Okayama (Japan)

Have you ever heard anything about the “electrician syndrome” in Volleyball?

This is a funny story that Julio Velasco (Argentinean coach) uses to tell during his team building lessons for managers. I learned this anecdote only a few months ago, tough Julio Velasco has been my coach for eight years (from 1989 to 1996).

These are the Velasco’s words: “As soon as I arrived in Italy, I found out that the Italian setters were the best experts in passing. After the end of each rally, they looked at receivers explaining how the perfect pass should have been. As well, the spikers were the best experts in setting. They gave very detailed indications about the right position of the set. Then, as if not enough, the attackers showed, doubtless, which had been the setters’ mistake.
So, when the spikers made an error they blamed the setters and in turn, the setters accused the receivers for the faults. The unlucky passers could not charge the opponents servers: it would have been ridiculous.
Thereafter, they pointed the finger to a bright light at the bottom of the gym, shielding their eyes, requesting an electrician to turn off the annoying lamp!”

Here’s why it is called “electrician syndrome”.

Today, following the Italian peculiarity and relying on my long career as opposite spiker, I’ll focus on the setters’ skills of four teams: Russia, Brazil, USA and Bulgaria.



Vadim Khamuttskikh
(Russia today is his 38th birthday).

Since the eighties, when the former Soviet Union lost the World Volleyball leadership conquered by USA, Russians keep searching the “great setter”. They are persuaded that the main reason of many defeats depends on the lack of an adequate setter.
I disagree. I believe that Khamuttskikh improved very much during his long career. He is a good setter, probably not as stunning as others, but his emotional approach, his setting skills and tactical running are fine. Vadim is able to set center quick attack even with imperfect passing, denying the old wide spread opinion that Russian rely on their amazing powerful attacking slow and high ball.
But, until this team doesn’t win a major tournament, everybody will continue to think that Russia is wasting great opportunities because of his setter!



Andrey Zhekov
(Bulgaria 27 years old)

“He is the best setter we have” behind this sentence there are many concealed implications. The most dangerous is that Bulgarians don’t trust totally on their setter. Many times during the matches, I recognize the typical look of players that are blaming the setter for their errors. Andrey is physically talented, very good in serving and blocking*. He has to improve the quick set and mostly the tactical running of the matches. Too often he loses the thread of the game, but he needs the full involvement of his team mates and his coach to succeed.

*Be doubtful when a setter is introduced as a good server or blocker. First of all, a setter has to be a skilled setter. Look at his technical wholeness only afterwards.



Marcelo Elgarten nicknamed “Marcelinho”
(Brazil 33 years old)

The Brazilian victories reached since 2003 and the missing of Ricardo, deserve a separate examination that I’ll give in the next days.

The biggest question at the beginning of the 2007 Men’s World Cup was: will Brazil be able to stay on the top without Ricardo?

Yes, they are still the best and, by now, they overcome the absence of Ricardo.
Marcelinho, used to be a back up setter, is playing an excellent tournament. The Brazilian amazing velocity is still their hallmark. The Brazilian spiker Dante’s enhanced his performances exploiting the habits to play in the same club (Panathinakos Athens) with Marcelinho. But the replacing setter promptly spread the right rhythm also to the other Brazilian players. As ever, they play with a great intensity in all the fundamentals, getting over any possible risk and digging even better.



Lloy Ball
(USA 35 years old)

Usually observing a setter we look carefully at his hands waiting for a soft and natural touch. These are two crucial characteristics, but a great setter needs also fast and powerful legs. A setter can set in perfect balance avoiding the inaccurate setting while running only if he is rapid. Lloy Ball is probably one the most rapid setter I have ever seen. He belongs to the North American school distinguished by very efficient setters, totally focused on making easier each action. Lloy moves fast, with the arms slightly uplifted ready to set. Everything seems easy looking at him, that’s why he is one of the best setters of the World.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Saitama (Japan)

Before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Doug Beal, the US Volleyball coach, chose an unusual way to improve their skills. During a very cold winter, they went for 22 days in the Utah mountains. In those conditions they discovered what “team spirit” means.
“Someone among the best Volleyball players was very bad in such unusual circumstances, otherwise less talented athletes were more experienced” – said Beal – “thus the Volleyball “stars” had to rely on the “weaker” mates, realizing that everybody is important and has a proper function.”

