• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 08 / 26 / 2010

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Canada’s national volleyball team gearing up for world championship next month, in hopes of landing spot to compete in 2012 London Olympics

In a sports arena a half-hour northwest of downtown Toronto, the Cuban men’s volleyball team eased into a morning practice.

While blue-clad athletes swung their arms and taped fingers, a towering 6-foot-9 middle blocker named Robertlandy Simon Aties, swaggered up to the net and casually blocked a few balls. Even standing still, the top of his head was only a foot below the tape.

“He’s a monster,” said Daniel Lewis, starting libero for Team Canada, standing on the edge of the court. Later that night, when Canada took on Cuba, his job would be to get in the way of Simon Aties’ crushing spikes.

“I think I’ll just let those ones go,” he joked.

On Tuesday night, Cuba beat Canada in three straight sets in front of a crowd of about 3,000 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. Some unforced errors and imperfect passing by the Canadians contributed to Cuba’s 25-18, 26-24, 25-20 win.

Canada’s best and match came in the second set, when the team – led by some powerful kills by Dallas Soonias of Red Deer, Alta. – were up by as many as four points before Cuba edged out the last-minute victory.

Simon Aties smashed the odd spike into the three-metre line, but Canadian blockers combo Gavin Schmitt, Louis-Pierre Mainville mostly managed to keep the Cuban captain contained.

“We let the second match slip,” said Canadian head coach Glenn Hoag. “We made some poor technical decisions.”

For the Canadians, the exhibition match – the first of a three-game series in Ontario and Quebec – is a warm-up to the world championships next month in Italy. The tournament comes around once every four years, and the opportunity to face world eighth-ranked Cuba provides Canada a rare opportunity to size up one of the most physical, powerful teams in the world – before it really counts.

“You’ve got to play smart,” said Hoag.

He added that Canada’s pool at the world championships contains other teams with physical styles of play, including Serbia, ranked fourth in the world, and sixth and 11th-ranked Poland and Germany.

The world championships are also a litmus test for the young Canadian squad, looking ahead to London 2012.

Canada is currently ranked 20th in the world, and only 12 teams will qualify. The last time the men’s volleyball team made the Olympics was 1992, and for the women it was 1996. Canada’s best ever Olympic men’s result was fourth place, in 1984.

Hoag, a member of that 1984 Olympic squad, says his young team has what it takes to get there. Almost all make a living playing professionally in the European leagues, although only a handful have previous world championship experience.

In order to return to the glory of the 1980s, it will take some political will and structural shifts, he said.

“The orientation right now is toward medals, but to me it’s about a sports system,” he said. “I see that the world is moving in a certain direction in my sport. And I wish we could move the same way.”

As a coach of a professional men’s volleyball team in Slovenia, he has seen the tiny country of two million people produce incredible athletes through its sports school system, which allows young students to train heavily in a particular sport while still completing their studies.

“Sports schools is probably the best thing that could happen to Canada,” he said.

Currently, Hoag said, Canada’s best young volleyball players play at the university level. Many have the talent to play internationally, but are behind in their training, strength and playing experience. In Gatineau, Que., Hoag runs a six-month program where university players are trained intensively to catch up with their counterparts in Europe if they plan to go pro.

Lewis, who has played professionally since age 21, said he’s only reaching his peak now in his 30s. With changes the next generation of players might reach that peak earlier, he said.

Cuba’s good, Lewis added before heading off to practice on Tuesday morning. But, said, “It’s important we don’t give them too much respect.”

Canada’s series against Cuba continues Aug. 26 in Ottawa and in Quebec City on Aug. 28.

Hayley Mick

Source: www.theglobeandmail.com