Fuzhou & Shanghai CHINA

So much has happened since our victory in the Cayman Islands! Here's a quick recap:

We went directly to the next stop on the NORCECA tour in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. We had some solid games in pool play but had a tough match in the quarter finals vs Mexico and ended up with a 5th place finish. Disappointing after such a successful previous tournament, but there was lots to learn from this experience, stuff that has made us a stronger team now having gone through that. 

We were home for two weeks, where we continued to train hard, and get organized for our trip to China. This included getting our Chinese visas and lots of food (camping meals, protein bars, oatmeal, nuts, etc). Our suitcases were pretty heavy! 

Overlooking some of the courts at the Fuzhou venue.

The first stop on the FIVB World Tour was Fuzhou, China. It was a new stop, somewhere we hadn't been before and it was actually really nice. On the first day we participated in the Qualification tournament. We had to win our one match against a team from the Netherlands to earn a spot in the Main Draw. After getting over some nerves in the first set, we eventually won (18-21, 21-18, 15-7). This put us in a pool with 3 other teams. We played Brazil and another team from the Netherlands on the first day of Main Draw action. We lost both, definitely not playing our best, but still managing to do some good things. 

It was especially tough for me that day because I heard about my grandfather passing away between matches. I'm very close with my grandparents so this was tough being so far away from home, missing the funeral and not being with my family. I like to think my grandpa was looking out me for though, because the next day we beat Kazakhstan to make it out of our pool. And not only that, the Russian team we were supposed to play in the first round of playoffs pulled out due to an injury, so we advanced to the second round. Eventually we lost to the top team from Italy, taking a 9th place finish. A career best! 

This was a super emotional tournament, but one I'll remember fondly, knowing my grandpa is up there with front row seats to my games. Love you grandpa, miss you.

...Ok, before I start crying again, back to volleyball! After Fuzhou, we flew to Shanghai for the Grand Slam event, which meant there were more points and prize money to be earned! But first… qualification. Grrrr… 

Well, we took down Spain in a 2-set heated battle, then beat Columbia in the final round of qualification to earn Main Draw again! We were pumped about that!

Again we had a rough start in pool play, losing to a Chinese team and the same Netherlands team we faced last week in the main draw. But we managed to pull out a win against a Czech team to advance to pool play! Here we lost a tight battle against a team from Brazil. We fought hard, but just couldn't manage to keep control of the game in the third set. 

Mav and Sam playing China on centre court in Shanghai. 

Jamie out-jumping the competition, as usual.

What a game, the lines people were SO into it!

Overall, we are very pleased with our performance over the past two weeks. It feels awesome to qualify, and even sweeter to win a couple games in the Main Draw. This gives us confidence for the rest of our season, we're ready to keep working hard and improving our game! 

Now I'm on the road (...air?) again, heading home after making a quick pitstop in Maui to visit my brother. Aloha!!!!!!

Out with a bang!

 It’s been a long, cold winter, but we managed to survive! We were so excited to get to go to the first event of the year, a NORCECA in the Cayman Islands. We were really looking forward to getting back outside and getting used to the heat and wind. Cayman definitely has it’s fair share of both!

Jamie and I arrived a week early to get used to the conditions. We also ran a two-day beach clinic for the local kids who are into playing indoor volleyball and want to check out what beach is all about. It was really fun getting to know everyone, we all had a fun time. 

Definitely some super talent here! We better watch out... :)

The tournament organizers also offered complementary dolphin excursions, so I got to swim with a dolphin and kiss him too! (yes, this place IS paradise).

Getting things started at the technical meeting.

The tournament started on Friday with pool play. We defeated Mexico 2 and Barbados, and on Saturday morning we took down El Salvador to win our pool. Later in the afternoon we matched up against a Cayman Islands team in the quarter final to advance to the semis.

We were matched up against USA2. The sun was out, the wind was strong and Jamie and I were ready to battle!
Kind of. We had a shaky start, losing the first set 16-21… This team’s aggressive serving took us off guard a little. But we fought back in the second set and won 27-25 (despite a few questionable calls from the ref…). We found our groove and got a grip on the wind in the third set and finally beat them 15-11.

Then we had a couple of hours to rest before meeting USA1 in the finals. We had done all the hard work leading up to this game, so we were able to let ourselves enjoy being in the finals. The atmosphere was crazy. I took a deep breath and looked around before the first whistle blew. The stands were packed with so many Canadian fans. This was my first time in the finals at a NORCECA and I was SO PUMPED to be there. Jamie and I played like we were on a mission, playing smart with the wind and hitting balls as hard as we could whenever we had the chance. We beat the Americans  21-16, 21-13. Jamie served an ace to win the match. What a great feeling! We were exhausted and thrilled!! 

The water spider and the beast.

We started working with a personal coach this year, John May, and flew him down here to help us out with this tournament. It was great to have someone with us to keep us focused (and entertained in the down time!). I can't thank John enough for his support. We've learned so much from in the short time that we've been working with him, and we're looking forward to more big things in the future!

