BEING one of the top teams in the world does not come easy, with the pressure and sacrifices people might not see. But rather than dwell on it, Poland focuses on the things that matter.
Behind an unbeaten run so far in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, the Poles advanced to the quarterfinals of the prestigious competition.
The Bartosz Kurek-skippered squad eliminated world No. 9 Canada in the knockout Round of 16 with a 25-18, 23-25, 25-20, 25-14 victory over the weekend at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Coach Nikola Grbic acknowledges the pressure from the Polish fans as volleyball is one of the sports they are passionate about.
“Honestly, we know how much people are following us, how much people support us and that’s amazing. I really think that Poland is one of the best countries to practice and be a volleyball player or coach. So, but with that also, it comes a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations and so on,” Grbic said. “So, in a way, what I’m trying to do all the time is that I’m trying to say to my players to think about what we have to do on the court and that would be the best distraction for every other circus going around. My advice to them always, especially if some of them are not playing well and they are changed, we win, but they are changed, they don’t play well, is not to read the articles in the newspapers, with all due respect for you guys
“Especially not to go to the comment session because usually there are people who don’t understand what we are doing. They don’t understand what sacrifices these guys are doing, they don’t know how hard these guys are working, how much they want to succeed and how much they are giving everything they have, away from their families, with their bodies. Nothing good will come out of that,” he added.
The 52-year-old Serbian strategist insisted that his team should remain focused on what they do as they hope to capture more glory.
“I’m trying to tell them to stay focused on the things that we are doing on the court and everything else is less important, not less important, not important at all,” he said.
