Tirana, Albania, September 4, 2018. Volleyball is not just a sport. And we all know that. It is much more than what we see from outside. Of course, it includes the hard trainings, the constant improving of the technical skills, the search to be better and better on the court each day. But Volleyball is different. And why?
The answer is simple. Volleyball can help young people grow as individuals. Individuals, who are eager to create a better world. And a better sport as well.
This is why good examples of perfect athletes, on and off the court, are very important. And for sure, there is, probably, no better example for the young players that are competing at the 2018 CEV U19 Volleyball European Championship – Women, than the one of one of the brightest former stars of the Russian National team and international Volleyball – Ekaterina Gamova. On top of being one of the most successful female Volleyball players of all times, she has always been perfect outside of the court as well and after having retired from professional sport, she also received a Fair Play award for an “Impeccable Career”.
Gamova, who is at #EuroVolleyball19W, is the assistant coach of Team Russia, giving a helping hand to head coach Alexander Karikov and inspiring the new generation of Russian players to give their best in the competition.
For Gamova, being at the U19 European Championship is important, but it is also a nice reminder of when she was at the age of the players, that are now fighting for glory in the sports halls of Tirana and Durrës, where the pool phase of the tournament is taking place.
“Of course, these players remind me of myself. I look at them and I am reminded of when I was at their age, playing at the European Championship. I understand very well how important it is for them to be here and to show their best.”
Talking about now and then, Gamova points out that there are differences – the uniforms, the balls. Everything has changed for good and to her, children nowadays know a little bit more about Volleyball than her and her teammates did when they started playing this game.
Even so, for Gamova it is a great pleasure to share her experience with these players, to give them pieces of advice: “I want to transfer my knowledge of Volleyball to these young girls. To show them what I can and to possibly make them do it. And most importantly, to show them what I love about Volleyball.”
If she had to turn directly to all the players, what would she tell them? “To never give up. To believe in themselves and to move only forward. And to learn, to learn and … to learn. Again and again.”
And how should they find a way to motivate themselves during matches and in training?
“The biggest motivation for an athlete is the victory. I think there is no better thing to think about,” Gamova continues.
The mood that you have when taking to the court is the most important thing, concludes Gamova: “It all depends on the mood – your mood, the mood of the team. This determines how you enter the game, how many mistakes you make and whether you win or lose.”
For Ekaterina Gamova, Volleyball is much more than just a game. It is her life.
And her example could bring many positives to the future stars of European Volleyball. The stars of tomorrow.
For more information about #EuroVolleyU19W, click here.