tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57280852144837745842024-03-12T17:52:20.755-07:00Court & Spark: a volleyball documentaryJack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-68436551162439336072016-07-31T11:53:00.000-07:002016-07-31T11:53:08.596-07:00Idolized American<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Courtney Thompson has earned the respect of her teammates and coaches as she heads to her second Olympics<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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[Note: Hope you got a chance to see our Courtney Thompson profile in yesterday's <b>Seattle Times</b>. Because space is limited in modern newspapers, we'd like to share the <b>entire article</b>--with sidebars--exclusively here on <i>Volleyblog Seattle</i>]</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Two-time USA Olympian, setter Courtney Thompson<br />
<i>-photo by FIVB</i></td></tr>
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<b>Idolized American</b></div>
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By Jack Hamann, special to <i>The Seattle Times</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alicia Glass</b> sat in Hec Ed Pavilion’s bleachers and stared. On the court below, Ohio State had just scored a point against <b>Washington</b> in a 2006 NCAA volleyball playoff match. As a Buckeyes player retreated to the service line, Washington senior setter <b>Courtney Thompson</b> stood defiantly below the referee stand, debating the official’s previous call. She argued emphatically. Persistently. Long and loud enough to draw a yellow card.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Glass, then a freshman setter, was preparing to lead her <b>Penn State</b> team against Washington the next night for the right to advance to the <b>2006 Final Four</b>. A decade later, she remembers how her coach, <b>Russ Rose</b>, reacted to Thompson’s tirade. “He says, ‘did you see that? That’s a leader right there. Do you see that passion? Do you see how she fires up her teammates? That’s how you need to be as a leader.’”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Three years earlier, in those same bleachers, a prized high school recruit out of San Diego named <b>Carli Lloyd</b> also stared in wonder. She, too, was a setter, and couldn’t keep her eyes off Thompson, then the freshman captain of the Huskies. The fierceness. The pumped fists. The guttural “Ayyyyyy!” after every winning point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It was the first time I had ever seen her play,” says Lloyd. “And I looked around and said to someone, <i>I want to be her.</i> Man, I just idolized her. How she played. The way she led her teammates. Her fire.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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On August 6, 2016, Thompson, Glass and Lloyd will all step onto the <b>Summer Olympics</b> volleyball court at Rio de Janeiro’s famed <b>Maracanãzinho Arena</b>, each wearing the red, white and blue of the <b>US National Team.</b> The fact that USA’s 12-woman roster includes 3 who play setter is a source of pride for some—and controversy for others—as the world’s top-ranked team tries to win gold in the most volleyball-mad city on Earth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And Seattle’s own Courtney Thompson will undoubtedly be a big part of the story, whether the US finally wins its first women’s volleyball Olympic gold, or—especially—if it does not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you don’t know much about volleyball, you’re part of a shrinking crowd. In most states, more girls play volleyball than any other high school team sport. That’s particularly true in Washington and Oregon, where volleyball long ago surpassed girls’ basketball in the sheer number of participants, and has never been seriously challenged by girls’ soccer or softball.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Since 2003, the <b>University of Washington</b> has built one of the nation’s elite college volleyball programs, drawing bigger home crowds than any UW sport except football and men’s basketball. During that span, volleyball’s haul of All-Americans, future professionals, future coaches, win-loss records and postseason success has been matched by no other Huskies program this side of men’s and women’s crew.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Courtney Thompson, who arrived at Washington in 2003, is arguably the most accomplished female athlete in UW’s storied history. As a two-time Olympian, longtime top international professional, multiple <b>All-American</b>, National Champion team captain and <b>Honda Award</b> Winner as the nation’s top volleyball player, she’s assembled a résumé that few Husky athletes, including males, have ever matched. Born and raised in Kent, Thompson may be the finest female athlete ever to come out of the state.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 25.68px;"></span><span style="color: #0070c0; line-height: 25.68px;">Courtney Thompson, who arrived at Washington in 2003, is arguably the most accomplished female athlete in UW’s storied history Born and raised in Kent, Thompson may be the finest female athlete ever to come out of the state.</span><span style="line-height: 25.68px;"></span></span><br />
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More than 1,000 schools field <b>NCAA women’s volleyball</b> teams, including more than 300 in Division 1. All colleges carry two or more setters on their rosters. That means that, in the decade since Thompson graduated from Washington, at least 10,000 setters have played college ball. Many, it’s safe to assume, have had dreams of being an Olympian.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Courtney Thompson cheers a USA point in a victory against the Netherlands in the 2014 World Championships<br />
<i>-photo by FIVB</i></td></tr>
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But of the dozens of setters who might—with hard work—develop world-class skills, only a few display enough talent and perseverance to earn a spot on professional teams overseas. Those who play pro return to Anaheim each summer to compete for one of perhaps thirty spots—including 4 to 6 setters—on the US National Team. For most major international tournaments, only 14 players make the US roster. For the Olympics, only 12 can go.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To say the odds were long Thompson would twice make the Olympic roster—2012 in London and 2016 in Rio—is even more an understatement when you consider the average height for world-class volleyball setters has risen dramatically the last decade. Thompson is exceedingly strong, fit and athletic, but she’s 5-8 tall in a game of 6-footers. And the past four years—and the past four months—have tested Thompson like never before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson and Minnesota alum <b>Lindsey Berg</b> were the two setters on USA’s London Olympics roster. The team was packed with talent, and as it faced <b>Brazil</b> for the gold medal, the Americans hadn’t lost a single match the entire year. USA dominated the first set, but lost the second. Then the third. As Brazil continued its charge, key American players became frustrated. Eyes rolled. Stars sulked. Teammates were ignored.<o:p></o:p></div>
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USA lost in four sets, earning silver medals. As the winners celebrated as only Brazilians can, Thompson and her teammates stood in shock. By many measures, the more talented team had lost.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Talent took us far,” Thompson says, “But what we weren’t able to help each other in tough moments. “When we got pushed, we didn’t know how to have each other’s backs.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson spent the winter of 2013-14<br />
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That autumn, Thompson got an offer to play professionally in <b>Łódź, Poland</b>, a country almost as volleyball-crazy as Brazil. It was her fifth season overseas, following stints in Puerto Rico, Austria and Switzerland. But what should have been her next big step turned as cold and bleak as the Polish winter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“My team wasn’t very good,” says Thompson. “My coach was in his first year. I had always been the underdog, always had a chip on my shoulder. But having just come from the Olympics, I felt like a lot of people’s expectations of me changed. I was the same person, but it was not an easy environment to get fired up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The following summer, she eagerly returned to the Women’s National Team gym, thrilled that Karch Kiraly had been elevated to head coach. Berg had retired, but there were new setters in the mix, and Thompson was left off the roster for almost every major 2013 international tournament. USA setter coach Tom Black recalls how Thompson grew increasingly anxious and unhappy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“That was a huge blow for her,” says Black, “because she was hoping she had reached a certain status in the program.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It was gut-wrenching,” remembers Thompson. “It was so difficult to see your teammates doing something, and experiencing something, that you want so badly, and you’ve sacrificed so much for. I was really questioning: does this mean I should retire?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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One day, says Black, “Courtney was crying and frustrated and upset. So I took her into the cafeteria for lunch. I remember saying, <i>Hey, Courtney, it’s NEVER gonna be easy for you. Ever. You don’t have anywhere near the physical gifts to think you can just cruise. If you’re gonna stay here, it’s gonna be hard. All the time. You gotta accept that.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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“I never thought I could just cruise in,” Thompson says, “but what Tom said was absolutely true. He reminded me that I’m a fighter, and that I gotta keep throwing punches.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the midst of her struggles, Thompson got a call from one of Europe’s top professional teams, a Swiss club called <b>Volero</b>. It was the perfect tonic. “Zurich is beautiful,” she says. “I love the mountains. The people are great.” And the volleyball was great, too, as Thompson led her team deep into the playoffs of several prestigious international tournaments. Her confidence began to return.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In women’s international volleyball, the margins separating top teams are surprisingly thin. All have talent, size and experience. But as the London Olympics gold medal meltdown made clear, talent isn’t enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As the National Team reassembled in 2014, US women had still never won any of the three major quadrennial tournaments: <b>World Championships</b>, <b>World Cup</b> and <b>Olympics</b>. Kiraly took note of Thompson’s new determination and included her on several tournament rosters, culminating with the World Championships in Italy. After ten grueling preliminary matches, USA defeated <b>Russia</b> then <b>Brazil</b> then <b>China</b> to capture the title. It was, to that point, the biggest moment in the history of American women’s volleyball.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The players,” says Thompson, “have a bond that will last forever because of that tournament. It was just so much damn fun.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">At 5-8, Courtney Thompson is among the shortest--if most athletic--of the world's elite setters.<br />
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But the victory meant something else. Every coach of every team sport at every level preaches the need to put team above the individual. Kiraly, however, did more than preach, he made it a core requirement of his program. The World Championship seemed to validate that approach.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I think it’s really hard for people to understand,” says Lloyd. “Because when you’re an athlete, you want the accolades, you want the gold medal. When you’re in the gym, you’re competing against the person next to you. To do that, you think you can’t be friends, they have to be your enemy. I get that, because we’re supposed to see it like that. But what we’re doing instead is trying to make the people around us be the best that they can be. And if they’re better, that makes us better.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“We’re all competitive—super competitive,” says Thompson, “and we want to be out there on the court. But it’s so much bigger than that. There’s a different level of buy-in. It’s really not just about me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson headed back to Europe for another successful season in Zurich. Last summer, she was included on the roster when USA won the <b>World Grand Prix</b>. But she was left off the World Cup roster, and favored USA finished a disappointing third, behind <b>China</b> and <b>Serbia</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last fall, Thompson made her biggest professional move of all. Nowhere in the world are spectators more knowledgeable or passionate about volleyball than in Brazil. <b>Bernardo Rezende</b>, a legendary Brazilian Olympic coach, hired Thompson as the setter for Rio de Janeiro’s top club team, <b>Rexona Ades</b>. She was so popular with Brazilian fans that people would stop her on the street to talk volleyball. During home matches in Rio, the crowd chanted “USA! USA! USA!” whenever she stood at the service.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Last season, Courtney Thompson (3) was the setter for Brazil's top professional team, Rexona Ades of Rio de Janiero</td></tr>
