TV – 20 questions Think Volleyball Inquiry, version 1b
1 - Volleyball is the 4 or 5th sport in the world with a wider base of fans, even greater than basketball. What should be made to communicate and show better this sport that so many millions practice and love?
Carlos Prata:
TV coverage is fundamental but many times is not so easy. There are so many sports fighting for television coverage. USA is a big player on world media coverage and Volleyball is not here a strong sport. So, I think that all the players – Club teams, Federations, Continental Confederations and FIVB in the world of sport have to facilitate this TV coverage.
2 - Concepts like NBA make the show and the sport themselves. Do you think volleyball, as a show, would benefit from concepts like those? If yes, how and where should it be built? World League? In a strong national league like NBA?
Carlos Prata:
NBA is always a dream to all sports, but we are talking of a country where sport has a big expression and powerful conditions to run a NBA. Maybe in Europe we could think of an European league between the different countries, but it wouldn’t be easy because of the financial conditions that would be necessary. We have the European Cups and so, but I cannot see in a near future a likely NBA in Volleyball. Also the political time is not open to it, I think (see the nationalism that is expanding all over the Europe).
1 - Volleyball is the 4 or 5th sport in the world with a wider base of fans, even greater than basketball. What should be made to communicate and show better this sport that so many millions practice and love?
Carlos Prata:
TV coverage is fundamental but many times is not so easy. There are so many sports fighting for television coverage. USA is a big player on world media coverage and Volleyball is not here a strong sport. So, I think that all the players – Club teams, Federations, Continental Confederations and FIVB in the world of sport have to facilitate this TV coverage.
2 - Concepts like NBA make the show and the sport themselves. Do you think volleyball, as a show, would benefit from concepts like those? If yes, how and where should it be built? World League? In a strong national league like NBA?
Carlos Prata:
NBA is always a dream to all sports, but we are talking of a country where sport has a big expression and powerful conditions to run a NBA. Maybe in Europe we could think of an European league between the different countries, but it wouldn’t be easy because of the financial conditions that would be necessary. We have the European Cups and so, but I cannot see in a near future a likely NBA in Volleyball. Also the political time is not open to it, I think (see the nationalism that is expanding all over the Europe).
3 – Means and goals, strategy and principles. Are there limits in strategy to the victory? For example, do you admit pressure inside the court, with your players bullying players from the opposite team? What are the limits? And when you want to hire a certain player, should there be a regulation to the way athletes are contacted and by whom?
Carlos Prata:
I think that human values are made of limits. So the same for the way you can fight to victory. The same when you want to hire a predetermined player. You must do the things in a correct way. I believe in these values. Maybe others think that they can go on without them. This is an education story.
4 - How do countries like Italy manage to stay at the top for so many years, how did countries like Poland, Germany or France reach the top and how can countries with tradition in volleyball like Portugal and Spain, among others, get there?
Carlos Prata:
Sport’s policy is, for me, always the key. You have to think and organize the way that you want to go. Today we have some studies that show us this. SPLISS, which stands for Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success, is a tool to study the competitiveness of nations in elite sport, let us understand the fundamental points. So, in Volleyball wouldn’t be different. We need to work together, to brainstorm the ways to develop and go. But it is not easy in countries like Portugal and Spain.
5 - Is it essential, like in the USA, that the sport in the university should be considered as a foreground to the main leagues, as athletes are much more mature than in the younger leagues? How strong in the university volleyball in your country?
Carlos Prata:
Sport in University is so weak in Portugal and of such a low level. Not good structures and organization. Nothing to compare with USA or also Germany or Great Britain.
6 - Do you think that the sport taught in schools would benefit from specialized school subjects that could be an option in the pre-university and university years, like we see in some countries, like the subject “indoor volleyball” or “beach volleyball”, even if the graduation is different, in theory, like, v.g, Law or Architecture?
Carlos Prata:
I think that in some countries, like Germany, France, Poland and others, this is in place, if we are talking about Volleyball Schools for the most talented young players. I think that this is one of the ways to the elite level.
7 - Something you learned in volleyball that you take to your attitude before everything:
Carlos Prata:
Competition is the law of life and not only of sport. You win and you lose in sport and the same is true in life.
8 - Something you learned outside volleyball that you bring into it:Carlos Prata:
Trust in people. I believe that in sport you can do the
same. Maybe you can have disillusions but that is the same in life. You have to start again.
9 – Literature, Arts, Cinema, and volleyball: is there any fictional work that you know that puts us inside this sport? And what non fictional book is your “bible” in volleyball?
Carlos Prata:
Volleyball and literature, I don’t know. The second question is easy, at least for me – “ Power Volleyball “ from Arie Sellinger is, for me, the top volleyball book.
