Posts by ac3volleyball

    I feel like Lang Ping will definitely optimize and sharpen the following players.


    I see great potential with them watching their dynamism and what China is suppose to be revolving into.


    Yang Jie (i think she has the potential to surpass Zhou su hong, qui ai hua and wu dan if she becomes more creative, consistent and reliable)


    Wang Yimei - she just needs to get back to optimal form like how she was during Beijing olympic games. Not sure how she will evolve around Lang Ping but China still needs one reliable power hitter who can hit a high ball such as Wang Lina, Zhou Yu hong and Sun yue)


    Hui Roqui - the future Sun Yue, she needs more consistency and maturity as a player


    Zhu Ting - I see her to be an evolution of chinese player in the outside position like what rui rui zhao did in the middle position. She is fast, strong and dynamic. A new concept player that Wang Yimei has shown the world during her peak. But this girl is faster and can have a skill recall of chinese style back in the 80s and 90s...


    Of course all of them need to be supreme passers like how their optimal winning players did before.

    But, it was non-professionalism (I understand this as amateurism) that has been the main reason of their success of Cubans in sports in general, in volley in particular. If they kept doing sports as amateurs, their volley teams could be unbeatable today. But, we rest of the world have been pulling their legs into "professionalism" (read it much more money etc), and they gone away from the success. Our plays, our competitions are fauly.


    They did come back but they won GOLD..... 1992, 1996, 2000 Olympics. 1994, 1998 World Championships...

    I believe Russia will always find a leader attacker.


    Valentina Oguienko left and they thought no one will follow through but then there was Irina Smirnova Ilchenko. A much more powerful versatile attacker who can attach anywhere with a high ball.


    Then she left but came back due to Karpol's strong connections and influence, Irina came back for Atlanta in a so so form.


    Then came a much more explosive attacker with a great receiving skill in the form of Evguenia Artamonova.
    Adding another strong support, Elena Godina who was also strong.


    When Artamonova left after 1998, there was budding Sokolova and reliable Elena Godina. She had to perfect herself and she proved to be a scoring machine during BCV Volleymasters in Switzerland. but nobody thought Russia can be powerful with the absence of the great Artamonova. She came back 2000 and appeared to be in a peaking form. Even when Sokolova left in 2001-2003, they always had Artamonova to crush opponent's court with her naturalized opposite Godina..


    During Sokolova was out, they needed another reliable attacker... Someone pull through even if she was so slow and lanky but didnt stop her from going above blockers in the form of Gamova.
    She was a bit unstable but Artamonova was there and a reliable Godina who was benched by Gamova.
    Until Artamonova left, then you had Gamova/Sokolova.


    In 2003, Artamonova came with another exploding form but with a lot of skill and technique, variations in her explosiveness.


    Athens came and Artamonova was injured and Sokolova left with disdain and so as Godina.. Nobody thought Russia can be on top without any solid and versatile attacker. Not even Gamova at that time helped. They lost in Euro Olympic qualifications for Athens until they needed to play the world Olympic qualifiers with weaker opponents.


    Karpol, again with his connections and influence, they were able to bring back Sokolova with a peaking form after superbly playing in the Italian league. Sokolova/Gamova were Athens volleyball vs the more balanced China that peaked.


    Beijing, you had all of them with different forms although they weren't peaking altogether. It was a waste.


    before London Olympics, they were still relying on Sokolova/Gamova while fine tuning other powerful potential attackers. Godina retired. Then can the budding power hitters, Anna Makaraova, Goncharova and Kosheleva.


    No one is still standing out although Goncharova had the chance to prove herself but still hasn't reached 5 stars as a player.


    I believe someday, the team will pull through even without Gamova.
    So there is still Russia, it's just a matter of time to wait for younger, newer players to achieve their greatest potential.

    Artamonova was a very loyal player for Uralochka (with Karpol), coming back and mostly spending her career life. That is dedication and loyallty.




    She never had major issues with Karpol or with other players young and old. That is sportsmanship.




    She was injured in Athens but remained in the team. That is a TRUE quality of a player.




    She became MVP in 1997 and also on 2003 in WV Grand Prix. Big gap and she SUSTAINED. Spike percentage is very very high and she had a tremendous performance in Italian, Japanese and Russian clubs. A GREAT ATHLETE.