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“I was beyond stoked,” she says. “For my entire career, I’d dreamed of playing in Brazil. It ended up teaching me so much, re-centering me, lighting a fire.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Few American Olympians in any sport have as much recent Rio experience as Courtney Thompson: she lived there from last fall through this spring while competing professionally for Rio’s top club team, <b>Rexona-Ades</b>. Amid almost deadly headlines about health and safety concerns in the tightly-packed metropolis of more than 6 million people, Thompson says she gets a lot of questions about what athletes and their visiting families might expect in Brazil.</span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">The <b>Zika</b> virus, says Thompson, “seems really out of our control. It is what it is. It’s not gonna stop us.”</span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Thompson says <b>personal safety</b> can be a concern, however, and cites a time earlier this year when a would-be mugger grabbed her arm and tried to take her cellphone. “Fortunately,” she says, “I had tennis shoes on, and I was in better shape than him. So I threw my arm up, got his hand off of me, then ran in the opposite direction and outran him. And kept my phone.”</span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">That said, she expects her team to love the Rio experience. “I tell them how wonderful the people are. It’s fun. There’s a real sense of community.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span><br />
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But as summer 2016 began, there seemed just as many reasons Kiraly might include Thompson on the Rio roster as arguments he should not. The American offense uses two setters: one to start, and one as part of a crucial double-substitution roughly two-thirds through each game. USA’s starting setter, Alicia Glass, had been battling back from injury, providing openings for Carli Lloyd and for a young setter out of Missouri named <b>Molly Kreklow</b>. As June turned to July, it was clear that Glass was once again healthy, and that Lloyd was coming on strong. During the round-the-globe, month-long World Grand Prix, Thompson was on the roster, but stayed mostly on the bench.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet, Thompson on the bench is a sight to behold. After nearly every rally, she leads the other five players not currently on the court in raucous cheers. During timeouts, she offers advice to her fellow setters, then focuses on a player or two for a quick pep talk, pat on the butt and/or high-five. She’s been on the Women’s National Team for 149 matches (what the soccer world calls “caps”,) and, at age 31, is the oldest player on the roster.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’ve done the work,” says Thompson, “and I’ve prepared in a way that I feel like any moment I could be on the court and competing and helping our team win the next point. I also know that, if I’m not on the court, there’s an opportunity to impact our team. And that’s a huge part of what I bring. That’s me. And that’s what this team needs from me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwUfGLr2AhGHgrj5ncH-Kdh3Vu8UfJWvRLqevcUzhxZ8fsJM2Ah7_3wGEBKHNodiRNfgipxr8VgvZi23uji67Wg1RzKno32ZxMAysNbUU-p6VKikJNywebIRstokLG1tivxxoYxxFSx8/s1600/USA_WC_Russia_CT_Alicia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwUfGLr2AhGHgrj5ncH-Kdh3Vu8UfJWvRLqevcUzhxZ8fsJM2Ah7_3wGEBKHNodiRNfgipxr8VgvZi23uji67Wg1RzKno32ZxMAysNbUU-p6VKikJNywebIRstokLG1tivxxoYxxFSx8/s640/USA_WC_Russia_CT_Alicia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">USA Olympic setters Courtney Thompson and Alicia Glass. Carli Lloyd is the third USA Olympic setter.<br />
<i>-photo by FIVB</i></td></tr>
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Even so, more than a few eyebrows were raised when Kiraly decided that one of the precious dozen slots on this year’s Olympic roster should go to a third setter instead of a second libero or a fourth outside hitter. Volleyball chat sites complained that Thompson was little more than a cheerleader, and that Kiraly could end up regretting his decision. But Thompson’s teammates and coaches want no part of that affront.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Courtney is a world-class setter,” says Black. “She’s an incredible leader. Everybody leans on her and wants to learn from her.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“She is a force to be reckoned with,” says Glass. “She has a positive effect on everyone. Her hard work, her passion, her energy and her fire are absolutely necessary to this program.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Courtney,” says Kiraly, “galvanizes this team.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span><b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Court & Spark</span></b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">, an hour-long documentary about Courtney Thompson, and featuring many of her current Olympic teammates and coaches, has just been made available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Court-Spark-Documentary-Courtney-Thompson/dp/B01HFNVG7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468887691&sr=8-1&keywords=court+%26+spark+volleyball"><b>Amazon</b> </a>and <b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/court-spark-volleyball-documentary/id1124609501">iTunes</a></b>. (full disclosure: Court & Spark was co-produced by Jack & Leslie Hamann). All proceeds from the rental and sale of the documentary go to the <b>Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball</b>, a nonprofit serving youth, adults, indoor, sand and sitting volleyball, both female and male.<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span><br />
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When Kiraly told Lloyd she had made the Olympic cut, Lloyd shed tears of joy. When Kiraly then asked if she had any questions, “the only question I had for Karch was, ‘what does this mean for Courtney?’ Because I couldn’t imagine this team without her. She’s so much more than a volleyball player to all of us. She’s like a light, and she spreads it everywhere she goes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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About a year ago, Thompson decided she’d retire after these Olympics, whether or not she made the roster, whether or not the team, at last, wins gold. That said, she fully expects victory in Rio. But after her long career, she expects something more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If there’s anything I hope people see when we compete,” says Thompson, “it’s the joy that we’re playing with and how present we are, despite what’s going on around us. We know who we are, we know what we stand for. When you are fortunate enough to win while doing that, it’s just so special. But the winning’s really a bonus. It’s just so much bigger than that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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In Brazil, soccer is king. Men’s soccer. The most popular women’s sport (and second-most popular men’s sport) is volleyball. Olympic matches will be held at iconic <b>Maracanãzinho Arena</b>, where Rio Organizers say tickets went fast. Crowds for even the least-desirable matchups are expected to exceed 90% of arena capacity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>USA women’s volleyball Olympic schedule (all times Pacific)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<li>Aug 06, 1:05PM vs. Puerto Rico</li>
<li>Aug 08, 11:00AM vs. Netherlands</li>
<li>Aug 10, 11:00AM vs. Serbia</li>
<li>Aug 12, 11:00AM vs. Italy</li>
<li>Aug 14, 1:05PM vs. China</li>
<li>Aug 16 Quarterfinals</li>
<li>Aug 18 Semifinals</li>
<li>Aug 20 Medal Finals</li>
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jack hamannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504025463861363569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-34209968540646490392016-07-14T15:32:00.002-07:002016-07-14T15:33:05.500-07:00National Team | Karch Kiraly says Rio “will be the best volleyball Olympics ever”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">USA volleyball head coach says team is “preparing for uncertainty”</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPu5AqRjYLAVL6HqF-xgrpGaB3G6a4OMjbUweY-8G_ji947qPoh_mM76beoAY1yndFGsTopIiwCnex4HW01akDK8WmAhPk3tOqK4Ko1r65HoRB2k-EJYdCqM5ExjmgfZ5m7ADGMAmYGHw/s1600/USA_GP_2016_Russia_smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPu5AqRjYLAVL6HqF-xgrpGaB3G6a4OMjbUweY-8G_ji947qPoh_mM76beoAY1yndFGsTopIiwCnex4HW01akDK8WmAhPk3tOqK4Ko1r65HoRB2k-EJYdCqM5ExjmgfZ5m7ADGMAmYGHw/s640/USA_GP_2016_Russia_smiles.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">USA head coach Karch Kiraly<br />
<i>-photo by FIVB</i></td></tr>
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The <b>USA Women’s Volleyball</b> Olympic roster was made public this morning (see: <b><a href="http://volleyblogseattle.blogspot.com/2016/07/national-team-usa-volleyball-reveals.html" target="_blank">USA Volleyball reveals Rio roster</a></b>.) This afternoon, we spent a few minutes talking with Head Coach <b>Karch Kiraly</b>, for a <i>Seattle Times </i>feature we’re preparing in advance of the <b>Rio Olympics</b>. We covered a lot of topics, including a few things that won’t be in the upcoming article. We thought we’d share a few of gems that we’ll have to leave out of the main story:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;">On the timing of today’s roster announcement<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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The <b>USA Men’s Olympic team</b> was announced three weeks ago, on June 21. Kiraly says he was advised to name the 12 members of the women’s team as early as possible. But, he says, injuries to one or more players made a delay inevitable. “We would have liked to reveal our lineup earlier,” says Kiraly, “but we didn’t really have a choice.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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While Kiraly declined to name the injured player or players, libero <b>Kayla Banwarth</b> missed several matches during the just-completed <b>World Grand Prix</b>. She returned, however, for the final two matches against <b>Russia</b> and <b>Brazil</b>, and seemed to be in good form. Although USC grad <b>Natalie Hagglund</b> filled in for Banwarth during her absence, Banwarth is the only libero on the Rio roster.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;">On players not selected to go to Rio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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“It’s very difficult,” Kiraly says. “These athletes make incredible sacrifices, and it’s hard to tell them they aren’t on the (Olympic) roster.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Few understand the years of often-lonely commitment it takes to be among the top 18 or so athletes in the USA gym in an Olympic year. I asked whether players bond over that shared isolation, similar to soldiers who realize no one but their platoon really understands what they’ve gone through. “Not exactly,” says Kiraly. “Soldiers take everyone in their unit to the battlefield. We don’t get to do that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;">On his team’s composure<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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One of the most impressive episodes of the recent 13-match, month-long World Grand Prix took place in a preliminary match against <b>China</b> in Hong Kong. USA served, and China appeared to win the first point of the set. But when the wrong Chinese player stepped up to the service line, the point was given instead to USA, and <b>Kim Hill</b> went back to serve. The match, however, was interrupted for a discussion between the referee, the scorekeeper and China head coach <b>Jenny Lang Ping</b>. One minute turned into two, then three, then four.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All the while, Hill remained calm and focused. Her teammates were likewise relaxed … no eye-rolling, no gesturing, no displays of irritation. The delay stretched to five minutes, six minutes. Kiraly was certainly not happy, but he never showed it. “We know things will come up that we’ve never seen before,” he told us. “But we will be the best we can be under whatever stress we face. Our job is to prepare for as much uncertainty as we can.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, after seven long minutes, the whistle blew. Hill served. An ace.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0070c0;">On playing in Rio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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During our conversation, Kiraly was most excited when talking about competing in Rio’s historic <b>Maracanãzinho</b> Arena. “A volleyball cathedral,” says Kiraly. “That gym means volleyball to anyone who know about volleyball in Brazil.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Brazil is absolutely crazy about volleyball—indoor, outdoor, women’s men’s,” he says. “This will be the best volleyball Olympics ever.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ll have much more from Kiraly—and USA players and coaches—in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">COURT & SPARK DOCUMENTARY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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We’re happy to report that the <b>Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball</b> will soon be releasing our documentary, <b>Court & Spark</b>, via several streaming services, including <b>iTunes </b>and <b>Amazon</b>. The hour-long documentary stars two-time Olympian <b>Courtney Thompson</b>, and features several players selected to the Rio roster, plus coach <b>Karch Kiraly</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’ll soon pass along details about how you can order your copy of Court & Spark. 100% of the proceeds go to Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball and its many youth and adult indoor and outdoor programs.</div>
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jack hamannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504025463861363569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-17755195807742857912016-07-14T15:30:00.002-07:002016-07-14T15:30:52.145-07:00National Team | Courtney Thompson is a two-time Olympian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #833c0b; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Courtney Thompson is now a two-time Olympian as Karch Kiraly takes three setters on his roster</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">USA women are headed to Rio with a squad that includes four two-time Olympians</td></tr>
