro league and NT seasons.

    That’s unfortunately just how the real world works isn’t it but of course good for Haleigh to speak up.


    I’m totally NOT disagreeing the club/NT season is too long but it’s included in their salary/contract/T&C. I’m sure there will always be people complaining, eg. short season = lower salary, short season = even less chance for bench players to play, smaller league = less players involved in top of volleyball.


    Tennis for example is even more intense. More intense sport (at least IMO). Season from Jan until Nov. One week of holiday then off season trainings.
    Of course they are two really different sports as you are literally your own boss in tennis (usually).

    Quote from jt1267

    That’s unfortunately just how the real world works isn’t it but of course good for Haleigh to speak up.


    I’m totally NOT disagreeing the club/NT season is too long but it’s included in their salary/contract/T&C. I’m sure there will always be people complaining, eg. short season = lower salary, short season = even less chance for bench players to play, smaller league = less players involved in top of volleyball.


    Tennis for example is even more intense. More intense sport (at least IMO). Season from Jan until Nov. One week of holiday then off season trainings.
    Of course they are two really different sports as you are literally your own boss in tennis (usually).

    The thing is, the "real world" doesn't have to work that way.


    I don't think tennis is a fair example. Firstly, they control their schedule. Other than minimum commitments (such as playing x amount of masters, 500s, 250s, etc...) they control their entire schedule. We've seen so many players skip tournaments because of burnout, exhaustion, etc. Plus, there are many weeks built into their schedules where they can take time off, rest. (after australia, after wimbledon, after the US Open)


    Volleyball doesn't have that type of control... That's what the athletes want (and deserve)... to have say in what their bodies are being put through.

    Quote from jt1267

    I don’t get it - it’s not like she is forced to play in Italy or the NT.

    Not really though. In Poland, Mariusz Wlazły (best male Polish player) due to injuries and health problems basically retired from NT since 2010 with an exception of 2014, and was heavily criticized for being lazy and not patriotic, and putting a club over NT, until he came back and won WCH with MVP title. The same with a club career, if you go to Asia while not being a top player, you risk with decreasing of your level of play because of lower league level.


    The reality is that FIVB has been really awful in giving more and more intense schedule for players, with unnecessary competitions like World Cups or Grand Champions Cups, just to get more money from sponsorship/national associations like Japanese. It's recently changed with different Olympic qualification rules what will be really helpful for countries like US.


    But it's not only a trend related to volleyball, but also to football, tennis or basketball, with giving players more and more games to play. It's not correct that only volleyball schedule is that intense, considering that Davis Cup Finals ended on December, and players will have a month of preparation for next season immediately, and in football with international tournaments in a specific year it is similarly ugly. The main problem is that it's really hard for players to complain because when Thibault Courtois (one of best goalkeepers in the world) criticized UEFA (European Football Association) for inventing Nations League in place of friendly games (so formal competition in place of irrelevant friendly games), people were reacting like 'you're a millionaire, shut up and play', so players as privileged social group have no leverage to complain even if they're correct in doing so.

    Quote from KVB

    She isn’t forced to play in Italy nor the NT, but the governing bodies of this sport force her and all other players to play in such nonsense schedule. The athletes don’t have a single month to rest in, not only the entire year, but their entire career if the have to obligate to such schedules every single year.


    It’s very irresponsible to say that if you want a rest, then choose a shorter league or skip the NT. From past experiences we can clearly tell the athletes don’t really have a choice. If she was like Dixon playing in China, she couldn’t face the best teams to keep her best form and she might end up losing her spot in NT. If a player asked to skip the NT season, look how Stevanovic was expelled from the NT afterwards.

    Injuries SHOULD NOT be a part of the game. FIVB/CEV and all other governing bodies of this sport has the responsibility to come up with a more humane schedule to give necessary rests to the players in between the pro league and NT seasons.

    Again I’m not disagreeing with the prolonged seasons or any open communications with any organisations.


    And no, there are always choices.

    Choices, Personal priorities, Competition and Sacrifices.

    These happen to everyone’s career/life not just sport people or volleyball players.

    Quote from jt1267

    Tennis for example is even more intense. More intense sport (at least IMO). Season from Jan until Nov. One week of holiday then off season trainings.

    Of course they are two really different sports as you are literally your own boss in tennis (usually).

    If you talk about tennis, the schedule of WTA is exactly the one that provides an over-a-month break for players. Their season end championships finished in mid November, the athletes have around 6 weeks that don’t have to travel and compete in tournaments around the world. Yes they still need to train in the off season, but at least they can CHOOSE to rest more with no more travel in that period of time. It’s something the volleyball players have never been able to do.

    Quote from KVB

    they still need to train in the off season, but at least they can CHOOSE to rest more with no more travel in that period of time.

    And volleyball players can choose where they play or if they should still play.

    Again, choices, priorities/preferences, competition and sacrifices.

    Quote from jt1267

    And volleyball players can choose where they play or if they should still play.

    Again, choices, priorities/preferences, competition and sacrifices.

    Yeah, volleyball players can choose. Playing in both top leagues and NT and then getting injured, it’s their own choices, priorities/preferences. The players themselves choose to sacrifice their own health and future career.

    :S:S:S:read::read::read:

    Quote from KVB

    Yeah, volleyball players can choose. Playing in both top leagues and NT and then getting injured, it’s their own choices, priorities/preferences. The players themselves choose to sacrifice their own health and future career.

    :S:S:S:read::read::read:

    Topic opened.


    But that would be assuming that the majority of the players are (extremely) injured and unplayable like Hayleigh no?

    Why? Why would she go to China when she could play in a league with high-level of competition and professional clubs? Why would she skip NT season when she could solidify her spot with her performance at NT? Why can't she work hard while still maintaining good mental and physical health? Your take on her post is so problematic. This is like blaming the victims of rape for wearing too little.

    Quote from ericleo

    Why? Why would she go to China when she could play in a league with high-level of competition and professional clubs? Why would she skip NT season when she could solidify her spot with her performance at NT? Why can't she work hard while still maintaining good mental and physical health? Your take on her post is so problematic. This is like blaming the victims of rape for wearing too little.

    Because the schedule is pretty clear to everyone and it's not like she is doing more than what she is expected or what some others are doing?

    If there's part of the job you really don't like, then either ask for changes (which Hayleigh or others did) or look for a career change.

    Until the job nature has changed, one can only accept the decisions/preferences they have made. You can't always have everything.


    Sorry but your take comparing this to rape is more problematic.