American volleyball coach says Brazil is my worst and best enemy – 08/23/2021 – Sports

Coach Kerch Crawley cried when America won its first gold medal Olympic At the women’s volleyball tournament a few weeks ago. Added to the Olympic program in 1964, in Tokyo, too, as the coach says, the sport saw Americans coming close to mountaineering, but they were always knocked down before reaching the summit. Not this time.

The final against Brazil had a lot of meaning. This is the silver lining of Beijing-2008 and London-2012, but it is worth more. The United States did not offer the Brazilians a chance Won easily 3-0.

On the edge of the court, Crawley and Jose Roberto Guimaraes It has been known for some time that it is the best game to set gold in Tokyo.

“When we won the League of Nations, in June, Jose Roberto and I met when it was time to get on the bus. There was great silence and there was no one around. He didn’t want to talk to me. We would have won in Brazil. ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we met in the final in Tokyo?’ Jose Roberto agreed, “It’s good that we made it to the finals.” Sheet.

The American coach has always known the definition of ‘mountain climbing’, he said several times during this interview.

Was Olympic champion in Los Angeles-1984 and Seoul-1988 As a court volleyball player, he has been an assistant coach in Atlanta-1996 as a beach player, in 2021 as a coach — in addition to the bronze in Rio-2016 and the silver in London-2012.

Crawley is considered the best volleyball player of all time and became the second athlete to win gold as a coach and player. First Chinese Long Ping.

“I think our team has been very successful in recent years, yes, but it’s not an Olympic title. We were always able to see what the gold medal was, we lost on the verge of winning it. There was, ”he said.

Crawley, now 60, has enjoyed great dominance in the United States and Brazil in both indoor and beach volleyball. He faced a Brazilian team called Bernardinho and included Gerno de Pratta Renan Taal Jotto, Won the 1984 (final) and 1988 (semi-final) games, and on both occasions.

“Brazil is my worst and best enemy. It’s a famous country in the sport and I think it’s good that the United States and Brazil are great powers for volleyball in general. We are already seeing change, ”he said.

This phrase refers to gold in the sand of Allison Cherutti, Rio-2016. He said when he was evicted from Tokyo In the quarter.

Influenced by his father, Crawley began his career at the beach. He shared the focus with the court, where he was champion with the American team, and later in his career he returned to the beach and became the biggest winner in the sport.

The Olympic cycle coach for Tokyo gave a moment of introspection. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017 after a long delay in his exams – a decision he regretted. This is a topic he talked about a little bit, revealed only on the day he won gold.

“I do not want this to attract attention. Athletes, their campaign needs attention. But I felt that my story would be an inspiration for people to take care of themselves and know that they can win. There are those who suffer more than I have experienced, they have to be diligent, a lot My message is to fight, because people who love us always want to keep us close for a long time.

After the title, the American did not hide that he was already thinking about it Paris Olympics, Now planned for the first three years. For him, winning is enough to imagine a new cycle and new learning, as well as a continuation of the plan he has implemented in the last two Olympics.

“We have a new team. Yes, our league is still professional. Unfortunately, there is no league like Brazilian in the United States that lasts for months and moves many athletes. We can cite examples and experience of renewal like the Olympic team, Jordan Larson. This dominance for Paris I hope we will retain and we will have to work hard to achieve this, ”he added.