The next day we took a boat cruise with fellow Canadian teammates Heather and Liz. We checked out sting ray city and did some snorkelling. It was a nice recovery day, relaxing for the most part (except when we had to hang out with the sting rays. Those things are CREEPY!) 

Here are a few photos. 

Busting through the winter blahs

It's official! Jamie and I will be heading down to the Cayman Islands in a couple of weeks for the first event of the 2013 season. I can't tell you how excited I am to start competing again. We have been training hard all winter long, just itching to get back outside and play!!

The Cayman Islands NORCECA was my second international competition ever, in 2010. I actually played in it with Jamie, even though we weren't partners at the time!

It's been a pretty solid winter. We've both managed to stay healthy and improve our strength, fitness and team tactics. The national beach program also welcomed a new head coach in early January. We're thrilled to have Steve Anderson take over and share his philosophies and unique coaching style.  He worked with the Australian beach team for 17 years and helped them earn Olympic bronze and gold medals. His energy and belief in Canadian athletes and our program is infectious... and I have to say, it's it's been pretty fun working with him so far.
It's also been nice having a routine, staying in the same city for more than a week, not dealing with jet-lag, and knowing I will always be able to get my favourite foods from the grocery store whenever I want. Having said that, I'm really looking forward to racking up the air miles :)

Although our training has been great, I can't deny that sometimes it's hard to stay motivated in the cold winter months when we're bundled up in our training centre for practice and the sun seems to set so early that sunny summer feels so far away! I have to give a shout out to somebody who has been an inspiration to me. My younger brother Lenny is a member of Canada's national cross country ski team and he's one of my best friends. His competition season starts when mine ends (November) and he's been in Europe since then, so we don't get to see each other very often... but we manage to keep in touch through skype and funny emails. Lenny is one of the coolest people I know. He's always so chill and level headed and he actually gives really great advice. Not to mention he is kicking some serious butt on the World Cup tour! So when I'm stuck at home, freezing and longing for summer to return, I feel lucky to be able to tune in to my brother's season and watch him ski like a champ! Every success he has makes me more and more excited to compete again!!
Mahalo bro!!!

Throwback! circa 1992 and 2012

Snow Day!

The forecast called for "Toronto's biggest snowfall in years".... and I have to say I was a little bit skeptical. It seems that people tend to over-exaggerate a predicted snowfall these days. I had planned a road trip to visit a friend in Ottawa this weekend, so I was really hoping the weather man was wrong with this one. 

When I woke up, the city was covered in snow and it was actually coming down pretty steadily. Our coach cancelled training, so I enjoyed my first real snow day since being back in school. It was great! 

I decided to hit the streets and take some pictures.

 At the end of the day, the amount of snow that hit Toronto wasn't completely ridiculous. I guess the city panicked because of the amount that got dumped in such a short time. Over a foot of snow fell today and it did give drivers a hard time on the roads. I think I made the right call by postponing my road trip for another weekend.

I am missing the sun and sand more than ever!

March Break Indoor Volleyball Camp

I have some exciting news! 
I will be helping out with a really cool week-long March Break volleyball camp. If you are a kid, you DEFINITELY want to get in on this opportunity to meet and work with current Canadian National Team members. 

I will be coaching alongside my partner Jamie Broder, Olympian Josh Binstock and his partner Maverick Hatch. 

Here is what you need to know: 

This camp aims to deliver the full range of skills necessary to compete and excel in volleyball as the certified, elite level instructors will expose you to new methods and tactics while taking each individuals knowledge of the game to the next level.

Within the 5-days/30 hours of camp, athletes will work to improve techniques, physical and tactical aspects of the game as well as decision-making abilities. Mental training, strength and conditioning, & nutrition guides will be incorporated into each daily session, as these commonly overlooked aspects are imperative when striving for excellence and consistency.

Also, Julie Bednarski, RD, MHSc - Vega Nutritionist and East Coast Rep (myvega.com) - will be at the camp educating campers on nutrition as well as providing Vega sample products! 

Register early if interested in attending as space is limited!

This March Break Camp will be divided into two divisions, however athletes will be moved up or down if necessary (based on skill), and all athletes will work with every coach.

Ages 11-14:
Athletes here will gain valuable technical knowledge allowing them to build a strong foundation in all skills. The drills and focuses are designed for athletes to find quick success and a desire to continually improve. Along with base techniques athletes will be exposed to a high intensity environment allowing for maximal benefit and learning opportunities.

Ages 15-18:Athletes in this group will be introduced to volleyball on a deeper level; learning what makes elite athletes perform at their best on a consistent basis. This will include the fine-tuning of developed skills, the introduction of new skills, as well as situational theory that will teach athletes how to successfully perform during high-pressure situations.

This is an OVA sanctioned camp, for further information and registration details you can visit the OVA website  or see below…  Hope to see you out during March Break!

