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HOLYOKE, United States, October 24, 2015 – Beijing 2008 gold
medallists and volleyball legends Lloy Ball of the United States
and Helia Rogerio de Souza (Fofao) of Brazil were inducted to
the International Volleyball Hall of Fame on Saturday at the
sport’s birthplace in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Ball and Fofao, together with Brazilian Renan dal Zotto and
coach Paulo Roberto ‘Bebeto’ de Freitas, were elected via a vote
of current Volleyball Hall of Fame inductees, and entered as the
30th induction class that represent 125 total inductees from 21
different countries.
Ball is the only United States male player to play in four
Olympic Games for indoor volleyball. After competing in the
1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, he capped his career by
winning gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Ball was
selected the Most Valuable Player and Best Setter of the 2008
FIVB Volleyball World League after pacing USA to the title weeks
before the 2008 Olympic Games.
“I am blessed to represent my country,” Ball said. “Wearing USA
means a lot to my family. We are so blessed to have many in our
family who served in the military. While I never got the call to
do that, I consider a very small part that USA on my chest when
I am play and very proud of.”
Fofão became the first volleyball player to play in five Olympic
Games that spanned the years from 1992 to 2008. As its setter,
she led Brazil to its first-ever Olympic Games women’s
volleyball gold medal in 2008 after securing bronze in 1996 and
2000. She was selected Best Setter at the conclusion of the 2008
Olympic Games. Fofão collected silver medals at three FIVB
Volleyball Women’s World Championship events in 1994, 2006 and
2010. She earned silver medals at both the 2003 and 2007 FIVB
Volleyball Women’s World Cups, which included being honoured as
Best Setter in the 2007 event.
“I am living one of the biggest moments that every athlete in
life wants to get,” Fofão said. “When I started, I didn’t know
where I would end and now looking back, look where I am. It was
a long way with a lot of difficulties. The challenge that I
faced was worth it as it required a lot of hard work. I didn’t
think I would be playing this sport for 30 years, and for 17
years I wore the Brazilian jersey.”
Renan began his career with the Brazil national team at the age
of 16 and earned three trips to the Olympic Games. He paced
Brazil to the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los
Angeles. Two years earlier Renan sparked Brazil to the silver
medal at the 1982 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
Bebeto coached the Brazil men’s national team to the 1984
Olympic Games silver medal in Los Angeles. He served as Brazil’s
coach during two tenures from 1980-1984 and 1987-1990. After his
second tenure with Brazil, Bebeto moved on to coach Maxicono
Parma in the Italian Serie A1 from 1990 to 1996. He accepted the
head coaching position with the Italian men’s national team from
1996-1999, leading Italy to the FIVB Men’s World Championship
title in 1998.
All the inductees talked about representing their country, and
in Bebeto’s case, how hard it is to represent someone else’s
country as its coach. |