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<b>Courtney Thompson</b> is returning to Rio.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson, the most accomplished woman athlete in the history of <b>Washington</b> athletics, was one of 12 women who made coach <b>Karch Kiraly’s</b> final cut for the <b>2016 Olympic Games</b> next month.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are the twelve women who will represent the USA in Rio:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">OUTSIDE HITTERS:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;"> </span><b>Jordan Larson</b> (Nebraska), <b>Kim Hill</b> (Pepperdine), <b>Kelsey Robinson</b> (Tennessee/Nebraska)</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">MIDDLE BLOCKERS:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;"> </span><b>Foluke Akinradewo</b> (Stanford), <b>Rachael Adams</b> (Texas), <b>Christa Dietzen</b> (Penn State)</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">OPPOSITES:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;"> </span><b>Karsta Lowe</b> (UCLA), <b>Kelly Murphy</b> (Florida)</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">SETTERS:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;"> </span><b>Alicia Glass</b> (Penn State) <b>Courtney Thompson</b> (Washington), <b>Carli Lloyd</b> (California)</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #0070c0;">LIBEROS:</span></b><span style="color: #0070c0;"> </span><b>Kayla Banwarth</b> (Nebraska)</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykscEEALV92BbKwSdvFujt0u20aYI6BjsPrRLBuREJPubsY-jUItd-O-6kMM0hbsgezE2TELgD41b81UiOoazd4b_O5REZGPuOjryr6MHLpyPRiveJeFpEo4hpDAj1rSHT1O19poKHt8/s1600/GP_2016_Japan_serving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykscEEALV92BbKwSdvFujt0u20aYI6BjsPrRLBuREJPubsY-jUItd-O-6kMM0hbsgezE2TELgD41b81UiOoazd4b_O5REZGPuOjryr6MHLpyPRiveJeFpEo4hpDAj1rSHT1O19poKHt8/s320/GP_2016_Japan_serving.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Four players on the Rio roster were also on the 2012 silver medal team in London: <b>Thompson</b>, <b>Larson</b>, <b>Akinradewo</b> and <b>Dietzen</b>. Washington’s <b>Tama Miyashiro</b>, a libero, was also on the London roster, but was limited this Olympic quad by injuries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Former Washington All-American <b>Krista Vansant</b>, an outside hitter, is one of eight players named as USA Olympic alternates.<br />
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Every player on the Olympic roster also plays professionally for top clubs overseas. During the past quad, Thompson has been a setter in Łódź, Poland, Zurich, Switzerland and for the top club in Rio de Janeiro.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson was on the roster when USA won its first-ever <b>World Championship</b> in 2014. USA women have never won Olympic gold, earning silver in 1984, 2008 and 2012.<o:p></o:p></div>
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USA’s first match of 2016 Olympics is August 6 against <b>Puerto Rico</b>. Other teams in USA’s pool are <b>Netherlands</b> (August 8), <b>Serbia</b> (August 10), <b>Italy</b> (August 12) and <b>China</b> (August 14). <b>Brazil</b> and <b>Russia</b> are among the teams in the other half of the preliminary pool.</div>
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jack hamannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12504025463861363569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-65486528170731177932014-11-20T17:31:00.002-08:002014-11-20T17:31:37.173-08:00“Jam the Gym” blog features Courtney Thompson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">“Court & Spark celebrates
volleyball and showcases Courtney’s effervescent personality”</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqmVVgI2b5z1GE29YhkSjaf2Kms1pmyPYOc6boI1cvk8NstYnXWlSNejrWJciSGF8ZSwLC01b4zA1XNsjVid14zpDg0HS1pOVVmEe7xlyG-Ayofc2SUJa_1HHurl4l2cLVJXKpQwhzqsK/s1600/USA_WC_Brazil_USA_huddle_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqmVVgI2b5z1GE29YhkSjaf2Kms1pmyPYOc6boI1cvk8NstYnXWlSNejrWJciSGF8ZSwLC01b4zA1XNsjVid14zpDg0HS1pOVVmEe7xlyG-Ayofc2SUJa_1HHurl4l2cLVJXKpQwhzqsK/s1600/USA_WC_Brazil_USA_huddle_03.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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This week’s <b><a href="http://www.jamthegym.com/jamming-in-five-questions/courtneythompson?preview-key=UPHP01MT1EX985HDIQ1D9PNS3X72RC9KHXAYFJLRKKILA631U9" target="_blank">Jam the Gym</a></b>
blog features an interview with <b>Courtney
Thompson</b>. As co-producers of <b>Court &
Spark</b>, we’re grateful for the nice shoutouts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A few excerpts:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>You <i>can't</i>
win without a Courtney Thompson. Courtney is the volleyball equivalent of the hockey
"grinder", not afraid to go into the corner and take a hit to make a play,
not afraid to take a beating in front of the net to screen the goaltender.</li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbDB5ItwzhyV4tP0CviE2Bk9KuahMSmzC4ZJITmH6wtMEXJb6zL7-1VXdKEXEdAJmsjPbYAE2S2ut4a1Mw2WyYp_lTDOsqgTyUaol9cajkvQjSzAn-w-lyJlcfV6JnF9IDNPa8PYoSDpY/s1600/Jam+the+Gym.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirbDB5ItwzhyV4tP0CviE2Bk9KuahMSmzC4ZJITmH6wtMEXJb6zL7-1VXdKEXEdAJmsjPbYAE2S2ut4a1Mw2WyYp_lTDOsqgTyUaol9cajkvQjSzAn-w-lyJlcfV6JnF9IDNPa8PYoSDpY/s1600/Jam+the+Gym.JPG" height="189" width="320" /></a>
<li>She was also the subject of a beautifully filmed documentary
called "Court and Spark". "Court and Spark" celebrates volleyball
and showcases Courtney's effervescent personality. It has been passed around our team this year to
rave reviews!</li>
</ul>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Ellen and I are huge fans of Court and Spark! We just love how it was shot and how it celebrates
volleyball and life.</li>
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Please see the entire interview at <b><a href="http://www.jamthegym.com/jamming-in-five-questions/courtneythompson?preview-key=UPHP01MT1EX985HDIQ1D9PNS3X72RC9KHXAYFJLRKKILA631U9" target="_blank">Jam the Gym</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-76949313946372168162014-10-31T16:04:00.000-07:002014-11-20T17:31:59.090-08:00Court & Spark honored at 7th Annual Indie Spirit Film Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Documentary wins Audience
Award for Best Sports Feature</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXPUwbaVimR5O7aMRXQvW13DCQPDiSplqazuvk7ng3kxFYQRoI0OYuGJZTeHfITKg4Gj9HcZ6poEof_32byycP_TDCXmAfsS5K9HhYNZ2Omco-LhPjEhrunWDtsczs_6sBmHRH8XmOs-k/s1600/trophy_Indie_Spirit_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXPUwbaVimR5O7aMRXQvW13DCQPDiSplqazuvk7ng3kxFYQRoI0OYuGJZTeHfITKg4Gj9HcZ6poEof_32byycP_TDCXmAfsS5K9HhYNZ2Omco-LhPjEhrunWDtsczs_6sBmHRH8XmOs-k/s1600/trophy_Indie_Spirit_02.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<a name='more'></a> </div>
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The screening had concluded. It was time for questions from
the audience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“How,” one man asked, “were you able to convince <b>Courtney Thompson</b> to let you do this
documentary?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the <b>7<sup>th</sup>
Annual Indie Spirit Film Festival</b> in Colorado Springs, there were plenty of
questions after <b>Court & Spark’s</b>
credits rolled. Most centered on technical and creative details of producing
the program in Poland and in California. Several others were about Courtney and
her life as a professional and Olympic athlete.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the end, we were honored that Court & Spark received
the <b>Audience Award</b> as the festival’s
<b>Outstanding Sports Documentary</b>. Our
deepest thanks, and our continued gratitude to all who contributed to the
documentary’s success.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/video-preview.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM40LLHWan05xCYtkMQv5P5PHSgIDfhOtXufVAsY0D0qyMNhWMBm_E_jGnPKtE-m0ck_S70KzGiROPWsoa1d3zLeXoWYtgcaE0xsVX22JEFLkGjYAvJFrfZ78e0cnWTMD09zxor3-qXVe/s1600/blog_engaging.jpg" height="130" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-51770252928049292712014-10-30T16:34:00.000-07:002014-11-20T17:32:09.871-08:00Washington alum Courtney Thompson is home after Team USA wins World Championships<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Star of “Court &
Spark” is part of USA Women’s first-ever gold medal team</span></b></div>
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<i>[This article, by Jack Hamann, first appeared in the October 17, 2014 Seattle Times]</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x4iGr7UZVuK-m2OVjU3vLSahXTOkR9_lgElfh6hXySGRhCzBhwChTYKNHgJKeLaRpCHUUoruVB7gnn14TLtL-WyWOsQiWS7XsakQr4Z1rDERApkDXgamO3wHYzEPG-dlY5Z0REgZh3TI/s1600/USA_WC_China_CT_serve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6x4iGr7UZVuK-m2OVjU3vLSahXTOkR9_lgElfh6hXySGRhCzBhwChTYKNHgJKeLaRpCHUUoruVB7gnn14TLtL-WyWOsQiWS7XsakQr4Z1rDERApkDXgamO3wHYzEPG-dlY5Z0REgZh3TI/s1600/USA_WC_China_CT_serve.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.1199998855591px; text-align: start;">Courtney Thompson of the U.S. serves during the Women’s World Championships final against China on Sunday.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15.1199998855591px; text-align: start;">Photo by Dino Panato / Getty Images</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Courtney Thompson and her USA Volleyball teammates stood on
the podium Sunday in Milan, Italy, flowers in their arms and medals around
their necks. At the World Championships awards ceremony, they turned in unison
for the raising of the colors. But, for the first time in one of the three
major international women’s volleyball competitions — Olympics, World Cup and
World Championships — the flag and anthem were from the USA.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It was surreal,” says Thompson. “Gold medals and ‘The Star
Spangled Banner’.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although volleyball was invented in America — and although
American men have won several golds at their three international majors — the
women had been frustrated for more than 50 years. They’d won plenty of silvers,
including at the past two Olympics. Thompson, a former Washington All-American
setter and captain of the 2005 NCAA championship team, has been on the USA
roster since 2006. She was one of those who stood on the silver medal platform
in London. The U.S. ended that competition listening to the Brazilian national
anthem — again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But not Sunday in Milan. “After the ceremony,” Thompson
said, “we all went to the hotel and ordered pizza, lots of pizza. We were there
for hours, all night long, toasting our teammates and coaches, telling stories,
listening to music, dancing like crazy. Over and over, we talked about how
humbling it was to be the first to get the gold. I mean, so many incredible
athletes came before us and never had this chance.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTJBlwE8xGALybCpv0LuSMz3IXrKiM0MHnj7HY_Bpbe45j_MK44m8Zmi8G1LhVhW3y8seFtBPgR81AWaC3sMccsofWRaSZRy5OSAPCn1-N_qdVTPXnZqVtT85mLkjI2Aj8MUDrx4PI7Ig/s1600/USA_WC_Brazil2_CT_chher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTJBlwE8xGALybCpv0LuSMz3IXrKiM0MHnj7HY_Bpbe45j_MK44m8Zmi8G1LhVhW3y8seFtBPgR81AWaC3sMccsofWRaSZRy5OSAPCn1-N_qdVTPXnZqVtT85mLkjI2Aj8MUDrx4PI7Ig/s1600/USA_WC_Brazil2_CT_chher.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Assistant coach Marv Dunphy, a volleyball legend whose long resume
includes coaching the 1988 men’s gold medal team in Seoul, gave the toast that
moved Thompson most.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Marv told us that those of us in that room now have a bond
that we’ll never lose the rest of our lives,” she said. “He said many of us
will go on to other great things, but there will never be a volleyball
experience as special as that pizza all-nighter with those who know best how
hard it was to get there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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How hard was it? Despite winning its first seven matches of
this 24-team, three-week tournament, USA lost to host Italy and Brazil, and was
headed home unless the Italians could beat two-time defending champion Russia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It was the weirdest day ever,” Thompson remembers. “I was
angry and frustrated that we put ourselves in that position.” Although the team
had the match on TV at the hotel, Thompson couldn’t bear to watch, even as
Italy prevailed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But that “weird” day might have been key.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Coming that close to being eliminated made us hungrier,”
says Thompson. “I’m sure that was a big part of why we put it all together
beating Brazil (in the semifinals) and China (in the finals).”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson is back in Seattle, but for just a quiet day or two
with family. That’s because volleyball is a full-time job. Like about two dozen
former Washington players, she’s paid to play professionally overseas. Her
entire team, Volero Zurich, drove to Milan to watch her win the gold. She’ll
rejoin them in Switzerland early next week for a season that stretches to the
next USA National Team season in June.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next big test? That would be the Olympics in Rio de
Janeiro in 2016.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Does Thompson expect the Brazilians to be fired up after
losing to USA this week?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I certainly hope so,” she says, chuckling. “We’ll be fired
up, for sure. And what athlete doesn’t want to play their best when the
competition is also playing their best?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I can’t wait.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-9708771920152646372014-09-10T12:18:00.000-07:002014-10-30T16:34:28.442-07:00USA Volleyball High Performance Program praises Court & Spark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Award-winning
documentary will screen October 18 at 7<sup>th</sup> Annual Indie Spirit Film
Festival in Colorado Springs</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some terrific feedback from <b>Denise Sheldon</b>, manager of <b><a href="http://www.teamusa.org/usa-volleyball/high-performance/hp-indoor" target="_blank">USAVolleyball’s High Performance Program</a></b>:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">This summer, <i>Court
