Olympics
July 21, 2024
Rested and prepared.
“This 12 months the main focus has been to be at our greatest once we step on the court docket in Paris,” USA males’s Olympic volleyball coach John Speraw stated. “This can be a veteran crew they usually have to be feeling rested and robust and wholesome. And it has been a problem for us. It hasn’t been the smoothest of summers in that regard, however we’re beginning to get wholesome and have had some good coaching.”
Accordingly the USA males’ took benefit of a less-than-steller Volleyball Nations League efficiency that allowed for downtime, apply and therapeutic.
Which is why Speraw didn’t thoughts that his crew didn’t make the ultimate eight and qualify for the VNL quarterfinals.
For that matter, had the USA even made it, the Olympic crew was not going to Łódź, Poland. Speraw, as he did within the first spherical of VNL, would have despatched a squad that didn’t embody any of the gamers headed to Paris for subsequent week’s Olympics.
“We had decided even when had been within the Philippines (for the third spherical) that even when we certified for the finals we had been going to ship the highest guys house and ship a second group to the finals,” Speraw stated. “We knew what we wanted to do, which was get house, get wholesome and prepare.
“And I believe that was a unanimous feeling throughout the board.”
In order he waited to board a airplane final week, first to coach in Poland after which head on to Paris, Speraw oozed of optimism.
“I’m able to go. I can’t inform you how excited I’m to get to Poland, able to lock in, I’m able to get previous a number of the Olympic prep distractions which can be inevitable as a part of the method. I have to get right into a resort and simply watch a ton of video and prepare for these matches and be locked in with our guys.
“I’m excited to do this and I do know this group of fellows has been collectively for a very long time. In some ways, it’s the top of an period. I do know a bunch of those guys who will return, however this group of this iteration of USA Volleyball have had an important decade.
“And I would like them to complete on high.”
Three years later
In a nutshell, right here we’re three years after Tokyo, when the USA males opened Olympics play in 2021 by sweeping France. France went on to win the gold medal; the USA did not get out of pool play.
In 2022, the USA took silver in VNL, shedding in 5 to that very same France crew. Later that summer time, the Individuals bought bronze within the NORCECA Pan American Cup after which completed the 12 months sixth on the FIVB World Championship.
Final 12 months the USA misplaced within the gold-medal match of VNL to Poland, took fifth on the NORCECA Pan American Cup, received the NORCECA Males’s Continental Championship, received the NORCECA Males’s Ultimate Six Pan American Cup, after which clinched its spot in Paris with a 7-0 efficiency within the FIVB Street to Paris Olympic Qualifier,
What’s extra, this crew has — with just a few tweaks — been collectively a very long time. It’s a gaggle of seasoned veterans.
And even when they weren’t going to Poland for the VNL finals, they went there final week to play some friendlies, acclimate to the time zone, and be, hopefully, at their finest when the Olympics begin subsequent week.
The USA opens play Saturday, dealing with Argentina at 9 p.m. native time.
“It received’t be a match the place I’ve to stroll into the locker room and provides a motivational speech,” Speraw stated. “They’re able to go and I’m able to compete with them.”
After two days off, the Individuals play Germany at 1 p.m. after which end pool play on Friday, August 2, with a 9 p.m. match in opposition to Japan. Paris is six hours forward of Jap time; 9 hours forward of Pacific.
The highest two groups in every of the three swimming pools advance to the quarterfinals together with the highest-ranked third-place finishers.
The USA went 2-1 in opposition to its three pool-play opponents in VNL and probably should try this once more.
In Volleyball Nations League, the USA swept Argentina to start out the second week in Ottawa, Canada. Aaron Russell led with 12 kills and a block. TJ DeFalco had 10 kills, two blocks and an ace, and Matt Anderson had 10 kills and two blocks.
The USA beat Germany in 4 on June 21, as Anderson went off for 20 kills and three aces. DeFalco had 18 kills, a block and an ace. Jeff Jendryk had six kills and 4 blocks and David Smith had 5 kills and 4 blocks.
Two days later, nevertheless, the USA bought swept by Japan to complete VNL. Kyle Ensing, the official alternate and thirteenth USA participant on the Olympics roster, led with 14 kills. Japan went on to lose to France within the VNL title match.
The crew of 30-somethings
Simply 4 of the 13 are youthful than 30 and everybody on the crew is at the very least 27.
Right here is the roster by place with ages in parentheses:
Outsides — TJ DeFalco (27), Thomas Jaeschke (30), Garrett Muagututia (36), Aaron Russell (31)
Middles — Taylor Averill (32), Max Holt (37), Jeff Jendryk (28), David Smith (39)
Reverse — Matt Anderson (37)
Setters — Micah Christenson (31), Micah Ma’a (27)
Libero — Erik Shoji (34)
Alternate — Kyle Ensing (27)
Anderson and Smith are of their fourth Olympics after enjoying in London in 2012 and successful bronze in Rio in 2016. Christenson, Holt, Jaeschke and Shoji are of their third Olympics, whereas DeFalco, Russell and Muagututia are of their second. Russell was on the 2016 crew however didn’t make it to Tokyo.
