“A Window To The National Team”

Sidrônio sent me a link to an article on the website of the Argentinian Volleyball Federation outlining the selection criteria Julio Velasco is using for the Argentinian National Team.  According to Google Translate it is very interesting.  I thought it was worth sharing even if it is not 100% accurate.  Please feel free to provide corrections in the comments.

A WINDOW TO THE NATIONAL TEAM + SELECTION CRITERIA FOR PLAYERS

BY JULIO VELASCO

Every coach uses a strategy to teach and train his team.  There are big differences between doing this for a national team and for a club team. There is no single or best strategy: there are many and team sport history proves it.  What is very important is that this strategy is clear and especially that it is consistent, and targets the team result while maintaining standards of justice that players can recognise.  It is not that all agree with the coach’s decisions, but that those decisions are understood and, therefore, are respected.

As coach of the national volleyball team, I would like to explain some of the criteria of the strategy used by myself and my staff.

1. Players are chosen on their technical level, the ability to understand the game, for their health and physical characteristics, personal characteristics for the game, by age and with respect to the roles in the team.

2. All of these capabilities are assessed by all the staff, although the last word, as is logical lies with the head coach.

3. These assessments have to respect some assumptions: the main factor to consider is how they play, taking into account matches with the national team and also with the club team. It is for this reason that players who do not play at the club level, are not invited to the national team.

4. As coach of the national I cannot interfere with decisions made by players, but I cannot favour the decision (of a player) to prioritise the economic factor above technical growth.  A player can choose a team that pays more but where he will be a reserve over another where he will earn less but will play.  In each case the National Team can also make a choice.

I also believe that if a player is unable to be a starter for his club team, he will not prevail against the best players in the world.  It is also a respect for the activity of clubs and the coaches who work in them.

Like any rule there may be some individual cases that are not specifically covered (for example a player did not know what awaited him at the club), but this does not change the fact that it is not possible to evaluate the player, because he has not played.

Obviously, these criteria on decisions on the players is debatable.  The important thing for me is that, at least, the reasons for certain decisions are known. Other factors, non sporting, for example, cannot be made public.  This is also the logic of things.