I warmly invite you to watch the video interview with Doug Beal (CLIC HERE) posted today in this blog.


Also Australia hosted Olympic Games (Sydney 2000) but “Aussie” didn’t send the player into the mountains.
Australia is the country where everyone primarily plays cricket. Then, they play rugby if they live in Sydney or Brisbane and Australian football if they dwell in Melbourne and Adelaide.
The Volleyball arrived in the “Down Under” country in 1930s through YMCA (a world-wide social movement with a special emphasis on community development and sport activities).
The Volleyball spread quickly in the colleges and, in 1963, the Australian Volleyball federation was created. The Polish Joe Hiller was the first national team coach and he exploited the Volleyball knowledge of the Eastern Europe emigrants living in Australia.

In 1996, Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra became the centre of Volleyball development where the best players trained together for the Olympic Games.
Stelio De Rocco, the Canadian coach that in those days led the Australian team, phoned the editor of an Italian Volleyball monthly magazine. He would have liked to send the Australian players abroad. Performing in the foreign clubs would have been the best and the fastest way to get better, due to the few chances to play competitive games in Australia.
De Rocco received the names of several sport agents from the Italian editor and soon after, almost all the athlete found an agreement with European club.
By now, 30 Australian Volleyball players play all around the Europe. Furthermore, each year the Junior team spends January and February touring through Sweden, France, Slovakia and Italy, playing as many matches as possible.

Two different ways in two different periods: Doug Beal kept the group together for long training period relying on the high competitive spirit of his group.
To say the truth, at that time there weren’t many well developed National Leagues, so US Volleyball had to improve training between them. Nowadays, as a matter of fact, also North American National team has many players spread around the world.

Australian chose the other way: athletes enhance their skills playing in different teams and then, they share the improvement. The coach becomes a collector of improved skills and have to settle at best the different abilities. Like in a puzzle, it is necessary to be patient and recognize the puzzle pieces as soon as possible.


Why Russia won: Today Alekno (Russian Coach) changed 4 players in the line up because in this long tournament saving energy will be crucial. The Russian team doesn’t have any problem, they kept serving and attacking powerfully. Also today no hint of smile among the Russian players!

Why Argentina won: The experience of Milinkovic (Argentinian opposite) and some Tunisian mistakes in the end of third and fourth set were the key to victory. As ever in Volleyball the team making less mistakes have more chances to win.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Nagoya (Japan)

Soon after the stunning victory of the Italian team in the 2007 World Cup, I try give a comment about the first four teams.

Italy
Italian team played the “perfect” tournament: 11 victories in a row with only two sets lost from the beginning. I’m Italian and I’m worried to celebrate too much because I would like to be as equable as possible. But I cannot say anything less than wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
Usually in Volleyball, one of the most important skills is the aptitude to play the long rallies without any disappointment. Italian athletes not only played a lot of lasting rallies without any concern but seemed that they were looking for. If the opponent team got an unbelievable dig Italia were ready to do better. If the setting was not perfect, they didn’t risk uselessly and they hit soft on the block ready to cover. These are the simple things the make great teams.
Soon after the match end Barbolini (Italian coach ) said: “the biggest gift for a coach is seeing his team playing as we have done.”

Brazil
The effects of the defeat in the 2006 World Championship Final is still recognizable on the Brazilian team. This is the squad that for many years played the most beautiful Volleyball, quick, powerful and tactically developed. The last year, they lost against the brutal strength of Russian team in a startling and surprising match. Since then, they lost confidence and now they are trying to find a new way to follow. Italy, USA and Serbia have improved fast, on the contrary Brazil seems standing. This stillness is more psychological than technical because the Brazilian players are very talented but now they are suffering from the pessimistic and unenthusiastic environment. Ze Roberto has eight months to prepare the next Olympic Games, but first of all he has to solve this dangerous issue.

USA
This is the typical Us team although the coach is Chinese (Lang Ping). Traditionally North Americans squads are very pragmatic and concrete. Many years ago they developed the first system to analyze thoroughly the opponents and since then, they have been following accurately the selected strategy. During the match they keep remembering the plan avoiding any inattention. Playing against them is very complicated because they don’t make unnecessary mistakes and each point have to be gained through effort. This group is a real team, very balanced without any superstar but with many excellent players.
In this World Cup, US team played fine showing, one more time, a firm consistency. They got the berth to Beijing at the first chance, gaining time to increase their skills, as Lang Ping said. Today only the Italian team is performing better and Americans accept the challenge: in eight months will they be able to reach the “azzure” game level?