“Mattie is in actual nice form and enjoying properly. David’s been a bit of banged up however he’s coming again and we anticipate that he’ll be out there for us when the primary ball drops,” Speraw stated.
Christenson and Shoji joined the nationwide crew in Speraw’s first 12 months as head coach, in 2013. Holt was already in this system and Russell and Jaeschke got here on board the subsequent 12 months.
“There’s a whole lot of expertise right here,” Speraw stated.
The possible starters are Anderson, Christenson, DeFalco, Russell, Holt, Smith and Shoji.
A lot of the main focus can be on the 6-foot-5 DeFalco, who has established himself as among the finest gamers on the earth.
“He’s a very dynamic athlete with an unimaginable arm who creates a ton of stress,” Speraw stated. “And he has the flexibility to return and be our greatest server when it comes to the speed he can convey and the strain he can placed on passers. I’m hoping he has an important serving match.”
(We interviewed DeFalco earlier this month. Click on right here to see the video.)
Jendryk is probably going the primary participant off the bench and Jaeschke, a powerful passer, can carry a crew from the service line.
“There are some choices I’ve on the bench, if we want a spark or if a man wants a break or a reset,” Speraw stated. “I could make some completely different strikes.”
Speraw took only one reverse however has selections there, too. DeFalco, the crew’s strongest hitter, strikes comfortably to the precise facet. Jaeschke can play there, and so can Russell.
“We now have some versatile pins,” Speraw stated. “Generally you could have some exterior hitters who can solely play away from the setter, however we’ve got a bunch of fellows who can play subsequent to the setter and hit on the precise.”
Ensing, a 2021 Olympian, can also be an reverse, which units up an fascinating state of affairs.
“He’s a really versatile, good all-around volleyball participant,” Speraw stated.
Initially the FIVB put within the thirteenth participant as a one-time sub and as soon as that participant was placed on the 12-team roster, the participant he changed was no eligible to return. However that has been modified and Speraw admitted not figuring out to what diploma he and different coaches can use that to their benefit.
“We’ll see how this all will get utilized. I imply, that is doubtlessly a real alternate … I don’t know the way they’re going to implement this simply being a simple out and in. I do like the concept of getting extra rostered gamers,” Speraw stated.
“Everyone knows it’s been a problem over time to go from 14 gamers in each single match you play in the whole quad to 12 (for the Olympics).
“No matter how they apply it or the final word choice in how this works, I believe it’s a step in the precise route.”
There may be additionally a 14th participant who will not be eligible to compete it doesn’t matter what, however for the aim of getting seven gamers per crew for practices, libero Kyle Dagostino is with the squad.
“We now have the choice to usher in for coaching further gamers,” Speraw stated. “So we’re nonetheless taking a look at that based mostly on the well being of our guys. If we have to convey in additional gamers we are able to.”
Three powerful matches forward
Going from two swimming pools of six groups every — with the highest 4 on all sides getting by means of — to a few swimming pools of 4 creates a unique set of pressures, particularly from the beginning.
“There appears to be little room for error from the start,” Speraw stated. “Within the final couple of Olympics you’ve seen a number of instances the place groups begin out sluggish and are available again and end very sturdy. We had been one among them, in Rio. In Tokyo, that was France. If France began out like that in a three-team pool it could have been over.”
Certainly, as a result of after shedding to the USA, France beat Tunisia however then misplaced in 5 to Argentina. Going 1-2 in pool play is not going to get you thru in Paris.
“There’s extra strain in these matches. With our specific crew proper now, having two days off between each match, I believe it’s useful for this group,” Speraw stated. “For us this time round I prefer it. However I’m a bit of suspect of the way it’s all going to work out with the factors ratio.”
Within the present world rankings, Poland is No. 1, adopted by Japan, Italy, France and Slovenia. The USA is No. 6, Brazil is No. 7, and Argentina is No. 8. Germany is No. 11, however Speraw stated that crew is best than that with the return of 39-year-old reverse György Grozer.
“When steps onto the court docket Germany turns into a high crew. They beat Italy and Brazil within the (Olympic) qualifier final 12 months. And Japan is probably the most improved crew within the quad for certain, and Argentina all the time competes so exhausting.”
Speraw paused.
“I believe this can be a actually difficult pool.”
Swimming pools A, B, C
The USA is in Pool C.
Pool A consists of Canada, France, Slovenia and Serbia.
Pool B has Brazil, Egypt, Italy and Poland.
The quarterfinals are on Monday, August 5. The semifinals are Wednesday, August, 7, the bronze-medal match on Friday, August 9, and the gold-medal match is on Saturday, August 10.