9 – Literature, Arts, Cinema, and volleyball: is there any fictional work that you know that puts us inside this sport? And what non fictional book is your “bible” in volleyball?
Carlos Prata:
Volleyball and literature, I don’t know. The second question is easy, at least for me – “ Power Volleyball “ from Arie Sellinger is, for me, the top volleyball book.
10 - What changes in the game would make it better?
Carlos Prata:
Not an easy question. I think FIVB and NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association Volleyball in USA are trying something, but not finding it. Evolution in sport will always take place, but this cannot change in an easy way.
11 - Tell us a secret about your work that you think makes it singular:
Carlos Prata:
I always think that there are no secrets. We always learn with each other. If you look at great coaches, normally they are humble and simple people, open to the others. Of course, not always, but in general. I believe that the more you know the more simple you are. At least you know that you know near almost nothing.
Carlos Prata:
Not an easy question. I think FIVB and NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association Volleyball in USA are trying something, but not finding it. Evolution in sport will always take place, but this cannot change in an easy way.
11 - Tell us a secret about your work that you think makes it singular:
Carlos Prata:
I always think that there are no secrets. We always learn with each other. If you look at great coaches, normally they are humble and simple people, open to the others. Of course, not always, but in general. I believe that the more you know the more simple you are. At least you know that you know near almost nothing.
12 - Can an athlete reach excelency without wining? Why?
Carlos Prata:
Carlos Prata:
I
think so. You don’t need to win all the time to show your
level of elite. But you need to show your excellence in the game inside
and outside.
13-Which is the most important part of the game (give us a detailed view of each technical gesture and each part of the game) for you? Should the “curtain” (blocking the view to the server) should be punished more often or allowed?
Carlos Prata:
Serve and reception are for me the keys. But in in general all are important. I don’t think that “curtain” is something that we see so often. A team that use it is not so good and is afraid of the adversary.
14 – What do you think about, and how do you manage, internal competition in the team?
Carlos Prata:
This is very important. The problem is that many times you have not a balanced team that gives the possibility to change players like you would like. So, pressing is always something that the players must feel, otherwise they can let go in a “sweet life” and this is not good, for the team and for themselves.
15 - Leave a message to athletes with the essence of what you think they should put in volleyball and can make them and the sport great:
Carlos Prata:
Do always your best and fight to be the best that you can be.
16 - The same to coaches:
13-Which is the most important part of the game (give us a detailed view of each technical gesture and each part of the game) for you? Should the “curtain” (blocking the view to the server) should be punished more often or allowed?
Carlos Prata:
Serve and reception are for me the keys. But in in general all are important. I don’t think that “curtain” is something that we see so often. A team that use it is not so good and is afraid of the adversary.
14 – What do you think about, and how do you manage, internal competition in the team?
Carlos Prata:
This is very important. The problem is that many times you have not a balanced team that gives the possibility to change players like you would like. So, pressing is always something that the players must feel, otherwise they can let go in a “sweet life” and this is not good, for the team and for themselves.
15 - Leave a message to athletes with the essence of what you think they should put in volleyball and can make them and the sport great:
Carlos Prata:
Do always your best and fight to be the best that you can be.
16 - The same to coaches:
Carlos Prata:
Never stop learning, because life and volleyball are always a learning way until our death.
17 - Finally, the same to directive staff:
Carlos Prata:
Do your best to have the best team that you can have.
18 - Your Idol in Volleyball, and why:
Carlos Prata:
Bruno Resende – the Brazilian setter because of his posture (attitude) and simplicity.
Never stop learning, because life and volleyball are always a learning way until our death.
17 - Finally, the same to directive staff:
Carlos Prata:
Do your best to have the best team that you can have.
18 - Your Idol in Volleyball, and why:
Carlos Prata:
Bruno Resende – the Brazilian setter because of his posture (attitude) and simplicity.
19 - Your idol in sports, and why
Carlos Prata:
Coaches – John Wooden, Phil Jackson and many other in Volleyball – Arie Selinger, Doug Bill, Hugh MacCutcheon, Bill Neville.
Carlos Prata:
Coaches – John Wooden, Phil Jackson and many other in Volleyball – Arie Selinger, Doug Bill, Hugh MacCutcheon, Bill Neville.
20 - You idol in life, and why:
Carlos Prata:
Carlos Prata:
Not an idol, but some exceptional human beings - Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein.
Thank you for your answers. Let's make volleyball better. This in an independent inquiry, both in questions and in answers.
TV – Think Volleyball (from volleyballers to volleyballers) – PG-M Pedro Guilherme-Moreira
Thank you for your answers. Let's make volleyball better. This in an independent inquiry, both in questions and in answers.
TV – Think Volleyball (from volleyballers to volleyballers) – PG-M Pedro Guilherme-Moreira
No comments:
Post a Comment