    And now its 2012 ! She is the perfect balance of power, receiving and blocking. Even if she doesnt grace volleyball like Sokolova did... running different plays... She is FORMIDABLE, CONSISTENT and STILL POWERFUL as ever.




    All Hail Evguenia ARTAMONOVA - Estes

    Wow, the young Tandara Caixeta brought down Joycinha... I know that Joycinha is slow but has good power hitting. I think Tandara is just another Natalia, explosive but still adjusting to technique and flow of approach.



    I'm assuming Fernanda Garay will be replaced by Jaqueline in the coming months. Sassa is a coach favorite due to her consistency and reliability.



    I'm assuming they will take down another middle and replace her with Camilla Brait in a few months. I think that will be Jucielly unless Adenizia falters.



    Very deep squad of brazilian volleyball players. Young team Patricia Daroit, Ivna Marra are getting stronger. Suelle and Noguiera are also on top of the list after the first 12.



    I'm not suprised Rezende's favorite Regiane Bidias didn't make it because she is really a slow player. I think she's the Brazilian Megan Hodge but much slower.



    I think they are forgetting Fernanda Alves Berti who can also be a very strong opposite. She should I think be part of the first 16 players.



    There's more who seem to be on this caliber of world outside hitters:


    Late bloomer Natasa Leto Osmokrovic - Croatia


    Henriette Weersing - Netherlands


    Mirka Francia Vasconcelos - Cuba


    Barbara de Luca


    Kim Willoughby - USA


    Marianne Nagy


    Maria Isabel Conde - Argentina


    Dorota Swienewicz - Poland


    Marinela Carmen Turlea -


    Antonina Zetova - Bulgaria


    Hanka Pachale - Germany




    Some that were left out:


    Malgorzata Glinka - Poland


    Wang Lina - China


    Kenia Carcases - Cuba


    Natalia Mammadova - Azerbaijan


    Cristina Pirv - Romania


    Jaqueline Carvaljo - Brazil


    Tara Cross-Battle - USA


    Prikeba Phipps - USA


    Aurea Cruz - Puerto Rico


    Natalia Perreira - Brazil


    Tatiana Menshova - Russia


    Angela Rock - USA


    Chung Yoon Hee - Korea


    Hilma Caldiera - Brazil


    Tonya Williams Sanders - USA


    Irina Smirnova Ilchenko - Russia


    Kenny Pino Moreno - Colombia


    Victoria Ravva has been consistent longer than Simona. She has more angles than anyone else even better than Elizaveta Tichtchenko or Wu Yong Mei from China. She can be as fast as the chinese slides. I would say she has even better angles than Rui rui Zhao during her peak even if Zhao had a better spike reach. I've never seen an MB with a full combination of angles, quickness, blocking, jump serving and backline hitting.



    Although Simona is currently at her peak considering her age but her peak came too late. Hopefully she can retain that. I would say Simona Gioli has a stronger hit than anyone else but of course below the level of Regla Torres power or any other Cuban (Fernandez, Carvajal, Carillo). Her slides are powerful and maybe considered a match with Elizabeta Tichtchenko although Tichtchenko was more consistent than anyone else compared to any middle blocker.



    Victoria is smarter as a middle blocker and can level up with Ana Paula Rodgrigues Connely or Valeskinha Menezes.



    I believe both got a fluid running spike but I would choose Vicky for her ability to be very, very creative like the chinese middle sliding greats.

    Talking about one woman wrecking crew...


    I would compare Artamonova (1997 - 2003), Gamova (2003 - 2010), Barbara Jelic (1997 - 2001) and Mammadova (2004 - 2009).


    In terms of all-around completeness, I would say Artamonvoa is in the top of the charts. Her passing is almost 90%. Her serving is lethal at her peak and not to mention her power especially hitting from the back with a high ball. Her blocking is stalwart. I would remember her blocking in the oppposite side of the court and how she would balance the triple blocking with the same height reach as the other two already on the right side :super: .


    Barbara Jelic seemed to be more explosive, slightly above Artamonova. But Artamonova is crafty but has the potential to be more explosive than Jelic.


    Gamova's blocking is exceptional because of her height. Her spike reach gives her more power but I wouldn't say as explosive as the others.


    Mammadova is explosive together with the height she can attain. Although not as all-around with her blocking and passing prowess.