Cuba
Caribbean squad is the last team in the World playing with the old system called 4-2 (four spiker and two setters). This was a peculiarity of the “invincible” Women Cuban team in nineties (three Olympic Gold medals, two World Championship and much more…). At that time the Cuban physical superiority was shocking but they achieved those astonishing results exploiting also their fine technical skills.
The Cuban team seen at the 2007 World Cup, cannot rely just on muscle power. Nowadays, the worldwide Volleyball level is too high and developed, that's why they have to adjust their way to come back to the top. They have to cut down the many silly mistakes and improve the passing and digging quality. They could still play with the two setters system, only if  Santos and Ramirez , the two setters, quit to focus first on serve, then on attack and block and, only at the end, on setting. Almost certainly, they love too much spiking and they forget their most important aim: generate the best condition for their team-mates to perform at the best.


Bye bye andrea zorzi

Nagoya (Japan)

Brazil Serbia 3-0


Brazil made a long step closer to Beijing winning the match with Serbia.

The two teams came from an opposite performance. Only a few hours before Serbia had played wonderfully against USA and Brazil had been overwhelmed by Italy. But something happened during the night because the team mood completely switched.

Since the 2007 World Cup beginning, the Terzic’s team (Serbia) distinguished for an unrelenting will to do their best never giving up. This morning, for the very first time, I saw the Serbian players tired and worn out. They played almost the whole tournement using the same line up, and ten games in thirteen days is a very demanding commitment. Therefore, Terzic tried to take advantage of each lasting energy avoiding emotional challenge to the players (in any case it would have been useless).
He focused mostly on the simple technical suggests, hoping that it would be the best way to exploit the few energy left.

On the other side of the net the impassive and imperturbable Brazilian players seen yesterday, turned into enthusiastic and wholehearted players.
Their match was faultless, characterized by wonderful digging, precise serving and quick attacking.

However, it was amazing to observe the friendly feeling among the players and their coach, Ze Roberto. I would have expected to see a slight resentment against the coach after the punishment of yesterday (all the players had to attend at press conference). Otherwise the atmosphere was very smooth and friendly.

I’m not surprised about the good reaction in the game because this is the usual effect when the players’ pride is challenged. But, if I were in that conditions (and I have been many times) I would have never celebrated each points with my coach!

I would have admitted that his strategy worked out, but the coach should have paid a price: the players hostility for the whole match.

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Italy Cuba 3-0


Today’s match was very important for two reasons: Italy had the opportunity to qualify for Beijing Olympic Games and Taimaris Aguero played for the first time against her old team-mates.

The first question ended quickly because Italian team nowadays is playing a wonderful Volleyball. They keep improving day by day and no one team can compete at the same level. Barbolini’s squad reaches the twentieth victory in a row, fifteen of which were 3-0.
Tomorrow Italy will play to win the World Cup and to lengthen the record.


The second question is much more complex: in 2001, Aguero left Cuba and went to live in Perugia (Italy). After six years, she had the opportunity to play with the Italian national team as soon as she received the Italian citizenship.
A few minutes before the match I heard these words: “The Cubans don’t forgive. We can understand but we never forgive”.
These harsh and tough words hurt also me, but were helpful to better comprehend the tense atmosphere.

Anyway she decided to play this match (against Cuba) only after a long and tormented afterthought.

Aguero’s next goal is the 2008 Olympic Games and she didn’t want risk to play against Cuba for the first time during that tournament.
At the beginning of the game I was able to recognize clearly the big pressure that all the players felt. Aguero for herself, the Italian players to support her and also the Cuban.

The twisted emotional knot lasted only one set (won by Italy 27-25), than loosed and the match became again a regular enjoyable sport challenge between two Volleyball teams.

Bye bye andrea

 

Nagoya (Japan)

Italy Brazil 3-0

“It was a shame, Italy played an excellent match but Brazil performance was unacceptable. I have to apologize and if the reporters have any questions, please ask directly to the team why Brazil played so poor”. Ze Roberto said.

Right after the end of the match, the Brazilian coach forced all the team players to attend the press conference. Usually only the captain and one player of the squad, chosen by reporters, answer media’s questions. Today the press room was crowded because all the Brazilian players were sitting among the journalists. Their look was impassive and imperturbable but the Brazilian girls were trying to conceal a big regret and deep unhappiness.

