Just to share a bit about the personal side of this experience of staying in Greece and playing for Greece again....
Wow, I have really missed Greece! It's so beautiful to be here again and feel the beauty of my other home. When I live in California, my personal training work schedule has me starting my days at 5 or 6am and finishing at 8 or 9pm with my own beach volleyball and gym training in the afternoons/later mornings. I do this schedule because I love my job, I adore and love my clients, and I want to get everyone in during the week. I definitely crash at the end of every day, though, and find it to be a taxing schedule.
Every time I travel for beach volleyball tournaments, it's like I'm on a volleyball vacation, as I can focus on training, playing, resting, recovering, winning.... It's a beautiful thing and it helps me appreciate my work schedule, as well, as it is ideal for your training to be more greuling than the most difficult game so that you are "overprepared" and can relax and have fun during the games. I also really enjoy my time on these trips and feel so blessed to have so much purpose in my days during my working days and also so much support from my clients, coworkers, and management at Spectrum Athletic Clubs. It means so much to me to feel that support and I feel so fortunate for the connections I've made with my clients along with all I have learned right along with them about the amazing power and ability that the human body posesses.
Obviously, my schedule is completely different out here in Greece. Before and after our tournament on the island of Rhodes, Greece (the Continental Cup tournament that we two Greek national teams together earned the GOLD medal in....), we have had the great pleasure, fortune, and opportunity to train with the Greek national team Tsartsiani-Arvaniti and their amazing coach! This has been absolutely amazing and beneficial! The girls are currently ranked 13th in the world and they are absolutely wonderful people! They have been so kind and supportive and helpful! And their coach... Each time we train with him, we quickly improve and gain so much! Put all that together, and we have an amazing period of improvement by the moment during a time where we can focus solely on volleyball and recovery!
Of course I have the opportunity to visit friends and family out here and that has been beyond amazing!!! Last night, I got to see the youth team I used to coach play in a pratice match..... They were 11-13 when I coached them. And to see them all grown up (14-16 years old now!!!) and how much they've grown, improved, and developed as players.... WOW!!! Coaching those girls was one of the most inspiring things I have ever done and I hold them very strongly in my heart! They inspired me so much and I put my heart into training them. It was so rewarding working with them and sad and emotional to have to leave them (when I broke my hand and returned to the US for surgery about 3 years ago). WOW.... I love those girls!
Needless to say, this time period in Greece has been beautiful! I am gaining so much and improving by the moment, and am so grateful for this period of time!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
GREECE TAKES THE GOLD!!!!!!!!!
After a battle between our two Greek national teams and the two national teams from Estonia, we earned the gold medal in the Continental Cup in Rhodes, Greece!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! It was such a wonderful experience to play as a country (not just as individual teams) and to feel the support of the Greek volleyball community! Now our two Greek national teams advance to the next level of the Continental Cup Olympic qualifying tournament taking place next year.
Links of press posted below....
Links of press posted below....
Friday, September 17, 2010
Continental Cup
First of all, it is such an amazing feeling to be in Greece again! WOW! I have missed Greece so much and it feels beautiful to be here and smell the salt of the sea, feel the beautiful air, taste the richness of the foods (fruits and vegetables have so much more flavor out here than in the US).... And my friends and family out here... WOW! How I have missed all of the above and much more! While we are soaking in all the things we have missed, we also realize and firmly believe we have the best situation of being able to work, train, and prepare at least a major part of the year in California, and then come to Greece for camps, tournaments, and to fulfill the need we have to be in touch with our Greek roots.
That being said, it is an absolute honor to be representing Greece in the Continental Cup tournament taking place here on the absolutely beautiful island of Rhodes. We are at a resort on the beach that has a heavenly view and the breeze off of the beach is euphoric!
This Continental Cup tour is a new phase in the Olympic qualification process that just started this year. It will continue through 2012 and the winner of each of the 5 continents will solidify a spot in the Olympics. It's such a neat concept and process, as it allows smaller countries to have a chance to qualify without having to travel outside of their continent as the FIVB World Tour (the original qualification process) requires. It also allows for the countries to play as a country, rather than just as separate teams out for their own wins. Two teams per country are allowed in each tournament and four countries are present at each of the several Continental Cup tournaments currently being held. This tournament includes Estonia, Romania, Cyprus, and Greece. The top 3 countries will advance to the next phase of the Continental Cup tour.
