AVP Seattle player's perspective - Articles

As a journeyman on the tour, I have to start by saying it's oddly gratifying that the FIVB and the Olympics have taken such precedence over domestic volleyball this year. Each week we see that our country’s top tour, in terms of competitiveness, is missing at least some of its poster boys and girls. This past weekend tournament in Seattle was missing three great teams on the men’s side and the top three women’s teams. Ryan Doherty sprained his ankle two days before the start of the main draw and John Mayer didn’t bother to search down the list for another blocker so late in the game. Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser chose not to crush themselves with travel from Russia to Seattle to Germany. I’m starting to wonder if we will ever see John Hyden and Tri Bourne back in the states. Have they defected? On the women’s side, teams are regularly forgoing AVP’s. Kerri Walsh/April Ross, Brooke Sweat/Lauren Fendrick, Ali McColloch/Kelly Reeves, Jen Kessy/Emily Day, Caitlin Ledoux/Irene Pollock, Amanda Dowdy/Emily Stockman, and Jen Fopma/Brittany Hochevar have all taken turns skipping AVP’s to pursue international money and points. What does this do to everyone else? It bumps them up! The status quo for finishes has reached new levels. With the top tier gone, everyone else moves up a little bit and finally gets a piece of the pie. Historically border teams (including me and whichever person will play with me that week) are now starting seeded in the middle of the main draw. It seems...

from Articles - Volleyball Magazine http://ift.tt/1t5tP4T