and Spark</i> was viewed by more than 1000 Olympic hopefuls at USA
Volleyball High Performance Programs and 300 more volleyball-enthusiast
military kids in Germany. Every single girls' program had an evening scheduled
to watch the <i>Court and Spark</i> video, from our 10 and 11 year old Future
Select athletes all the way to the girls and young women on our U.S. Youth and
Junior National Teams.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p style="color: #073763;"> </o:p><span style="color: red;"><b>I can tell you that, at all levels, the response was
terrific.</b> </span><span style="color: #073763;">Players were mesmerized and inspired by your journey and learned
so much about the possibility of playing overseas and for Team USA. They saw
the faces of our National Team athletes and staff and have new players to root
for when they have the opportunity to watch Team USA play. The athletes and the
coaches laughed with you and cried with Kristin and asked lots of intelligent
questions about all things volleyball.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0JETxhAbfmyGmUOA2rs3tD8Pp2I_QlIh1ymriNrTinsGqqByrJXqTDSSr6Np1YZD2dabfXJrYVucLiKAxWKapCnTSXqaJm0kmosNVgxkL9zvmnWKUdGa1Wc6myDRgkgT2HQUOUtzL0dP/s1600/Junior+National+Team.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0JETxhAbfmyGmUOA2rs3tD8Pp2I_QlIh1ymriNrTinsGqqByrJXqTDSSr6Np1YZD2dabfXJrYVucLiKAxWKapCnTSXqaJm0kmosNVgxkL9zvmnWKUdGa1Wc6myDRgkgT2HQUOUtzL0dP/s1600/Junior+National+Team.JPG" height="305" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USA Women's Junior National Team</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p><b>All I can say is that it was a huge success</b>,</span><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"> and I
really appreciate everything you all did to create this video and allow us to
show it to all of our High Performance athletes.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our deepest thanks to Denise and to all her staff, athletes
and parents at USA Volleyball High Performance!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Court & Spark</i>—winner
of the <b>Platinum Award</b> at the <b>2014</b> <b>WorldFest Houston Film Festival</b>—is an Official Selection at the <b>2014 Indie Spirit Film Festival</b> in
Colorado Springs. <i>Court & Spark</i>
will screen <b>Saturday, October 18</b>, at
<b>1:15PM</b> in the Summit Ballroom of the
Colorado Springs Antler’s Hilton Hotel. Find more details at the <b><a href="http://www.indiespiritfilmfestival.org/page/2/" target="_blank">Official Film Festival website</a></b>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-61110823806147646732014-08-13T13:54:00.000-07:002014-10-30T16:34:37.094-07:00Court & Spark is an Official Selection to the 7th Annual Indie Spirit Film Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Documentary will
screen October 17-19 in Colorado Springs</span></b></div>
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Award-winning documentary <b>Court & Spark</b> will be featured at another film festival. This
time it’s the <b>2014 Indie Spirit Film
Festival</b> in Colorado Springs. Hosted by the <b>Independent Film Society of Colorado</b>, the 7<sup>th</sup> Annual
Festival will be held <b>October 17-19</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Colorado Springs is the home of USA Volleyball and the US Olympic Committee.</div>
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For festival ticket information, please visit the I<a href="http://www.indiespiritfilmfestival.org/" target="_blank">ndieSpirit Film Festival website</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Earlier this year, Court & Spark won a <b>Sports Documentary Platinum Award</b>
(highest in category) at the <b>2014
Houston WorldFest Film Festival</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jzIfCqOL0ZCdqXQi4W3NEzbJr8zIpPoFI882P4oQCdS5abFsMA4KtV2iw7SeIac7HKTtLhlja3oPjRtbeP4xk5ZEbZYnfcSAvLvSfK12mUX0HJBNPLSfxE-xLDDr1oPcgDM69YPxdVae/s1600/logo_Houston_2014_gray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jzIfCqOL0ZCdqXQi4W3NEzbJr8zIpPoFI882P4oQCdS5abFsMA4KtV2iw7SeIac7HKTtLhlja3oPjRtbeP4xk5ZEbZYnfcSAvLvSfK12mUX0HJBNPLSfxE-xLDDr1oPcgDM69YPxdVae/s1600/logo_Houston_2014_gray.jpg" height="94" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfCLrqcisyVVhPdGEdHk9hTCJdIkqyVbsQy5ylPhwORdbcNjxFObmQqa70TzqivPGhyphenhyphenSYvoeLRXTv_1m1K2r35CsRKVlPfGZuIlurqjMfza1mHuSeCtrk4m3GS568mIHtrUqftLy9vRuL/s1600/logo_Indie_Spirit_2014_gray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfCLrqcisyVVhPdGEdHk9hTCJdIkqyVbsQy5ylPhwORdbcNjxFObmQqa70TzqivPGhyphenhyphenSYvoeLRXTv_1m1K2r35CsRKVlPfGZuIlurqjMfza1mHuSeCtrk4m3GS568mIHtrUqftLy9vRuL/s1600/logo_Indie_Spirit_2014_gray.jpg" height="94" width="200" /></a></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-27442968736148748912014-07-02T10:05:00.000-07:002014-10-30T16:34:49.180-07:00Courtney Thompson on the roster for rematch against Brazil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<li><b><span style="color: #843c0c;">Rematch of the 2012 Olympic Finals set for this weekend and next week</span></b></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px; text-align: center;">Olympians Courtney Thompson (L) and Nicole Davis will be on the roster<br />
for all four matches against Brazil </td></tr>
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Olympian and <b>Court & Spark</b> star <b>Courtney Thompson</b> will help lead <b>Team USA</b> in a four-match series featuring the world’s best two teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This Saturday at 7PM, #2 USA hosts #1 <b>Brazil</b> at <b>UC Irvine</b>. The same teams meet again Sunday at 7PM at <b>USC’s Galen Center</b>, then next Friday and Saturday at the <b>University of Hawai’i</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson is one of four Olympians on <b>Karch Kiraly’s</b> roster, joining <b>Jordan Larson-Burbach</b>, <b>Foluke Akinradewo</b> and <b>Nicole Davis</b> for the Brazil series. The Brazilians will feature nine players with Olympic experience, including stars like <b>Fabiana Claudino</b>, <b>Jaque</b>, <b>Fe Garay</b> and <b>Dani Lins</b>, among others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brazil won the last two Olympic gold medals, defeating the USA each time. Thompson was the American setter for the 2012 Olympic quarterfinals, and saw action in every match in London except the final, a 3-1 Brazil victory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson and fellow setter <b>Alicia Glass</b> will be among the 12 players on the roster for all four Brazil matches this weekend and next week, as will liberos Davis and <b>Kayla Banwarth</b>. Kiraly has already announced different lineups for the other 8 positions in each of the four matches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for USA Volleyball Cup (see legend for corresponding matches)</b><br />
<b># - Name (Position, Ht, World Championship App, Olympic App, Hometown, College)</b><br />
1 – *^# Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, 11, 0, Leland, Mich., Penn State)<br />
2 – *^# Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, 0, 0, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska)<br />
3 – *^# Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, 0, 8, Kent, Wash., University of Washington)<br />
4 – *^ Lauren Paolini (MB, 6-4, 0, 0, Ann Arbor, Mich., University of Texas)<br />
6 – *^# Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, 11, 16, Stockton, Calif., University of Southern California)<br />
7 – *^# Cassidy Lichtman (OH, 6-1, 0, 0, Poway, Calif., Stanford University)<br />
8 – *^# Lauren Gibbemeyer (MB, 6-2, 0, 0, St. Paul, Minn., University of Minnesota)<br />
9 – *^ Kristin Hildebrand (OH, 6-1, 0, 0, Orem, Utah, Stanford University)<br />
10 – *^# Jordan Larson-Burbach (OH, 6-2, 11, 8, Hooper, Neb., University of Nebraska)<br />
12 - *^# Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, 0, 0, Wilmington, Ill., University of Florida)<br />
14 - # Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, 0, 0, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State)<br />
15 - *# Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, 0, 0, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine University)<br />
16 - *# Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, 11, 8, Plantation, Fla., Stanford University)<br />
17 - *^ Alix Klineman (OPP, 6-5, 0, 0, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Stanford University)<br />
22 - *^# Rachael Adams (MB, 6-2, 0, 0, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas)<br />
26 - ^# Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, 0, 0, Bartlett, Ill., University of Nebraska)<br />
28 - ^# Tori Dixon (MB, 6-3, 0, 0, Burnsville, Minn., University of Minnesota)<br />
<b>Legend:</b> * = July 5 at UCI; ^ = July 6 at USC; # = July 11-12 at Hawaii<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Head Coach:</b> Karch Kiraly<br />
<b>Assistant Coaches:</b> Jamie Morrison, Tom Black<br />
<b>Technical Coordinator:</b> Joe Trinsey<br />
<b>Athletic Trainer:</b> Jill Wosmek<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Brazil Roster for Women’s USA Volleyball Cup</b><br />
<b># - Name (Position, Ht, World Championship App, Olympic App, Club)</b><br />
1 – Fabiana Claudino (MB, 6-4, 14, 13, SESI-SP)<br />
3 – Danielle Lins (S, 5-11, 13, 7, Osasco/Molico)<br />
4 – Ana Carolina Da Silva (MB, 6-0, 0, 0, Unilever)<br />
5 – Adenizia Silva (MB, 6-1, 6, 7, Molico/Nestle)<br />
6 – Thaisa Menezes (MB, 6-5, 14, 14, Molico/Nestle)<br />
7 – Andreia Sforzin Laurence (OH, 6-0, 7, 0, Unilever)<br />
8 – Jaqueline Pereira de Carvalho Endres (OH, 6-1, 13, 14, NA)<br />
10 – Gabriela Braga Guimaraes (OH, 5-9, 0, 0, Unilever)<br />
11 – Tandara Caixeta (OH, 6-0, 0, 7, Banana Boat/Praia Clube)<br />
12 – Natalia Pereira (OH, 6-0, 14, 8, Unilever)<br />
13 – Sheilla Castro (OPP, 6-1, 16, 14, VakifBank)<br />
14 – Ana Tiemi (S, 6-2, 7, 0, Bursa B.B. SK)<br />
15 – Monique Marinho Pavao (OPP, 5-10, 0, 0, SESI-SP)<br />
16 – Fernanda Rodrigues (OH, 5-10, 0, 7, Dinamo Krasnodar)<br />
17 – Josefa Fabiola Almeida De Sousa Alves (S, 6-0, 8, 0, Dinamo Krasnodar)<br />
18 – Camila Brait (L, 5-7, 9, 0, Molico/Nestle)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Head Coach:</b> Jose Roberto Lages Guimaraes<br />
<b>Assistant Coaches:</b> Paulo do Rego Barros Junior, Claudio Lopes Pinheiro<br />
<b>Trainer:</b> Fabio Correia<br />
<b>Statistician:</b> Marco Antonio Di Bonifacio<br />
<b>Team Manager:</b> Leonardo Gomes Pereira Cupertino Moraes<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-51123137520558796992014-05-08T15:18:00.002-07:002014-07-02T10:05:37.465-07:00Courtney Thompson’s pro volleyball team reaches world semifinals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<li><b><span style="color: #843c0c; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #843C0C; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 128;">Voléro Zürich upsets Sao Paulo, aims for third trophy of 2014</span></b></li>
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While many
of her <b>US National Team</b> teammates have
begun 2014 training in Anaheim, Olympian <b>Courtney
Thompson’s</b> professional team in Europe is still going strong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzcry_CsYYOclpWh73_WICGXxcfqjXGnjbLbcRZNX5qO6wA4b8xqp5FRRO99Ha6FM12QonVFQaB6EeDvR-ALJWW2g8SMjqOJxo7JGFqh3uNRdfcIoMCw5EylDROi2T38SJS3w-heHoeTo/s1600/GSPetroliers_Courtney_serves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzcry_CsYYOclpWh73_WICGXxcfqjXGnjbLbcRZNX5qO6wA4b8xqp5FRRO99Ha6FM12QonVFQaB6EeDvR-ALJWW2g8SMjqOJxo7JGFqh3uNRdfcIoMCw5EylDROi2T38SJS3w-heHoeTo/s1600/GSPetroliers_Courtney_serves.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setter Courtney Thompson serves for Volero Zurich in a 3-0 Club World Championship victory over Petroliers</td></tr>
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Thompson, a
former <b>Washington</b> All-American, sets
for <b>Voléro Zürich</b>, winners of both
the Swiss League Championship and Swiss Cup competitions. A few hours ago, Volero
reached the semifinals of the <b>FIVB Women’s
Club World Championship</b>, sweeping African club champion <b>Petroliers</b> of Algeria 3-0 (25-15, 26-24,
25-13).<o:p></o:p></div>
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On
Wednesday, Volero upset heavily-favored <b>SESI
Sao Paulo</b>, the South American club champions, 3-2 (25-12, 25-18, 15-25,
15-25, 15-10). Sao Paulo's star middle blocker, <b>Fabiana Claudino</b>, captained Brazil's 2012 Olympic champion team in London. The FIVB press summary praised Thompson’s setting, saying “Thompson
conducted her team with skillful combinations using (both) the front and
backlines.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The two
victories send Volero into Saturday’s semifinals, where they’ll face either
Brazil’s <b>Molico/Osasco</b> or powerhouse
<b>Dinamo Kazan</b> of Russia. Dinamo won
the European club championship earlier this year, defeating Volero in the
quarterfinals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Win or lose,
Thompson returns to the US later this month for another summer session with
the US team.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://distrify.com/films/7871-court-spark-a-volleyball-documentary" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNhvJw10AAR8Q1emTcQC1xZuw1ph1QHMpaWjYIEUlnK4EX2l1fsagToY8FjR8kUVH0SL2U1B42QyBVBpU7P5j9ugyRCd-RoRt7wu3proN15yDC3MeKuMLXheC1fccXk8oyRRsOaD7UlA7/s1600/Volley_Skills_link_02.jpg" height="240" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-36832973827470707492014-03-27T10:21:00.000-07:002014-03-27T10:22:47.022-07:00Acclaimed volleyball documentary now available via online streaming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<o:p> </o:p><a href="http://distrify.com/films/7871-court-spark-a-volleyball-documentary" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnHh4mD_Qok3M_PZIcK32ziNOBGRNJjF0CsXrnXmU6xKM0dprYEvJZvR8bYFRaMSyAtvL8GJD0rOEPquu9aZ5RfrKHYi1TrUEM6W0jRGtuKBodC8zuPQjgYcRFDt4FaBOWA3wP3NV4gcN/s1600/banner_now_available.jpg" height="102" width="640" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-family: 'Myriad Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">featured this
week in an Associated Press</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Myriad Pro","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/sports/volleyball-players-can-live-well-at-a-distance-while-pursuing-olympic-dreams.html?_r=4" target="_blank">report</a> by Anne M.