This is the match end but let’s start from the beginning.

Why Italy won

Italian players seemed worried because, few minutes before the starting, they had known that Leo Lo Bianco, the Italian line up setter, was not able to play due to back sore.
Therefore, they had to adapt at Francesca Ferretti’s slower and less practiced setting feature as soon as possible. The Italian back up setter needed a few points to get confident with the huge Nippon Gaishi Hall and manage the match rhythm. Italian players didn’t discourage by the few Ferretti’s unperfect sets. Barbolini’s gilrs were patient and they almost didn’t make any mistakes, exploiting each opportunities.
Brazilians made six errors in the first set (not so bad compared to Italian four errors) but South Americans made three mistakes after the twenty score, in the crucial moment.
The second set followed a similar pattern than first: the scores of the two teams were very close until the end but Italy won the second frame not thanks to Brazilian errors, but relying on outstanding digs.
The match actually ended after the second set because in the third game the Italian advantage was too large to be overtaken.

I already wrote about the packed press conference that followed the game, yet I want describe the reaction of Barbolini at the following Ze Roberto’s statement: “the difference between the Italian team performing the last years in Japan (during the World Championship) and this Italian team is Aguero”.

Barbolini firmly replied: “we played good matches even when Aguero’s performance wasn’t excellent. Today she was outstanding and we won 3-0, but Italy is not only Aguero!”.

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Serbia USA 3-1

The Serbian coach Terzic, was walking through the mix zone (the place were reporters may interview the players) wearing a wide and satisfied smiling. “Are you happy? It was a very nice match” I said.

He frowned, trying to hide the natural smile and said seriously: “ Nice match? Perhaps you enjoy the match, for me was a long suffering game…” and he left wearing again the happy smile.

Why Serbia won

Serbia is playing better than everybody expected. The young setter, Maja Ognjenovic, is one the most talented players seen in this 2007 World Cup. Her setting touch is very smooth and this ability always distinguished the great setters. She is quite young to play in this position (24 years old), but she is managing perfectly this long and tough tournament.
Moreover, Nikolic killed 23 attacks out of 43 attempts achieving an average above 50%, and the middle blocker Stefana Veljkovic got nine blocks!
Numbers can help a lot to understand the match but, as usually, cannot explain completely what happens in the court .This squad is subverting every odds, playing amazingly never giving up although three important athletes are missing.

Last but not least let me say that it’s very fascinating see a group of smiling girls leaded by an enjoyable serious coach.


Bye bye andrea zorzi

Sapporo (Japan)

When I see the Peruvian Volleyball team playing in Japan, each time I remember two peculiar story.

The first one is bounded at the most thrilling Olympic final ever played. During the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, the gold medal match was played between USSR and Peru.

At that time, Volleyball was still using the old scoring system. Only the serving team could score, otherwise the team earns only the right to serve (side out).

The South American squad, after defeating the former medallists China, then United States and Japan, met the powerful Soviets in the final. Peru led the match with a shocking two sets to none and was guiding also in game three (12-6). USSR ultimately prevailed in the deciding fifth set (17-15), playing one of the longest matches ever.

Many years after in Italy, I met Cecilia Tait, known as the “team mother” of that squad, who was still disconsolate remembering that match: “If I had been in front row during the crucial last points we wouldn’t have ever lost that game.”
In Peru that match became legendary, the whole country froze watching the game and even opposite political groups temporarily stopped their battle.
Three players of that team were involved in politics: Cecilia Tait was congresswoman for five years and nowadays Cenaida Uribe and Gaby Perez del Solar are “congressistas” for the 2006-2011 term.
Furthermore the Olympic silver medal team players' names are carved on stones at the National Stadium of Lima.

The second story is recent. The Japanese fans support enthusiastically their own team but usually few supporters see the matches involving foreign countries. Peru is an exception because of the nikkei, who are Japanese emigrants from Japan and their descendants.
Since the end of 19Th century a significant numbers of Japanese began migrating to the North and South Americas (mainly to USA; Brazil and Peru). In the 1980s, Japan growing economy faced a shortage of workers willing to do the so-called Three 'K' jobs: kitsui (difficult), kitanai (dirty), and kiken (dangerous). A lot of Brazilians and Peruvians returned to Japan. Those Japanese born abroad are called Nikkei and they are divided in Issei (that means first generation), Nisei (second generation) or Sansei (third generation) depending on when the emigrants left Japan.
Thus many Peruvians take part at the matches involving Peru, especially in Nagoya and Komaki areas where one of the biggest Peruvian community lives.
The Volleyball National Women team is considered the “única alegría” (the only joy) of Peru because since 1982, it was the only team out of all sports that took part at World Championship (excluded the Soccer Youth National team at the last World Championship).