Location: Havergal College – Upper School, 1451 Avenue Rd., Toronto ON M5N 2H9

Date: March 11-15, 2013

Time: 9AM-4PM (1hr Lunch Break)

Ages: 11 – 18 years

Cost: $300 total (includes HST)

Registration Payment: Cheques payable to Maverick Hatch or email transfer to promotions@maverickhatch.com.

Any questions? Contact Maverick!

October update

After a deliciously large turkey dinner at Thanksgiving, we only had a couple of days to recover before having to perform the best we could at the National Team tryouts and physical testing. Along with ball control and skill testing, we had to hop hurdles, throw med balls, run an agility course and do the yo-yo test, among other tests.

All this went down at our Full-time Training Centre at Downsview Park.

Jamie and I then had a week at home to train for our upcoming tournament in Thailand, the last stop of the year on the world tour. We trained with the other Canadian team that would be traveling, Vee and Sophie, since everyone else had decided to start their break a little early.

Thailand is always one of my favourite stops on tour. Instead of being held in Phuket like the last couple of years, this FIVB took place in Bang Saen, a town just one hour outside of Bangkok.

Since the timing is kind of weird for this event (it's almost a month after the previous event) and especially because it's an Olympic year, a lot of the usual teams decided not to come to this tournament, and Jamie and I took advantage of this situation. We'd accumulated enough points this season that we were the top-ranked team in the qualifier. And because so few teams showed up, we got a bye into the Main Draw, which was pretty awesome. On qualification day, we went to cheer on Vee and Sophie. It was pouring rain on the day of their game, and unfortunately they could not pull out a win against Norway. 

A view of the venue

We played the next day, and the weather had cleared up by then so it was sunny and hot. Our first game in the Main Draw was against a team from the Netherlands. We took the match in 3 sets (19-21, 21-19, 15-12). It was really exciting to win such a tight game! We played a decent game, staying aggressive and attacking whenever we could, but there are definitely still things to work on. The win was so exciting because it meant we were guaranteed to at least match our best ever result at an FIVB. Such a great feeling!

Next we played Brazil, a familiar opponent, as we had just played them in Finland a few weeks ago. This time around we played much better, almost taking the first set, and probably catching them off-guard. We lost in 2 (20-22, 11-21) but felt like we had improved since our last match against them.

Finally, we played Vanuatu. This is a team that we have gotten to know through training sessions at many FIVB events throughout the year. I personally had a bad game that day, I'm not sure if it was the heat, fatigue or just an off-day for me. I was really disappointed with the loss (15-21, 15-21) because I know this is a team we are capable of beating, but I will just have to keep training hard and wait until our next match up to prove it! That loss took us out of the tournament with a 17th place finish, the same as in Finland and one that I am proud of, but believe we can continue to improve!

I was lucky enough to have my parents come to this tournament and cheer us on. It was their first time attending an FIVB and I think they had a pretty good time!

This bad boy was lent to my parents by the owner of their hotel. Yes, it has flames. And yes, it is called the Phantom.

After the tournament, my parents and I planned to travel to an island called Koh Samui together. We arrived in the morning, rented motorbikes (for a daily rate of $5 each!) and toured around in search of a place to stay for the night. I'd say we found a pretty awesome spot. I still can't get over how beautiful Thailand can be! 

$65/night goes a long way in Thailand! We had our own villa by the beach.

 Later that day, we swam in the ocean, hiked up a trail to check out a waterfall and started to head up a mountain to take in a sweet view of the island. Unfortunately, my mom had an accident and crashed her bike on the way up the mountain. The rest of the day was spent in 2 hospitals getting stitches and x-rays. Turns out she broke her humerus bone. She spent her first night on the island in the hospital, a huge bummer! However, armed with her recently purchased new iPad from a shopping day in Bangkok, she was a trooper and managed to return to the hotel in a cast and sling so she could enjoy the last couple days on the beach as intended.

After a few days on the island, my parents flew home and I stayed with my good friend Heather in Bangkok, just as I did last year. This was such a great way to end my trip. I got to do some Bangkok essentials before I left (you know... thai massage, mani, pedi, another massage, shopping, etc). I am so grateful to both Heather and her boyfriend Greg for letting me share their space! Thank you for being such wonderful hosts, it was such a treat to be able to spend time with you!

I have to say, I really didn't want to come home. When I arrived, the weather was cold and rainy and brutal! The one good thing about coming home though was that I got to hang out with my brother for a day. It was one of those rare times when we're both at home. He came to get me from the airport, and he next day I dropped him off there for his flight to Sweden. But in between we got to hang out and get caught up in each others' lives. Just as my beach season ends, his ski season picks up! The timing is pretty funny.

Now that I'm home, I've had a week to rest before training starts up again. Still feeling some of the effects of jet lag too. My roommate thinks I'm crazy, unable to keep my eyes open past 9pm and waking up at 6:30 every day. Oh well, I guess I'm a morning person now!