U-185 gives impetus to 'short' players

U-185 gives impetus to 'short' players

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's success at the recent under-185 centimeter men's
world volleyball championship in Jakarta testified to the host
nation's potential competitiveness in the sport when physical
factors were equalized.

Although just five teams participated, the presence of Russia,
whose "all-round" team is one of the world's best, meant there
was still a hot competition.

Japan is also one of the top Asian powers in volleyball, being
ranked 16th in the world. Russia is fifth behind Brazil, Italy,
Serbia and Montenegro and the United States, according to the
world rankings released by the International Volleyball
Federation (FIVB) as of Aug. 29.

But when they came to the event in which the height of the
players was limited to 185 centimeters (about 6 feet 2 inches),
they literally came up short.

Ranked only 41st in the world in the unlimited height
competitions, Indonesia, aside from being motivated by home crowd
at the Bung Karno volleyball hall, proved it could win, by taking
the championship.

The host team overcame Russia, Japan and Chinese Taipei. It's
only loss came at the hands of fellow Southeast Asian team
Myanmar.

The Jakarta volleyball event, which was first brought up
during last year's FIVB meeting in Brazil, had initially listed
eight teams who would participate, but Brazil, Georgia and
Thailand decided to opt out due to security fears.

Zulfarshah, Indonesia's team manager, said that physical
height had been the decisive factor in normal volleyball
competition.

"Given the (men's) net of 2.43 meters (7'11") high, a 2-meter
(6'6") tall player, like most European players, will find it
easier to get up and over to block and spike," he said here on
Thursday.

"The Indonesian national team, with an average height of 185
centimeters can hardly block the ball," he said.

"This competition brings equality. Height is not a barrier.
Teams with the best strategy, speed and power will win," he said.

"Without this kind of height limitation in a competition we
would have only a very slim chance to win against tall players,"
Zulfarshah said.

Asian Volleyball Confederation president Wei Jizhong applauded
Indonesia's success, saying that the U-185 event provided "weak"
nations more equal opportunities and an impetus to challenge the
world powers.

"This competition might mobilize more and more moderately tall
players into taking up volleyball, thus enabling the technical
basis of volleyball to purely count in the game," Wei said in a
statement on the sidelines of the five-day competition which
ended on Sunday.

Chairwoman of the Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PBVSI)
Rita Subowo said that they would be looking to help promote the
event in order that FIVB would make it regular competition in its
competition calendar.

"We hope that FIVB will include the U-185 competition in its
annual agenda and we also hope that event can make its Olympic
debut in Beijing in 2008, although it would be in the form of an
exhibition event," she said.

Rita also revealed a plan to make a similar competition for
women called the World U-175 Volleyball Championship in April
2005.