Today’s National team is by far weaker than the wonderful team of the past, but these players truthfully respect the Peruvians fans playing always at their best.
The resolute captain Leyla Chihuan, the strong-willed attacker Milagros Moy, the firm blocker Mirtha Uribe (nephew of the former Volleyball player now congresswoman Cenaida Uribe) and the youngest setter Zoyla La Rosa (only seventeen years old) feel the duty to be the “unica alegria” for many people. Usually, at the end of the tournaments, they join at big party sharing time with Peruvian friends living thousands of miles away from their native country.

Why Italy won: Italy is targeting the third and last round when the matches with Cuba, USA and Brazil will decide the tournament and the three Olympics berths winner. Peru could be a trap along the Italian run up and Barbolini’s players were very resolute to avoid any stumble. By now, Peruvian team and his youngest setter, cannot perform at such high level and Italy overcame another potential trap.

Why Poland won: Jelena Nikolic (Serbian attacker) said during an interview for “Follow me” (clic HERE to watch the interview) that the most important victory of her career was the last European Championship semifinal against Poland. She added: “we had lost in three straight set two days before playing poorly and then we won easily. When we went back to Beograd everybody was speaking about that match.”
Today, in the match lasted five set, many times the players were tempted to give up but the rivalry compelled them to keep going and never give up.

Why Japan won: Kenyan players partecipated to this World Cup aiming to raise up their game level playing with stronger teams. But most of the teams competing at the 2007 World Cup are probably too good and overwhelm too quickly African team. Japan won easily, supported by the usual crowded Arena and I cannot swear that Kenya have learnt anything.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Sapporo (Japan)

Today I’ll focus on the difference between digging and covering, trying to clarify this confusing rally phases.

A lot of Volleyball fans misunderstand the two actions because there is a slight distinction.


Lets start considering what we mean with “defense”.


The difense, which could be called “dig” as well, is the first touch on the opposite attack.

Let’s make an example: in case of spike from the right side of the net (see spiker in the picture), four athletes (the three back row players and the one in front line not involved in blocking) have to place themselves in the right positions to dig the spike.

Usually player n.1 defends the line, other two (4) are concerned with sharp  and (5) long angle and the last one (6) stays in the middle to dig all the balls passing over or through the block.

Players n.2 and n.3 should stay close the net to block the opponent’s hit.




Lets now focus on the “cover”.


The cover is the players’ movement to assist their own spiker (4) which is ready to attack.
After passing and setting, the five players, not involved in attacking, move closer to their spiker to cover him.

Covering, means being ready to keep the ball up in case of rebounds over the opponent block. The five players (spiker excluded) have to share the whole uncovered area.
Players n. 3 and n.5 are in charge of short and quick rebounds. Players n.2 and n.6 have to take care of the slower and longer bounces.
Player n.1 has to follow the long and less frequent balls.






Improving defense skills is difficult because of the ball speed and the strong physical effort. However, practising the dig could be very satisfying if the players start succeeding to keep the ball in play.

Improving the cover, instead, is extremely complicated because it is impossible to foresee the opponents block rebound and you never know if and when you will be involved. The athletes have to be patient and keep on doing their best even if they don’t get the ball for long time.

Covering is a very humble fundamental. Fans and reporters hardly appreciate the perseverance and application necessary to well perform in covering, although often the winning point depends on a simple cover.

When you watch a match and you see all the players well disposed to cover, you can be sure that that team has excellent winning chances.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Sapporo (Japan)

Eleven Italian players out of twelve have a special history with Marco Bonitta. All of them were coached by the Italian coach that currently is leading Poland. The eleven stories (Aguero excluded) are different: someone played with Bonitta in Italian League clubs and others, since 2001, in the Italian national team.
One years after, in 2002, the Italian squad won the World Championship gold medals in Berlin. That victory, thoroughly worthy, was totally unexpected and surprising. I don’t say miraculous because in Volleyball, as well as in all sports, nothing belongs to supernatural.
The players and their coach were welcomed in Italy as stars. They were invited in the most popular TV talk shows and their popularity grew up rapidly.
Since then, they were able to stay at top level winning two silver medals in European Championship (2003 and 2005) a fifth place at Athens Olympic Games and well performing at Grand Prix.

