FAMILY MATTERS
.jpg&width=323&height=485)
When on October 22nd the “Invincible Busto Army” sank the former Italian champion Scavolini Pesaro with a resounding 3-0, Carli was about to join the Italian club coached by Carlo Parisi and to start her brand new adventure as a professional volleyball player. Two months passed before I personally had the chance to see her in action, and...who could imagine that despite the very short lapse of time, the American setter would be able to fit-in so perfectly with the patterns of the Butterflies? Indeed, Busto's victory over their arch-enemy Villa Cortese was thanks to Carli Lloyd's great management of her attackers. But how did she succeed in doing that without even speaking Italian? What is her secret? Hard work and a little help in Italian: “I was a bit worried about the fact that when I arrived in Busto the championship had already started. Actually, I had come for 10 days at the beginning of September before the games began, and I could tell at once that the standard was very high here
.jpg&width=323&height=485)
and that my team was really good. I understood that I needed to be there to do my job at best but I couldn't: so, when I was in the US I was worried to stay behind and that I would need a hard work to catch up to everyone...but eventually, everything turned out well. My team is simply great; we have a good chemistry and we support each other very much. We are doing some great hard work. Honestly, coming to the team, in the beginning, it was tough, especially because of the language barrier, but Helena Havelkova speaks excellent English and so she helped me a lot. Moreover, Aneta, Floortje and Christina all speak very good English -
they are my attackers so it is important that we understand each other. But I am getting a little better in Italian. Helena is giving me lessons and I'm doing a course at an Italian school: I'm learning my verbs, but not every day, as I am mentally tired from trainings and stuff. Moreover, my family is often here and when they're around ...I don't study much. The first sentences I've learnt are the ones I hear most often during my day and as a consequence they are linked to the volley world. These are “Vai raga” or “andiamo”! I love them! I came here with a very opened mind and I knew that it was going to be hard, but to play with them I have to give 100 percent. Thus, I have been very active during the training sessions: I have asked several questions, I responded to the girls and tried to do everything I was asked...I did everything to make the transition easier and it worked. Like I said before, the thing I love the most about this group is the chemistry we
.jpg&width=364&height=546)
have on court together. I really feel we trust and support each other. Yamamay is like a family and I have a lot of fun with them: I think this is very important aspect as when you play professionally having fun is not always easy, 'cause it is your job, you are getting payed and there is always a lot of pressure on you and your game. We are doing a very good job in balancing the stress, the fun and the concentration match after match”. The perfect chemistry with her team-mates is indeed the key to the perfect first round