Postcards From Asia: Osmosis
September 15, 2018 | Men's Volleyball
Postcard 1 / Postcard 2 / Postcard 3 / Postcard 4
Scott Stadick, Junior, Middle Blocker
Hello all,
This is Scott Stadick typing this post out on a bus in Shanghai. We are off from competition today (Saturday the 15th) after our match against the top pro team in China last night. Our game against the same Shanghai team tomorrow night will mark our last match in this 18-day marathon. The amount of high level volleyball we have played in the last 17 days is nothing short of extraordinary. We have played the top team from three different countries (most of which are legitimate dynasties in their respective leagues), trained beside a coach that is considered one of the best in international volleyball (Brazilian-born Mauricio Paes, who coaches the Panasonic Panthers), and done so in some of the best training facilities in professional volleyball. It has been unreal to walk in the shoes of these titan programs for the last few weeks and live alongside them. I am hoping that we as a team will be able to pick up a fraction of their skill, tenacity, work ethic and mind set. It is truly humbling being around athletes who are superior athletes and competitors.
I think that we, UCI Men's Volleyball, work hard until I see a Korean team getting serving and passing reps at 9:30 pm after they had already lifted, practiced and played a full match that same day. I imagine our own UCI systems to be a well-oiled machine until I see the Japanese pros executing seamlessly and without confusion, with such mastery of their system, doing things I had not yet dreamt of doing. The experience of being exposed to this speaks to the point that these competitions are so much more than playing matches (you could do that anywhere). These matches have been an amazing tool to immerse our team in the greatness of professionals. And there is no doubt that the teams, facilities, coaches and players we have been exposed to are truly great.
The true value of this tour is osmosis. Work ethic, skill, passion for the game, professionalism, and mindset are all definitely things that can rub off on a willing recipient. People do not naturally have the highest level of these qualities. In fact, it is abnormal and rare to be great at these things because it is way more difficult than the alternatives. To be excellent you must immerse yourself with excellent people, and that is what this trip is about.
I will see you all state side in the next few days,
Scott Stadick #13