Peterson,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Myriad Pro","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">reprinted in
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<o:p> </o:p><a href="http://distrify.com/films/7871-court-spark-a-volleyball-documentary" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmWtMJkf_iKsDzNBxRJaC9eor7I1wKRX98pACZuXuCp_JYtkCbQT3dwEOBZu2VHNoQ-3kWYS70nXfuJv6TdqVMiJKhMURSKXtdNvTqk5cu7BS-2xSSQ6i_jrrambT10uXnSbjWP2RxMHZ/s1600/banner_sponsors.jpg" height="102" width="640" /></a></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-19912033848256904922014-02-04T19:50:00.000-08:002014-03-27T10:21:23.195-07:00Courtney Thompson to face off against Olympic teammate in European Champions League<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jordan Larson-Burbach once again on the same court</span></b></div>
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Zürich | February 6, 2014 | 11:00AM (Pacific Time)</span></b></li>
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When <b>Courtney
Thompson</b> heard her coach call <b>Jordan
Larson-Burbach</b> “the best passer in the world” this week, she smiled ... and
stifled a fist pump.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson serves for Volero Zurich</td></tr>
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Thompson—now playing professionally in Zurich, Switzerland—faces
Larson-Burbach’s St. Petersburg, Russia team Thursday in the European <b><a href="http://www.cev.lu/Competition-Area/MatchPage.aspx?mID=25945&ID=678&CID=5318&PID=1286&type=LegList" target="_blank">Champions League</a></b> quarterfinals. The
teams will play a second match February 11 in Russia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“My first memory of Jordan,” Thompson tells <i>Volleyblog Seattle,</i> was at a club
tournament (when both were in high school.) She was playing, like, three years
up and jump serving people off the court... my team (Kent Juniors) included.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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A few years later, Thompson’s <b>University of Washington</b> team met Larson’s <b>Nebraska</b> team for the NCAA Division 1 championship. Washington won
that match; Larson’s team won the title a year later. Soon after, both were
members of the <b>US National Team</b>.
Last summer, they were <b>Olympic</b>
teammates in <b>London</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s surreal,” says Thompson. “How lucky I am to call her a
teammate every summer. … now we’re playing against each other in a Champions
League match.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Champions League is a big deal in the world of
volleyball. After months of competition across Europe, only six elite
professional clubs remain. Both <b>Voléro
Zürich</b> and <b>Dinamo Kazan</b> are
long-time European powerhouses, a fact not lost on Thompson.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Playing for Volero has been one of the best opportunities I've
had as a professional player, “Thompson says. “The club has an incredible tradition,
and it's an honor to play for one of the best clubs in Europe. My first year with
the National Team, <b>Robyn Ah Mow-Santos</b>
was the starting setter; she played for Volero for a few seasons. Robyn was a huge
inspiration and role model for me, so knowing that I get to play somewhere that
she played was really cool- and has made playing here even that much more special.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson (15) during Round of Eight action in the 2013-14 European Champions League</td></tr>
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Elite professional volleyball clubs play schedules similar
to professional soccer clubs, a combination of league matches and various
national and international tournaments. Voléro Zürich leads the Swiss first
division standings, winning 51 sets while dropping only 5.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“This club is professional in every sense of the word,” says
Thompson, “and they demand a lot. But they take very good care of their
athletes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I've realized that I am happiest as an athlete when I'm
improving, and when I'm being challenged; and certainly both are happening
here. You never quite know what you're getting into overseas, and I have been
thankful every day I have been here. Zurich is an incredible city too- and I am
surrounded my mountains... that definitely helps!”<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>NOTES</b>:<br />
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<li>As she did last year, when she played professionally in Lodz, Poland, Thompson stayed up late to watch the Super Bowl. This time, of course, her favorite team--the Seattle Seahawks--made the experience all the better. "I am so fired up," she says. "How cool for our city!"</li>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-6664731253761308722013-12-12T10:22:00.000-08:002014-03-27T10:21:37.645-07:00Court & Spark documentary set to premiere during NCAA Volleyball Final Four<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #984806;">Two screenings at AVCA Convention plus opportunities to purchase a DVD; proceeds benefit volleyball</span></b></div>
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<li><b><span style="color: #984806;">AVCA screenings: 2:30PM, December 20 | 2:00PM, December 21 | Washington State Convention Center</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: #984806;">to purchase a DVD: <u><a href="http://psrvb.org/documentary" target="_blank">Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball (psrvb.org)</a></u></span></b></li>
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We marked this week on our calendars a long time ago.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5ia5VNEbUWspqnuCaEQZK32ea6fku0szMSlRo56KZsvtt7b-wMLKUsfMDG8BjeC1mZcVnL14raMe7LAvUJQsyNpiz4PEXoC1YOs1u6hTqjj1lyzzGgQ568xAEwfxvCYuWeg3MbEdu4M/s1600/DVD_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5ia5VNEbUWspqnuCaEQZK32ea6fku0szMSlRo56KZsvtt7b-wMLKUsfMDG8BjeC1mZcVnL14raMe7LAvUJQsyNpiz4PEXoC1YOs1u6hTqjj1lyzzGgQ568xAEwfxvCYuWeg3MbEdu4M/s320/DVD_cover.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">available now at <a href="http://psrvb.org/">psrvb.org</a></td></tr>
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Since 2004, we’ve traveled to—and reported from—every NCAA D1 Women’s Volleyball Championship except one. After memorable journeys to California (twice), Texas (twice), Missouri, Florida, Nebraska and Kentucky, the Final Four was coming home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, to our home, anyway: Seattle’s Key Arena, just a few minutes from our neighborhood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And just over a year ago, we were asked about doing something special to mark the occasion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The people who nurture, promote, and celebrate much of Western Washington’s volleyball world are the directors and staff of the nonprofit <b><a href="http://psrvb.org/" target="_blank">Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball (PSR)</a>.</b> West of the Cascades, from the Peace Arch to Thurston County, these fine folks quietly coordinate countless thousands of events—youth, adult, indoor, sand, sitting and other volleyball variations—all with little fanfare and impressive results.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But, as Seattle’s turn to host the NCAA Final Four loomed, there were questions. Why, they wondered, don’t more people realize just what a big deal volleyball has become? What if PSR commissioned a documentary that shines light on a sport that was born in America, become wildly popular around the world, and is now inexorably becoming the major women’s team sport in the USA? (Want proof? In half the states—half the states!—more girls play high school volleyball than any other team sport—more than basketball, more than softball, even more than soccer.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6Vrt-WWeDkJk72tmg1M8_usDgj_4mPZJVcBZJfw863L0sjfs21wUDREnSddp0bgMWCSZr96bCTOUXPl5EBGu-74ujBFnWsRAP6dN_ulWZLcVaXADXRsA8a2Fir6vzRFN0zMif7d5BJw/s1600/Starlings_01B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6Vrt-WWeDkJk72tmg1M8_usDgj_4mPZJVcBZJfw863L0sjfs21wUDREnSddp0bgMWCSZr96bCTOUXPl5EBGu-74ujBFnWsRAP6dN_ulWZLcVaXADXRsA8a2Fir6vzRFN0zMif7d5BJw/s320/Starlings_01B.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>So PSR came to us. We produce documentaries. And we've had a fair amount of <b><a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/about.html" target="_blank">experience</a> </b>with volleyball. But we told PSR that any great story needs a knockout lead character. Someone like our very own Olympian, <b><u><a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/courtney-thompson.html" target="_blank">Courtney Thompson</a></u></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To make it work, we needed to probe the minds of many of the sport’s illustrious figures. And we needed to follow Courtney through the highs and lows, the good and bad of a year in her volleyball life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One day, just weeks after the London Olympics, Courtney said yes. But she also insisted we spend time where most of America’s volleyball elite live and work: overseas. In Courtney’s case, that meant the heart of Europe in the dead of winter. A Polish city we’d never heard of—and now, will never forget—called Łódź (and pronounced “Woodge.”) It’s an eye-opening part of the documentary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE4SJ9WNDuA1pX2eLvH1FXBTJT-tFGpiu8cQvkkeoi7nEXpxKFcl7YoVuWdxxbYLnUWuSbkFGJAJfeii_BiG8Fl6ycRb36dVosQCXetprqyjTdm3-E465OfFnu5CKfkMEg7RGAoobllk/s1600/Poland_Lodz046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkE4SJ9WNDuA1pX2eLvH1FXBTJT-tFGpiu8cQvkkeoi7nEXpxKFcl7YoVuWdxxbYLnUWuSbkFGJAJfeii_BiG8Fl6ycRb36dVosQCXetprqyjTdm3-E465OfFnu5CKfkMEg7RGAoobllk/s320/Poland_Lodz046.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a>And so, we spent a frigid February with Courtney as her Polish team pushed toward the playoffs. We later enjoyed a comparatively balmy several weeks in Southern California, as she trained with the National Team. As we hoped, we captured moments of humor, pain, soul-searching and triumph. Our many conversations included coaches, athletes and administrators refreshingly willing to avoid clichés and strike directly at the heart of the how and why of their sport. You don’t have to know much about volleyball to appreciate their insight. And if you do know a lot about volleyball, you’ll still learn a thing or two. Or three.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the end, we hope Court & Spark is a conversation starter. Once you’re introduced to Courtney’s world, you’ll realize just how many challenges she’s faced—and learn that many of those challenges are not all that different from what countless thousands of parents, coaches and athletes face every day. We hope folks watch Court & Spark with their parents, their kids, their coaches and their teammates, and that they’ll be inspired to continue the dialogue that Courtney so brilliantly begins in the documentary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once you've seen Court & Spark, we’d love to hear what you have to say. Please feel free to send a note to both us (<a href="mailto:nolittlethings@comcast.net">nolittlethings@comcast.net</a>) and to Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball (<a href="mailto:office@psrvb.org">office@psrvb.org</a>). If you’d like, we’ll pass along your comments to Courtney and others featured in the program.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">early praise for Court & Spark</td></tr>
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None of this would have happened without the extraordinary support of our sponsors. The <b>Floyd and Delores Jones Foundation </b>has been a leader in our community to improve health care, education, civic engagement, the arts and the empowerment of women. This documentary would not have been produced without their vision and their generous support.</div>
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We also received significant support from <b><a href="http://badensports.com/" target="_blank">Baden</a></b>, a national manufacturer of leading-edge sporting equipment based here in our own community, and from premier volleyball organizations like the <b><a href="http://www.avca.org/" target="_blank">American Volleyball Coaches Association</a></b>, <b><a href="http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Volleyball.aspx" target="_blank">USA Volleyball</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.goldmedalsquared.com/" target="_blank">Gold Medal Squared</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, please know that all proceeds from the sale of DVDs will help further support and promote volleyball through the nonprofit Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball. Please consider ordering copies—several even!—directly from their website, <a href="http://psrvb.org/"><b>psrvb.org</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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-Leslie & Jack<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkPpwuMGolpZq6KN-8hJ2pSpD-cm3aan5KahjMfIrbPnOaFPTWxhKGSjsILx37zU2i1b02Vw7M0kLXS41_1inNOT8ILr1lXcmAsvDf5Ml4p6rRBpuJb5JTyqU0BfS9JavJHBbkMx_7dNo/s1600/Hec_Ed_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkPpwuMGolpZq6KN-8hJ2pSpD-cm3aan5KahjMfIrbPnOaFPTWxhKGSjsILx37zU2i1b02Vw7M0kLXS41_1inNOT8ILr1lXcmAsvDf5Ml4p6rRBpuJb5JTyqU0BfS9JavJHBbkMx_7dNo/s640/Hec_Ed_02.jpg" height="262" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett Hamann (video, audio, post), Jack Hamann (co-producer, writer), Courtney Thompson, Leslie Hamann (co-producer, video, editor)<br />
