USA veteran Smith preaches
continuity during forced break
LAUSANNE,
Switzerland, June 9, 2020 – Over the last 11 years, David Smith
has grown accustomed to spending his summers practising and
playing around the world with the United States men’s national
team. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the
35-year-old middle-blocker has had to embrace a completely
different scenario and has training at home with no competition
in sight for the next few months.
A member
of the American team since 2009, Smith admits he’s still
adjusting to the reality almost every athlete on the planet is
faced with in 2020. But his considerable experience at the
international level helps him plan how to take advantage of it.
The
veteran, who has played at eight different clubs and in five
different leagues since 2008, believes the forced break could be
a blessing in disguise for the most experienced players, from a
physical standpoint. But he is concerned about what the
consequences of not reuniting the country’s national team this
summer for the first time in several years could be.
“I think
our bodies appreciate the break, but the biggest thing that’s
concerning right now is that we can’t be together,” he said
during the last edition of The Viral Volley Podcast. “That’s
difficult, especially for those of us who have been doing it for
a long time. It’s so unusual not to be able to be with each
other every single day and that’s an adjustment we all need to
make on the mental side of things to make sure we’re somehow
actually taking advantage of this situation. But we’ve got a
tight group with very experienced guys who have been around each
other for years, so I don’t think the team dynamic and chemistry
will be completely lost, but we’ll have to put some effort on
rebuilding it. I’m confident we'll be in a really good position
for the Olympics in 2021.”
The
American team has indeed enjoyed a fair amount of time together
over the last two Olympic cycles. From the 12 players who took
bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics, only three are no longer
available for selection to head coach John Speraw. They are
outside hitter Reid Priddy and middle blocker David Lee, who are
now beach volleyball players, and opposite Murphy Troy, who
retired in 2017.
The
current roster, which also includes talented younger players
like opposite Ben Patch, outside hitter Thomas Jaeschke and
middle blocker Jeff Jendryk, has achieved some important results
in the years leading to Tokyo, including bronze medals at the
2018 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship and the 2019 FIVB
Volleyball World Cup, and podium appearances at the 2018 and
2019 editions of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, which
raises Smith’s hopes about what they can accomplish in the
Japanese capital next year.
“We have
a very good team,” he reflected. “I think we’ve been on a huge
learning curve since the experience we had in Rio. We have tons
of experience now and guys who are playing at a really high
level in the best leagues in the world. The rest of the world
has certainly grown with us, so it’s going to be a really
difficult tournament and I’m really looking forward to it, it’s
going to be a lot of fun.”
As the
oldest player in the American roster and one of just two to have
appeared at the London 2012 Olympics – Matt Anderson is the
other – Smith already has a plan laid out to keep playing at a
high level until the time his third Olympic appearance comes.
And it
includes playing for reigning Poland champions ZAKSA
Kedzierzyn-Kozle for a second-straight season.
“I think
I’m playing at a really high level still and I can bring some of
the experience the younger guys might not have,” the 2.02m-tall
veteran added. “My biggest goal for the next year is to maintain
that same level. Luckily I’ve re-signed with Zaksa, so I’m going
back to the same team I played with last season and it’s going
to be the best situation in preparing me for 2021. Hopefully we
can do some good things next year.” |