Is this the perfect tale?

No, it isn’t, because forty days before the 2006 World Championship all the players, close more than ever, forced their coach to resign. The Italian Volleyball Federation tried to find an agreement but the group was firm and resolute. The relationship between the team and his coach had irremediably worn out.
The coach that replaced Bonitta was Massimo Barbolini and it is actually hard to imagine two more dissimilar characters.
One is very calm and quite, the other nervy and spirited. One prefers by far to cool down the agonistic will, the other relies mostly on competitive spirit. Both are excellent coaches but they follow two opposite ways and the Italian players had to stay in the middle.

Bonitta, soon after his forced Italian replacement, started to coach Poland team and faced Italy many times. When Barbolini was trying to sooth the quarrel, Bonitta otherwise, strengthened the conflict: each match was an opportunity to argue again.
Italian players felt this psychological pressure and during the last World Grand Prix they lost twice against Poland, one of which 3-0: the only three straight sets defeat Italy had ever recorded in that occasion.

Today, Friday 9th November, this quarrel ended because Italy overwhelmed Poland. Barbolini, during the days before the match, kept the team away from any dangerous provocation. He made the player to focus only on tactical matters: no personal revenges, no glances to Bonitta, no exceeding statements after the match.

Italy is approaching the last round, when they will play crucial matches with USA, Brazil and Cuba, proceeding without any skid leaded by a peaceful but firm coach.

Why Italy won: Italy had an astonishing efficiency playing on the opponent serve: they scored regularly during this phase. Moreover “azzurre” leaded by Del Core and Piccinini performed very fine digging everything.

Why Serbia won: (To say the truth I’m explaining why I enjoyed the match).
When a team celebrates cheerfully a point although is losing badly, means that their goal is not the victory. Kenyan players’ aim was playing at their best. That’s why they were running and gathering together in a multiple smiling hug at each scored point. I would have liked to enjoy more winning attacks on the African’s side, because I love recognizing the childish expression among the serious looks that distinguished professional players.

Why Japan won: as I did above for previous match, I’m reporting what impressed me and not an authentic tactic key. After the match, during the press conference, Chihuan, Peruvian captain, said: “starting from the third set we improved our game level because we told each other something that we cannot openly repeat.” It wasn’t enough to win but the Peruvian players seemed relieved.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Osaka (Japan)

In Japan, every time the hometown teams play, thousands of cheering fans completely fill the Competition Hall: each match, in any city, no matter where or when. The majority of them are young fans but it’s very common to see adults, elderly people and “mama-san”. Mama san are grown up women that had played Volleyball when they were younger. They still enjoy watching the matches and, at times, also playing.

The Volleyball history in Japan is very old.
At the beginning of the 19Th Century Volleyball arrived from USA following the US soldiers involved in Pacific areas. Japanese soon discovered that Volleyball was a perfect game for Asiatic: they took advantage of their quickness and agility. Other sports rely mostly on strength and power but the tiny Oriental people couldn’t be competitive. Therefore Volleyball spread fast all over Nippon (the native name for Japan) and became very popular. Both, men and women, started playing and thus an extraordinary tale was born.

At that time, Japan played with the 9-player system, while the international rules called for a 6-player team. It was necessary to adapt the Japanese game to the international competition in order for Japan to compete at 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games

Ten workers (women) of the same factory, Nichibo Kaizuka (a textile manufacturing), became the symbol of Japan. Those women, known as “Toyo no Majo” (Oriental Witches) were coached by Hirofumi Daimatsu. They practiced each days from 5.00 in the afternoon (after their job duty) until midnight in the factory’s gymnasium.
Daimatsu, so called “Oni coach” for his strict discipline and unrelenting conditioning drills (in Japanese Oni means demon) and those women succeeded to win 175 matches in a row (1964 Olympic Gold medal included).

Japanese have found in this story the features they love: the hard work, the perseverance and the suffering. That’s why nowadays, the Japanese Volleyball players are still so popular although the aren’t among the top world’s team.