<i>-courtesy Shutter Geeks Photography</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-4533688900924787422013-09-11T11:07:00.000-07:002014-03-27T10:21:46.325-07:00Washington to retire Courtney Thompson’s jersey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">After more than 100
years of athletics, UW will retire a woman athlete’s jersey</span></b></div>
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In the six years since <b>Courtney
Thompson</b> graduated from the <b>University
of Washington</b>, she’s travelled the world playing volleyball, both
professionally and with the <b>US National
Team</b>, including the London Olympics. Whenever possible, however, she
returns home to Seattle, and makes a point to stop by <b>Alaska Airlines Arena</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V76WCvjh6mIQL9r5W-DWcWv9XoMNaIvbodg_M5KdAL8n7oe-rcxv00plWSQRO5WkcDxjWWRP7jhaTfBU4bjOJs84M-e9nyayQkOkRDQ12cEJFr4ZH40uYqZ0Fxl-PT64bCiU_t2mdpRV/s1600/Courtney_Poland_04a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V76WCvjh6mIQL9r5W-DWcWv9XoMNaIvbodg_M5KdAL8n7oe-rcxv00plWSQRO5WkcDxjWWRP7jhaTfBU4bjOJs84M-e9nyayQkOkRDQ12cEJFr4ZH40uYqZ0Fxl-PT64bCiU_t2mdpRV/s640/Courtney_Poland_04a.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">University of Washington graduate Courtney Thompson will have her jersey retired November 3<br />
<i>-photo by Leslie Hamann</i></td></tr>
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“Every time I go back there,” Thompson tells us, “it’s a
huge recharge for me. It’s where I grew up, it’s where I learned so much. Every
time I walk in that gym I feel incredibly inspired.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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In particular, she says, she is moved by the sight of the
purple and gold banner hanging from the rafters, the only national championship
sign in the arena. Thompson was captain of the volleyball team that won the
2005 title, a resounding 3-0 victory over favored <b>Nebraska</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“You see that banner,” she says, “and you remember what it
represents: everything we went through as a team to get there. You just smile.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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On November 3, during Washington’s Pac-12 match against <b>Colorado</b>, another banner will rise to
the rafters: Thompson’s #3. It will be one of the first two women’s jerseys (softball
All-American Danielle Lawrie will be the other) to be retired by the University
of Washington in more than a century of fielding sports teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CxZYZ0joDMdgJr5jtYE82tVs5lqFeP4n62MGtWgHagbKaOhA7oP6rWfkoOjKrih-ftfnIagunt3IUWduQxR9Ri4KcBMaQnF3QM2t5bmaoOwwZYrLjLILkDvO2dbzHf5PBNA88a-oGEaZ/s1600/Courtney+embrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CxZYZ0joDMdgJr5jtYE82tVs5lqFeP4n62MGtWgHagbKaOhA7oP6rWfkoOjKrih-ftfnIagunt3IUWduQxR9Ri4KcBMaQnF3QM2t5bmaoOwwZYrLjLILkDvO2dbzHf5PBNA88a-oGEaZ/s400/Courtney+embrace.jpg" height="400" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson celebrates winning the<br />
2005 National Championship in San Antonio</td></tr>
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“I’m incredibly humbled,” she says.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s huge,” says Washington coach <b>Jim McLaughlin</b>. “It says a lot about the university that they hold
Court in that esteem.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stretching back to the early 1900s, Washington has only
retired six jerseys: football players <b>Chuck
Carroll</b> (#2), <b>George Wilson</b>
(#33) and <b>Roland Kirby</b> (#44), plus
men’s basketball players <b>Bob Houbregs</b>
(#25) and <b>Brandon Roy</b> (#3), and
baseball player <b>Tim Lincecum</b> (#14).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson’s choice of jersey number 3 is a story in itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It started in high school,” she says. “My favorite numbers
were 7 and 13. My brother, Trevor, was always 13, so that was my number at
Kentlake High. But my sophomore year, the team’s number 13 jersey was way too
big for me. So my coach made me switch, and I became number 3. We won a state
title and then I was number 3 in everything (volleyball, basketball, softball)
because it was good luck.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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When Thompson arrived at Washington in the fall of 2003, she
was handed a list of available jersey numbers. “Thankfully, number 3 was on
there, so I jumped at the chance.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson’s teammates from an era that included Pac-10
championships and three straight Final Four appearances were thrilled. “I
couldn’t be more excited,” says <b>Carolyn
Farney</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Everyone told her she couldn’t do it, she was too short,”
Farney remembers. “She just proved that, if you work hard and believe you can
do it, she had the entire team—and arena—believing.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Two other teammates from that period—University of <b>Virginia</b> assistant coach <b>Stevie Mussie</b> and <b>UT-San Antonio</b> assistant coach <b>Sanja
Tomasevic</b>—spoke about Thompson for the upcoming documentary, <b>Court & Spark</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“You look at her,” said Mussie, “and you would think, <i>This girl, I can kill her. Oh, my God, I’m
gonna beat her every time.</i> And then you play against her, she touches every
swing, she sets every ball, she wills her team to win.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Courtney Is one of my favorite players of all time,” said
Tomasavic. “She could make you feel <i>bad</i>
in practice if you’re not feeling like practicing that day. Like, if you came
out and tried to cruise through practice, she didn’t allow that. She never
allowed that in the gym.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOptlJKa-pBZyVkwavFnuW7Nliqgm5g4PAjOc-z-wxkQHtwzY-wIyOsCaYXcErYscf8qYznGZosSxH2mj0okoVUEY96Sw8PCutIgBYBSNubj00S_YwLQcA8d0LFbObr9EfeiqwZ3vd0CJp/s1600/Rickshaw+Farney+%2526+Courtney+-AA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOptlJKa-pBZyVkwavFnuW7Nliqgm5g4PAjOc-z-wxkQHtwzY-wIyOsCaYXcErYscf8qYznGZosSxH2mj0okoVUEY96Sw8PCutIgBYBSNubj00S_YwLQcA8d0LFbObr9EfeiqwZ3vd0CJp/s640/Rickshaw+Farney+%2526+Courtney+-AA.JPG" height="482" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolyn Farny (L) and Courtney Thompson during Washington's 2006 volleyball tour of China<br />
<i>-photo by Ashley Aratani</i></td></tr>
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“She is one of the most comfortable human beings in her own
skin that I’ve ever met,” Farney adds. “It doesn’t matter where you are, who
you’re with, she’s just fun to be with.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thompson says she’s particularly happy that young girls will
be able to look up to the rafters and see the jersey of a woman athlete.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s surreal,” she says. “It’s an honor to be in a position
where you can impact people. I’ve always felt like, the more you’ve been given,
the more you give back. This is really a great way to continue to do this as
women and as athletes at UW.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“What I hope people can think about when they see my jersey,
and even our championship banner, is how many people went into that. I think about
the coaching staff, the ushers, the (training table) people at the Conibear
Shellhouse, my professors, and my academic advisors—all these people who took
time out of their day to help me one way or another or to teach me something or
challenge me in a different way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“If you work hard, and you surround yourself with the right
people, and you do your best, a lot of wonderful things can happen and dreams
can come true.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>NOTES:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Thompson and three others—Lawrie, Lincecum and golfer Nick
Taylor—will be honored during the September 28 Arizona @ Washington football
game. Lincecum’s jersey was first retired a few years ago, but Washington’s
Athletic Department has since formalized a new, more comprehensive policy for
honoring it’s alums, and Lincecum is being acknowledged under that process.</li>
<li><b>John Otness</b>,
director of Washington’s Big W Club, tells us that, technically, the players’ “jerseys”
are being retired, not their “numbers.” Modern teams, college and pro, tend to
acknowledge that retiring too many numbers might someday create hardships when
assigning jerseys. That said, the football numbers #33 (George Wilson) and #44
(Roland Kirby) are rarely, if ever, assigned at UW, even as #2 (Chuck Carroll)
remains a relatively popular choice for subsequent athletes.</li>
</ul>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-88970799316431710672013-07-09T11:58:00.000-07:002014-03-27T10:21:55.678-07:00Courtney and Jerzey: In Poland, by way of England<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">Stars from Wimbledon and London shared the stage in Łódź, Poland</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We tuned in to coverage of Wimbledon this weekend, and saw a familiar face. <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><b>Jerzy Janowicz</b> became the first Polish man to reach the semifinals of a tennis Grand Slam event (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open.) Janowicz--a tall and fiery player--lost to eventual champion <b>Andy Murray</b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">This past February, we were in the room as the city of </span></span><b>Łódź</b>, Poland honored Jerzy, a hometown boy, for his rise to the tennis world elite.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also honored that afternoon: <b>Courtney Thompson</b>, the starting setter for the Łódź professional volleyball team and member of the silver-medal USA Volleyball Team at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The awards were part of an annual event, saluting the biggest sports stars of one of Poland's largest (and least-known) major cities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnDC3LZd_k0t1DGxnaQVWJuOZD9gvvKqkdHaGGY6wuOecuEWP0GCzxKg8ev-138iKwINV4Gokgl85Ng6-38K_k4FndBGQEifCGC_G90mnEuGAk3mfl92ycmvOSlI8-TDgQzUJJYa6mikW/s1600/awards_Jerzy_Courtney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnDC3LZd_k0t1DGxnaQVWJuOZD9gvvKqkdHaGGY6wuOecuEWP0GCzxKg8ev-138iKwINV4Gokgl85Ng6-38K_k4FndBGQEifCGC_G90mnEuGAk3mfl92ycmvOSlI8-TDgQzUJJYa6mikW/s640/awards_Jerzy_Courtney.jpg" height="624" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wimbledon semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz and Olympian Courtney Thompson at Lodz, Poland award ceremony<br />
<i>-video screengrab from Court & Spark, video by Leslie Hamann</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A scene from the </span>Łódź<b> </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">ceremony will be included in our forthcoming documentary, <b>Court & Spark</b>, premiering this December when Seattle hosts the <b>NCAA Division 1 Final Four</b> in Key Arena and the annual convention of the <b>American Volleyball Coaches Association</b> at the Washington State Convention Center.</span></div>
Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-13493412769043649392013-06-25T15:44:00.000-07:002013-07-12T15:38:45.692-07:00Staying undefeated<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">The Seattle Mariners’
Nick Franklin knows the difference between defeat and being defeated</span></b><br />
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In today’s <i>Seattle
Times</i>, <b>Seattle Mariners’</b> manager
<b>Eric Wedge</b> describes his hot young
second basemen, <b>Nick Franklin</b>:<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“He’s not afraid to fail.’’</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwLxZCxQRkY-B-CtHsAOel-PS0SUERPUKPWCXmOs9VywSXvAhMWqXM5W9EN8GC85MGUz9mykN73hjkeSZNqHcWG_VHUQL81i7Gs1Tk7amgRSNu8ed_x2Al40H39CIrs84uXqnH3Fjezh0/s1600/Mariners+Nick+Franklin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwLxZCxQRkY-B-CtHsAOel-PS0SUERPUKPWCXmOs9VywSXvAhMWqXM5W9EN8GC85MGUz9mykN73hjkeSZNqHcWG_VHUQL81i7Gs1Tk7amgRSNu8ed_x2Al40H39CIrs84uXqnH3Fjezh0/s320/Mariners+Nick+Franklin.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick Franklin of the Seattle Mariners<br />
<i>-Elaine Thompson, Associated Press</i></td></tr>
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Reporter <b>Bob Condotta’s</b>
<a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2021263201_mariners25xml.html?cmpid=2628" target="_blank">profile </a>of Franklin raises an important sports issue not much discussed: the
importance of failure for those who succeed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Condotta recounts Saturday’s game against the Oakland A’s.