So, last night, we played against Romania. The two teams from each country played each other. We are Greece 2. Greece 1 is Maria Tsartsiani and Viki Arvaniti, who are currently ranked 13th in the world on the FIVB tour. To win as a country, we need to win 3 out of 5 matches. So, Greece 1 played Romania 2. Then Greece 2 (us) played Romania 1. Then Greece 1 played Romania 1.... Is everyone following? Heehee.... We won 3-0, but if we had lost, there would have been a fourth match (Greece 2 vs. Romania 2). If that resulted in a 2-2 record, then a golden set would be played by the chosen team (which could be any combination of players from the country) of each country to determine the winner. So, it's a very new system and it is very nice to play as a country and represent Greece as a country, following beautifully the spirit of the Olympics.
As I said, we won 3-0 versus Romania. And tomorrow night we play against Estonia (as they beat Cyprus 2-2 last night). Tomorrow night is the finals of the tournament and will be played in the same format - the goal of winning 3 out of 5 matches as a country.
I used to live in Greece for 4 years, so this is so wonderful for me to be back here, speak and hear Greek, see so many faces I haven't seen in many, many years... Wow.... It's a beautiful thing! I could go on and on! More to come.....
That being said, it is an absolute honor to be representing Greece in the Continental Cup tournament taking place here on the absolutely beautiful island of Rhodes. We are at a resort on the beach that has a heavenly view and the breeze off of the beach is euphoric!
This Continental Cup tour is a new phase in the Olympic qualification process that just started this year. It will continue through 2012 and the winner of each of the 5 continents will solidify a spot in the Olympics. It's such a neat concept and process, as it allows smaller countries to have a chance to qualify without having to travel outside of their continent as the FIVB World Tour (the original qualification process) requires. It also allows for the countries to play as a country, rather than just as separate teams out for their own wins. Two teams per country are allowed in each tournament and four countries are present at each of the several Continental Cup tournaments currently being held. This tournament includes Estonia, Romania, Cyprus, and Greece. The top 3 countries will advance to the next phase of the Continental Cup tour.
So, last night, we played against Romania. The two teams from each country played each other. We are Greece 2. Greece 1 is Maria Tsartsiani and Viki Arvaniti, who are currently ranked 13th in the world on the FIVB tour. To win as a country, we need to win 3 out of 5 matches. So, Greece 1 played Romania 2. Then Greece 2 (us) played Romania 1. Then Greece 1 played Romania 1.... Is everyone following? Heehee.... We won 3-0, but if we had lost, there would have been a fourth match (Greece 2 vs. Romania 2). If that resulted in a 2-2 record, then a golden set would be played by the chosen team (which could be any combination of players from the country) of each country to determine the winner. So, it's a very new system and it is very nice to play as a country and represent Greece as a country, following beautifully the spirit of the Olympics.
As I said, we won 3-0 versus Romania. And tomorrow night we play against Estonia (as they beat Cyprus 2-2 last night). Tomorrow night is the finals of the tournament and will be played in the same format - the goal of winning 3 out of 5 matches as a country.
I used to live in Greece for 4 years, so this is so wonderful for me to be back here, speak and hear Greek, see so many faces I haven't seen in many, many years... Wow.... It's a beautiful thing! I could go on and on! More to come.....
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Off to Greece!
On to our next mission! The motivation and inspiration from our first FIVB this season (in the Netherlands) have carried over into great training and preparation for the next tournaments! We leave in a few days for Greece to play in the Continental Cup tournament on the island of Rhodes. Before and after this tournament, we have the fabulous opportunity to train with two teams ranked in the top 13 in the world! What better preparation than to train with the best!
Our next stop after Greece is Chennai, India - an added event to our calendar. We will play in the FIVB Challenger event there. These tournaments are smaller than the main events, but strong competition and an opportunity to earn points and experience!
So, we have some amazing trips ahead of us and are extremely excited and in a whirlwind of training, taking care of trip paperwork and details, along with working! One thing I experienced while playing in the tournament in the Netherlands was that with my greuling schedule outside of tournaments, I get to go into the tournaments feeling fresh, rested, and like I'm on vacation! What could be more ideal than to train (and work) so hard that the games feel like the easy part and the joyous reward/vacation? I am ready for this next vacation! Here's to a ridiculously productive week leading to our tip to Greece! OPA!
Our next stop after Greece is Chennai, India - an added event to our calendar. We will play in the FIVB Challenger event there. These tournaments are smaller than the main events, but strong competition and an opportunity to earn points and experience!
So, we have some amazing trips ahead of us and are extremely excited and in a whirlwind of training, taking care of trip paperwork and details, along with working! One thing I experienced while playing in the tournament in the Netherlands was that with my greuling schedule outside of tournaments, I get to go into the tournaments feeling fresh, rested, and like I'm on vacation! What could be more ideal than to train (and work) so hard that the games feel like the easy part and the joyous reward/vacation? I am ready for this next vacation! Here's to a ridiculously productive week leading to our tip to Greece! OPA!
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