The shining modern images broadcasted by Fuji TV, arouse enthusiasm in young fans but you can recognize an uncomfortable look on the elder people faces. The modern Japan is changing too fast for them: they grew up following slower rhythm and firmer values and this amazing speed and shallow happiness are bewildering.


Why Serbia won: I’m in trouble. I can’t describe what happened today to Dominican team. It’s not a matter of language, I would be unable to describe the match even using my native tongue.
Let’s imagine a team that unexpectedly and suddenly loses the simplest ability. After the first game (lost 25-22), no one among the Dominican players was able to set or attack a normal ball. They were looking at each other astonished by their own dull mistakes. Cruz, the Caribbean coach, quitted to speak during time out, convinced that everything would have been useless. Actually it was true: Serbia won 3-0 playing simple and effortless.

Why Italy won: Italy was very determined to avoid any distraction after the last tough match with Serbia. All the teams like to play in Japan against Japan because the Stadiums are every time packed and the Japanese digging skills make the games funny. In these matches, the long rallies are common and Italy relied on their powerful attack, making useless the astonishing Japanese digs.

Bye bye andrea zorzi

Osaka (Japan)

The 2007 World Cup Organizers divided the teams into two groups. The first one is playing in Osaka, the second one in Sendai.

Now, I try to qualify the twelve teams in three different levels.

Among Group A, Italy is the only one in the first level, Serbia and Japan are in the second rank and Dominican Republic, Korea and Thailand in the last.

Group B has Brazil and USA on top, Cuba and Poland second ranked, Peru and Kenya at the bottom.

Nevertheless, I can’t say that the three levels of one group exactly correspond to those in the other group.
I considered Cuba and Poland as second level teams, but this rank in Group B is a little better than corresponding level in Group A. The Perdomo’s (CUB) and Bonitta’s (POL) squads are stronger than Japan and perhaps, slightly better than Serbia (who missed two important players since 2007 European Championship).

If anybody disagrees with this distribution, please send a message to the Blog mail, writing your personal ranking.

Today, I’ll focus on Italy-Serbia match, because this was by far the most important match of Group A.

For the Italian team this was the first tough test after three “easy” matches (DOM - THA – KOR).
Actually, no match has to be considered “easy”, but a resolute group has to recognize the real opponents value and DOM, THA and KOR aren’t outstanding team!
The match was the perfect example of “up and down game”. Both teams seemed to be provided of an ON and OFF switch out of any modulator.

Take a look at Serbian Stats and remember that Terzic’s team won the first and third games (in bold):

	Attack	Reception
1 set:	45%	67%
2 set :	11%	48%
3 set :	56%	50%
4 set :	28%	39%
5 set:	23%	33%

Examining these numbers, it’s so evident that Nikolic and her team mates didn’t play at all in the second, fourth and fifth set.

Italian stats are less clear (again in bold the won sets)

	Attack	Reception
1 set:	44%	41%
2 set :	48%	46%
3 set :	30%	50%
4 set :	38%	42%
5 set:	38%	12%

The difference among the sets is smaller but Barbolini’s players lost the opening frame due to 9 errors and won the fourth because of 12 Serbian mistakes.

The crucial game (the fifth) was marked by five Italian blocks that, from the very beginning, cut out the opponent’s hopes. The squads switched court when Italy was leading 8 – 3 and soon the match finished (15 – 7).

Soon after the match’s end Barbolini said that the Italian players seemed sleepy and they needed too much time to turn on.
Then he added: “The next time we’ll play a match at 12.30, we’ll wake up earlier than 7.30 as we did this morning.”

Why Italy won: I answered this above.

Why Korea won: Beato Miguel Cruz (DOM Coach) started the match switching the line up positions: he employed the spiker Cabral, as a middle blocker. Seven years ago the Caribbean player was a middle blocker but, since then, she has never played in this position again. The Dominican team has to risk the hurried shift to exploit the Arias’s attack powerful (she is just recovering an Achilles’ heel injury). On the other side, for the first time in this 2007 World Cup, Korean team played supported by a strong team spirit. In a very balanced game this was the crucial difference.

Why Japan won:  Once more Japan confirms to be the strongest women team in Asia (only Chinese squad is comparable or slight better). When Japanese players face similar-sized athletes, they take advantage of their better technical skills. The match never remains uncertain for long, and soon the Nippon fans can celebrate the final victory.


Bye bye andrea zorzi