Your Questions: Ask CBC

Hey Mark,

I'm a serious volleyballer, looking to play on Sweden's National indoor team in a year or two. Did you start indoor and move to the beach or vice versa? Or maybe you never played indoor? What helped drive you through the months and months of training preparing for the big event?

Mark Heese: There are very few beach players that didn’t get their start with the indoor game. I played both indoor and beach since Grade 10, or 16 years old. I played volleyball in the winter, and beach in the summer, and continued that throughout high school (Malvern C.I.) and university (McMaster).

I found that both really complimented each other. The development of certain skills on the beach helped my indoor game, and vice versa. So my suggestion to any volleyball player is to play beach and indoor, it can only help.

Training is a big part of beach volleyball. Without a high degree of fitness and a strong all-round set of beach skills, you just won’t be able to compete at the highest level, i.e. FIVB World Tour and Olympics. So knowing that really helps keep a keen focus on training.

Variety is also key. Don’t get stuck doing the same exercises or drills over and over again. Your mind and body will get into a rut with that approach. Lastly, setting up some goals, whether they are volleyball skill goals or fitness goals, help with motivation and focus during the off-season.

Good luck in Sweden, Nicolas!

Dear Mark, You have to admit that these Olympic games come with a lot of political baggage, much more so than any other Olympic games in my life time (I'm pushing 50).

How do you suggest the atheletes prepare for this; just ignore it?

What if they see or hear of something that they find to be truely abominable with regard to human rights issues? Again, should they just ignore it and play on, even if they are deeply troubled by it?

And, therefore, won't those atheletes who have the least respect for human rights be at an advantage because no injustce will distract them from their sport, while those with a conscience will find each and every example of the trampling of human rights to be upsetting, and an upset athelete cannot compete as well as an athelete that is not upset?

Do you suggest, therefore, that Canadian atheletes leave their consciences at home, or squash them temporarily somehow? How does one do that? Just say: "I don't care, it ain't happening to me nor to my family"

Do you think that the most heartless atheletes with the fewest principles will win the most medals at these Olympic games in China?

Mark Heese: Those are very leading questions, Jeff. You must be a lawyer! :)

As well, it sounds like you have an answer already in mind for your questions, i.e. you have a “therefore” beginning each new paragraph based on that answer.

So, it is difficult to know where to start. Having said that, I will answer your last question.

No. In fact, at the highest level of my sport (and I imagine it is the same in other sports), it is the athletes with the most heart, and the athletes with the most principles, regardless of the circumstances, who typically stand on the podium at the end of the day. The best athletes are very resilient, and are very good at finding a balance of focus that allows them to make proper decisions at the appropriate times, on and off the field of play

Mark - Journey vs. Destination? From your experience, what advise can you give to our athletes competing in the Olympics?
Nancy

Mark Heese: I think it is a combination of both. Living each moment, appreciating each step on your way to the Olympics, then staying focused and resilient enough to perform well during the biggest moment, i.e. at crunch time during your Olympic performance.

In terms of advice, every athlete is different, and likely knows their individual needs better than anyone, however, I think success at the Olympics boils down to one main thing; focus.

It’s very difficult to go down there and not get caught up in all the hype and excitement. There is so much to do and see and everything is so new, that keeping your mind completely focused on your competition takes a lot of discipline. So my advice is to commit to bringing your focus to the next level upon arrival, coming up with strategies and plans to tackle the distractions. Be disciplined and stick to your pre-competition routines. Stay as professional as possible, so that when the big moment comes you will be ready and not caught off guard.

There will be plenty of time after competing to enjoy all that the Olympics has to offer.

The majority of athletes appear to support a "never" approach to boycotts.
As an athlete, when does a boycott option (re political or social upheaval etc) begin to garner the support of the competitors?

Mark Heese: It is very difficult for athletes to even consider a boycott because they have been dreaming and preparing to compete at the Games for practically their whole lives. And to tell an athlete (who probably considers a political issue to be far removed from sport, not to mention feeling a certain level of resentment to those outside of sport who demand or push for a boycott) that he/she should give up everything he/she has worked for all his/her life, is probably unfair.

If the athletes feel strong enough about some political or social issues, then I'm sure there are plenty of other ways to pursue a solution to those issues, or show support for change, off the field of play. Then again, there may be some that figure a boycott is the right thing to do.

In the end it is always a personal choice, and the fact that most athletes choose to compete and keep the Games about the athletes and the love for sport or healthy competition, etc., rather than using it as a tool to make political statements, then you certainly can't blame them.

In your Olympic Sport, how important is the quality of the venue? i.e. the sand?, location of the court?, the space to play?. TY.
warren

Mark Heese: As beach volleyball athletes, we are fortunate that we have a federation that has very high standards in terms of venue quality, not only at the Olympics, but also on the World Tour. The court, net, and area around the main court never change as there are exact measurements that need to be followed. Having said that, the conditions change every event. Sand depth, weather, climate — all play major roles, and every player has favorite conditions and not-so-favorite conditions.

In Beijing, the sand will be fairly deep (as it was in Athens and Sydney), the temperature very hot and humid, and depending on the proximity to water and how protected the courts are, a certain level of wind. I would say that the deeper sand typically favours teams that have good agility and a scrappy style of play. Hot and humid temperatures favor players from countries with the same conditions, e.g. Brazil, and wind seems to favour those athletes with strong ball control skills.