Although Franklin hit a popup to second base—a sure out—he nonetheless charged
to first base without betraying any frustration. Just one inning later, Franklin
knocked in what proved to be the winning runs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“That’s what you’ve got to do,’’ Wedge said of Franklin’s
ability to fail one inning and then succeed the next, saying that an important
lesson for the young players on the Mariners is that “there is no perfection’’
in baseball.</blockquote>
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Wedge, of course, understands that Franklin has learned a
lesson that few athletes fully embrace: treating each setback not as a loss, but
as an opportunity to learn. That’s a mantra we’ve often heard in conversations
with volleyball’s elite coaches and mentors. We have no doubt it’s a philosophy
shared by the best coaches in other sports, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvETY0GRKYj-f9cV5PbxSAVznaho3PmvX_7BUpCAhWxjhk-K4buYHhFwGfGKjluUdzl-lKjtYwnTVert-lHnM5KkcIqN1OJVQIfQ9vF0bhDnqflLENDhIYCk5AQSs_yUCKNdcxqS39JkX/s1600/Kiraly_Karch_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvETY0GRKYj-f9cV5PbxSAVznaho3PmvX_7BUpCAhWxjhk-K4buYHhFwGfGKjluUdzl-lKjtYwnTVert-lHnM5KkcIqN1OJVQIfQ9vF0bhDnqflLENDhIYCk5AQSs_yUCKNdcxqS39JkX/s320/Kiraly_Karch_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">US National Team coach Karch Kiraly<br />
<i>-photo by Leslie Hamann</i></td></tr>
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“Losing offers a much better opportunity to learn than
winning,” <b>Karch Kiraly</b> says. During
our interview for <b>Court & Spark</b>,
the <b>US National Team</b> head women’s volleyball
coach says elite athletes understand that losses and mistakes offer and
important opening “to bounce back, to face adversity.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“There are ups and there are downs. And there are tough
times. We want our kids to be able to handle those tough times with the right
mindset. Not let it crush them, not have failure knock ‘em to the floor and not
get back up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Condotta’s profile captures another lesson that the very
best coaches teach: focusing only on things under your control.<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I don’t try to put things in my head that the other team is
trying to do to me,’’ (Franklin) said. “I’m just going to worry about what I’ve
got to do and my approach and how I’m going to attack them.’’</blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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That philosophy has helped <b>Courtney Thompson</b>, too. As she told us during one of our interviews
in Łódź, Poland, “It’s something (<b>Washington</b>
coach) <b>Jim </b>(<b>McLaughlin</b>) always preached in college. That you can control what
you can control. And focus on yourself. And any minute you’re worried about how
the other player’s playing, it’s distracting you from what you need to do.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Which makes sense. But to get up every day and do that is
really, really hard. Especially when you know what’s on the line.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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Make sure you read Bob Condotta’s full Nick Franklin
profile: <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2021263201_mariners25xml.html?cmpid=2628" target="_blank">Nick Franklin is catching on quickly with Mariners.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-52791419563069911702013-06-24T23:21:00.000-07:002013-07-11T11:24:12.909-07:00Watching hockey, thinking about volleyball<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">Stanley Cup a
reminder of two great things about sports</span></b><br />
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Not five minutes after the Boston Bruins had all but ensured
the NHL championships would be extended to a seventh game, members of the
Chicago Blackhawks were hugging … the Boston Bruins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And therein lies two things we like … about volleyball.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tioi4VZlJKJopIhciQTuEhFDivnl6smmsQ3xMMJ_O5GnGt8Y4L2KAYpRrk5xbgWDa77UjppXuD2iVGYH-hnARAvUm8XvlwgWK9YvJHOaAmyY6TQd8HHeBryiSUNbLjzxr0RGDeBFerHO/s1600/NBC_Stanley_Cup_hug.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tioi4VZlJKJopIhciQTuEhFDivnl6smmsQ3xMMJ_O5GnGt8Y4L2KAYpRrk5xbgWDa77UjppXuD2iVGYH-hnARAvUm8XvlwgWK9YvJHOaAmyY6TQd8HHeBryiSUNbLjzxr0RGDeBFerHO/s640/NBC_Stanley_Cup_hug.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;">
Zdeno Chara and Jonathan Toews embrace after Chicago won the 2013 Stanley Cup<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>-NHL.com</i></div>
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With less than two minutes remaining on home ice, Boston led
Chicago 2-1. In hockey, that’s a nearly insurmountable lead, especially given
the talent of the Bruins’ gifted (and wonderfully-named) goalie, Tuukka Rask.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Following standard practice, the Hawks pulled their own
goalie and sent 6 attackers into the Boston zone. In the improbable span of
just 17 seconds, Chicago scored the tying, and then the winning goal, earning
North American sports’ most iconic trophy, the Stanley Cup.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was so amazing because it was so rare. In so many sports,
late leads are all but insurmountable. Mario Rivera rarely blows a World Series
save. Ray Lewis rarely misses a Super Bowl tackle. Tuukka Rask doesn’t give up
two last-second desperate goals in the NHL Finals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But in volleyball, late leads are often quite surmountable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In volleyball, you have to score at least 25 points to earn
just one set. And you can be down in the third set trailing 2 sets to none, and
still have a reasonable chance to come back. The ever-present threat of late
heroics is one of volleyball’s enduring appeals. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The NHL Final was exciting in a way that so many volleyball
matches between top teams are exciting. It’s just that in volleyball, we see it
more often.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then there were those post-game hugs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When our son and daughter were little, the mandatory
post-game handshakes after soccer matches or Little League games were cute,
even refreshing. But it was something we rarely saw at the major league or even
collegiate level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As those kids grew up, the ritual followed, and shaking
hands with opponents is now common in most sports, except baseball. It’s certainly
customary before and after every volleyball match at every level.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Bruins/Blackhawks handshake, however, was special.
Boston players had to be shocked, if not crushed. But in that post-game
receiving line, the Chicago players were gracious. Few exchanges seemed obligatory;
several involved hugs, condolences and congratulations. It was a class act by
two classy teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We don’t watch much regular-season hockey in our house, but
we love the NHL playoffs and the Winter Olympics. After tonight’s final few
seconds, our respect for the game has grown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-7452462068172314572013-06-21T16:19:00.001-07:002013-07-11T11:24:46.949-07:00Volleyball is tops in 19 states; track, soccer, basketball and soccer trail<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">Volleyball is the most popular high school girls sport in more states than any other single sport</span></b><br />
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Other high school girls’ sports get plenty of attention, but
volleyball has moved to the head of the playing field.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The latest <a href="http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3282" target="_blank"><b>report</b> </a>from the <b>National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)</b> shows
more girls playing volleyball than any other sport in 19 states. Track & field is second, leading in 14 states. soccer (10), basketball (5) and softball
(2) round out the list:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi411at6bU0jUt35teZ41QuWD_WWLBelEkO1xyjdZuh-pjJ7e4KhNT06Xt-pccyrEnLO2TdiY4K8HF7SCx_9jXHrQjO9lJNtbT-14aGfQ-J8aRLXh-46pFf6fbTWQMyvBCz7updZkPK0y9S/s1600/map_NFHS_top_sport_by_state.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi411at6bU0jUt35teZ41QuWD_WWLBelEkO1xyjdZuh-pjJ7e4KhNT06Xt-pccyrEnLO2TdiY4K8HF7SCx_9jXHrQjO9lJNtbT-14aGfQ-J8aRLXh-46pFf6fbTWQMyvBCz7updZkPK0y9S/s640/map_NFHS_top_sport_by_state.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[graphic by <i>Volleyblog Seattle</i>]<br />
<i>Source: <a href="http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3282" target="_blank">2011-12 Participation Report, National Federation of State High School Associations</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: white;">.</span></div>
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Volleyball is first or second in half the states, and ranks
in the top three in more than two-thirds of the nation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Dnr6PBHvfJuFFkuO2IJSuewewPkeXPN5GCyRwk_uC_uQQf94B6uTY8I3megIlgirt2aO0jAQlXg5xABEIC3Extym0pWkffHx2JcynUP5BC2ees6q-D4u9vMVlHXFzcfvaMgeGeKAJLg5/s1600/map_NFHS_volleyball_rank_by_state.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Dnr6PBHvfJuFFkuO2IJSuewewPkeXPN5GCyRwk_uC_uQQf94B6uTY8I3megIlgirt2aO0jAQlXg5xABEIC3Extym0pWkffHx2JcynUP5BC2ees6q-D4u9vMVlHXFzcfvaMgeGeKAJLg5/s640/map_NFHS_volleyball_rank_by_state.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">[graphic by <i>Volleyblog Seattle</i>]<br />
<i>Source: <a href="http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3282" target="_blank">2011-12 Participation Report, National Federation of State High School Associations</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6lgGg_6DvBUohtCYUcyst7i6qa4N33_cHwOqYPIckQnjcoOs4udQQJmVENb1u3uvYjtL1gjpEI_5ZgDmqDow5qcBgcFTpwkvOHHi3_WInTnWphD9t5QVdmHVJWKlR5ePv-ApNd-1QPe2/s1600/Haley_Mick_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6lgGg_6DvBUohtCYUcyst7i6qa4N33_cHwOqYPIckQnjcoOs4udQQJmVENb1u3uvYjtL1gjpEI_5ZgDmqDow5qcBgcFTpwkvOHHi3_WInTnWphD9t5QVdmHVJWKlR5ePv-ApNd-1QPe2/s320/Haley_Mick_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USC's Mick Haley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Every athlete—it doesn’t matter what sport they
play—they also want to play volleyball," USC head volleyball coach <b>Mick Haley</b> tells us in a <b>Court & Spark</b> interview. "</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We are the most popular sport. No matter what
the numbers say, you ask anybody out there."</span><br />
<br />
Pennsylvania is the only state where volleyball is not in
the top 5, ranking sixth (cross-country is fifth). That seems a bit odd,
considering the <b>Penn State</b> women’s volleyball team is the most dominant college
program of the past half-decade.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Texas—home of the reigning national champion <b>Texas</b> Longhorns—has the most total high
school volleyball players (44,513), even though volleyball trails basketball
and track in the Lone Star state. California—home to 2011 National Champion <b>UCLA</b>—has the second highest number (40,507),
but trails track and soccer in total participants.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Washington, with 10,398 high school girls playing
volleyball, ranks 10<sup>th</sup>. It has the 13<sup>th</sup>-highest population
of the 50 states. Wisconsin may be the most volleyball-crazy state: It ranks seventh
in number of participants (15,328), despite having the 20<sup>th</sup> highest
population.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Vermont is the only state not to offer girls’ high school
volleyball.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>For more numbers on volleyball’s popularity, see: <a href="http://volleyblogseattle.blogspot.com/2013/06/ncaa-volleyball-rising-basketball.html" target="_blank">Volleyball rising, basketball “stagnant”</a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-68800011754382842522013-06-10T20:22:00.000-07:002013-06-21T16:26:27.583-07:00Courtney Thompson featured on this week’s The Net Live podcast<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #984807; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=50000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">USA Olympian and documentary
guide Thompson talks volleyball</span></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/courtney-thompson.html">Courtney
Thompson</a></b>, the central figure in the upcoming documentary <b><a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/the-documentary.html">Court
& Spark</a></b>, is a guest on this week’s <b><a href="http://www.volleyballmag.com/articles/33898-the-net-live">The
Net Live podcast</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjND8ZknOAe5zCa_cs1UF0QErrFbH63k_2oGRCv8_RZpQ6bMpOB0XqM3CjYcFcd14TKGIpGrmuHWyqax9irqFxpz3w2cUHpPJbi3NsDrBSQNi0afPgLQJkCN8Vg8suDu78jtpZWpvXAGUgo/s1600/Courtney_Poland_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjND8ZknOAe5zCa_cs1UF0QErrFbH63k_2oGRCv8_RZpQ6bMpOB0XqM3CjYcFcd14TKGIpGrmuHWyqax9irqFxpz3w2cUHpPJbi3NsDrBSQNi0afPgLQJkCN8Vg8suDu78jtpZWpvXAGUgo/s320/Courtney_Poland_02.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson, on the team bus in Poland<br />
<i>-Volleyblog Seattle photo by Brett Hamann</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Among the topics covered:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>What it’s like to work with new head coach <b>Karch Kiraly</b></li>
<li>Lessons learned from winning the silver medal at the London
Olympics</li>
<li>Her growth as a team leader</li>
<li>Her interest in coaching some day</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Courtney surprises the hosts when she g<o:p></o:p></div>
ives a shout-out to fellow
Washington alum and new US National Team member <b>Jenna Hagglund</b>. “But she’s a
setter, your own position!” they said.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It’s an interesting dynamic on the National Team. We’re all
good friends, but we’re also competing.<br />
You want everyone to play their best. Obviously, I want to
be the one playing and getting playing time. But I want to beat people out when
they’re at their best. Because it makes the program better.<br />
We’ve all kind of bought into that. USA Volleyball’s bigger
than all of us. And we’re fortunate to be part of it. And, of course, I want to
be the one running the team in 2016, and every tournament up until that. But I also
want us to be the best in the world. </blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNetLive">The Net Live</a></b> is a weekly
volleyball radio broadcast, hosted this week by Olympian <b>Kevin Barnett</b>, with AVP broadcasters <b>Chris McGee</b> and <b>DJ Roueche</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can listen to each week’s podcast at the <b><a href="http://www.volleyballmag.com/articles/33898-the-net-live">Volleyball
Magazine website</a></b>. Courtney’s interview begins at (83.07) on the 6/10/13
podcast. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-44187193958821147032013-04-17T14:46:00.000-07:002013-07-11T11:25:21.847-07:00NCAA Championships in Seattle/Tacoma: A Rare Event<b>2013 Women’s Volleyball Final Four will be just the 18<sup>th</sup> D1 Championship, and the 4<sup>th</sup> for women</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PDjPiNiSAlBarQsUBYvPtRT3on8FJZe1UpvIAdFyqNn2-O1gQAGqJNWBAaUtQc5l5oppqlwdXNFkIsi5qutoAN0B6zD3hKe3AMlkOJ3r4dEoQQrexCcxaFd8qTcHUz2V21uJJpuIA_g/s1600/logo_Seattle_Final_Four.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PDjPiNiSAlBarQsUBYvPtRT3on8FJZe1UpvIAdFyqNn2-O1gQAGqJNWBAaUtQc5l5oppqlwdXNFkIsi5qutoAN0B6zD3hKe3AMlkOJ3r4dEoQQrexCcxaFd8qTcHUz2V21uJJpuIA_g/s200/logo_Seattle_Final_Four.jpg" width="200" /></a>When the 2013 D1 <b>NCAA Volleyball Championship</b> comes to<b> Key Arena </b>this December, it will be an opportunity more rare than those in Western Washington may think.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This will be just the 18<sup>th</sup> NCAA D1 Championship ever held in Seattle/Tacoma, and just the fourth-ever for women.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcYAsDGDK2MlmVVmeGBq9qV-WnGOno1EfWHvN3yB2bGdN45auUFet2nWE3Q9kORCQeEeb1UVBfgRC5Qq3FhF3XfUvMZo5mgDlxFjQVPMLQI3B-_ZL58_uqckM5-GFo_MLYgnzFzyZhGk/s1600/NCAA+Championships.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpcYAsDGDK2MlmVVmeGBq9qV-WnGOno1EfWHvN3yB2bGdN45auUFet2nWE3Q9kORCQeEeb1UVBfgRC5Qq3FhF3XfUvMZo5mgDlxFjQVPMLQI3B-_ZL58_uqckM5-GFo_MLYgnzFzyZhGk/s1600/NCAA+Championships.jpg" /></a></div>
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6 of the previous 17 championships were all held on the <b>University of Washington</b> campus between 1949 and 1971. After a 13 year hiatus, Seattle/Tacoma saw its NCAA heyday, hosting 8 championships in 11 years, in men’s soccer and in men’s & women’s basketball. Each of those competitions were held in either the <b>Kingdome </b>or the <b>Tacoma Dome</b>.<br />
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The 1995 men’s basketball Final Four in the Kingdome was the last truly big NCAA event in our region.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Want your kids to see a national championship? Better not wait for the next ones to roll around …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>VOLLEYBALL DOCUMENTARY UPDATE<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/the-documentary.html" target="_blank">“Court & Spark,”</a></b> a one-hour volleyball documentary premiering during Seattle’s 2013 Final Four, is wrapping up production in the next few weeks, with shoots at the USA Training Center in Anaheim and at the <b><a href="http://wvba.org/wvba/ecc/default.asp" target="_blank">2013 Emerald City Classic</a></b> at the University of Washington.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A <a href="http://volleyballdocumentary.blogspot.com/p/video-preview.html" target="_blank"><b>preview video</b></a> is now available, highlighting some of the sights and sounds of our location shoots with <b>Courtney Thompson</b> in Poland. Let us know what you think.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-16820295525614035842013-03-04T10:42:00.002-08:002013-06-21T16:26:57.337-07:00David defeats Goliath<br />
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<b><span style="color: #984807;">A small-town team shows it can beat an opponent studded with Olympic stars</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5728085214483774584" name="_GoBack"></a></b></div>
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<li><b style="color: #984807;">CEV Cup Championship: Muszyna 3, Istanbul 2 (25-18, 1-25, 25-15, 22-25, 15-11)<a name='more'></a></b></li>
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In large swaths of Central and Eastern Europe, professional volleyball is a big deal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Most major cities have either a men’s or women’s team, sometimes both. Crowds are often big (men’s matches can draw 12,000; women’s 6,000) and rowdy—think face-painted, drum-beating soccer fans at an indoor arena.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Brazil's Paula (headband) attacks against Muszyna in the CEV Cup finals in Istanbul</td></tr>
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At the moment, however, the big story on the European women’s pro circuit springs from a very small town. That little club just snagged a prestigious trophy away from a team featuring three high-profile Olympians.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In most European leagues, particularly in Russia, Poland, Turkey, Italy and Azerbaijan, teams carry as many as three foreign players, including many from the United States. Former <b>University of Washington</b> All-American <b>Courtney Thompson</b> stars for <b>Łódź</b> in the Polish Premiere League; her former Husky teammate <b>Tama Miyashiro</b> is a libero for Azerbaijan’s Lokomotiv <b>Baku</b> (where she is a teammate of former <b>UCLA</b> setter <b>Nellie Spicer</b>.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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The big guns of the women’s European circuit, however, are in Turkey, where the team from Istanbul features a trio of imposing stars. Their marquee hitter is South Korea’s <b>Kim Yeon-Koung</b>, widely regarded the world’s best player. Another hitter is Brazil’s <b>Paula</b>, the sport’s dominant player before Kim ascended. And Istanbul’s setter is America’s <b>Lindsey Berg</b>, Courtney Thompson’s teammate at the <b>London Olympics</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just like in international soccer, championships are often two-match, home-and-home affairs. If tied (in wins and total points) after those two contests, the teams play a decisive “golden set” for the championship.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week, Muszyna pulled a 3-2 upset at home, setting up Saturday’s final in Turkey. Instanbul’s 6,000-seat arena was sold out; one Polish sportswriter described fans as “vulgar and fanatical.” Another Polish paper called playing before the partisan crowd “hell.” The Polish media claimed that the referee had to continually overrule the line judges, who allegedly kept making wrong calls in the home team’s favor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet, Muszyna won. From press reports, it seems they allowed Kim to get her kills, but kept Istanbul at bay with pinpoint serving (including one 8-0 run) and inspired defense. There’s a lesson there, no matter what level of volleyball you might play or coach or watch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a few more twists to Muszyna’s story. They club was started by a guy who was little more than a local club coach who loved volleyball. After spending years mentoring local kids, he helped launch a second-division professional club that has relentlessly climbed up the Polish League. With financial backing from a local bank and the wealthy owner of a water-bottling company, Muszyna climbed to the first division, then to the league championship (their final regular season match was a 3-2 win at home against Courtney Thompson’s Łódź team), and now to the second most prestigious European championship, the <b>CEV Cup</b> (the <b>Champions League</b> is tops.) It’s the first European Cup ever won by a women’s team from Poland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Much like soccer, professional volleyball clubs can qualify for several tournaments. Muszyna now plays Krakow for the Polish Cup title (Courtney Thompson’s team barely lost to Krakow in the semifinals.) In two weeks, the Polish Premiere League playoffs begin, with Muszyna the clear favorite (and Thompson’s team among the contenders.)</div>
Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5728085214483774584.post-84293266319843645922013-02-28T17:06:00.001-08:002013-06-21T16:27:09.444-07:00Small town, big upset<span style="color: #783f04;">CEV Championships (Round 1 of 2):</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;">Muszyna 3, Istanbul 2 (26-24, 26-24, 19-25, 23-25, 15-11)</span><br />
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Two weeks ago, we walked through the snow to a small gym in a small mountain town in southern Poland, right on the Slovakian border.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO47DpXjLqZQX6oGRWqqMZoE1Kq8eerIuGlFxLwR-Xh85c13NO-f2a4AtN_hC48B6vAK8GmlvwwW-vuv8dT5vMYXAQIgqm8VrD5TWUOdx2gG7Pw0xFfPrqR4Nx1Gu7gDOWye1wv7B7n7Y/s1600/Poland_Muszyna_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO47DpXjLqZQX6oGRWqqMZoE1Kq8eerIuGlFxLwR-Xh85c13NO-f2a4AtN_hC48B6vAK8GmlvwwW-vuv8dT5vMYXAQIgqm8VrD5TWUOdx2gG7Pw0xFfPrqR4Nx1Gu7gDOWye1wv7B7n7Y/s320/Poland_Muszyna_18.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Courtney Thompson, playing<br />
professionally for Lodz, Poland,<br />
during a time out against Muszyna.<br />
<i>-Volleyblog Seattle photo by Jack Hamann</i></td></tr>
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Last night, the volleyball world witnessed an eye-opening upset in that same little gym.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the first (of two) round of the 2013 <b>CEV Volleyball Cup</b>, mighty <b>Istanbul</b> fell to Polish league regular season champ <b>Muszyna</b> 3-2. The teams will play one more time—Saturday in Turkey—to determine the 2013 CEV Cup champion. The CEV Cup is considered the second-most prestigious professional European volleyball tournament.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s so mighty about Istanbul? The Turkish League professional team features the best two international players from the past half-decade, Brazil’s <b>Paula</b> (full name: Paula Renata Marques Pequeno) and Korea’s <b>Kim Yeon</b><b>-Koung</b>. It also includes <b>Lindsey Berg</b>, the starting setter for the USA’s silver medal team at the <b>London Olympics</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other setter from that US Olympic team is Seattle’s <b>Courtney Thompson</b>, who happens to be playing professionally this season for the Polish Premier League team in the intriguing city of <b>Łódź</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On February 17, <i>Volleyblog Seattle</i> was in Muszyna with Thompson as she led her team to a 2-0 advantage, before dropping a 2-3 decision. Muszyna’s stars are less heralded than Istanbul’s, but—like most great teams at all levels—they serve and pass well when the match is on the line. That’s how they beat Łódź; that’s also how they beat Istanbul.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Istantbul's Kim Yeon-Koung grimaces after a Muszyna point</td></tr>
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What was <i>Volleyblog Seattle</i> doing in Poland? We’re just back from a month traveling with Thompson, the centerpiece of a one-hour volleyball documentary we’re producing in time for the 2013 <b>NCAA D1 Volleyball Championships</b> this December in Seattle’s Key Arena. We’ve got lots to share from our trip, both on the blog and in the documentary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Jack Hamann | Leslie Hamann, nolittlethings.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18046749486153187281noreply@blogger.com0