Evan Patek acknowledged family and friends among the large crowd who turned out for the Americans' FIVB World League contest with China at San Jose State in June of 2009.
"A lot of them have not seen me play since college," said Patek, one of several young first-year players on the Americans' senior national squad. "It doesn't feel like a long time but it's been a while since I've played volleyball in the Bay Area. This is as close as I'll come to playing in front of a hometown crowd."
The 23-year-old Pleasanton, CA resident wasn't in Beijing, but he plans to be in London for the 2012 Olympics. He will likely take the baton from Olympic legend Clay Stanley, the 31-year-old opposite hitter from Honolulu who earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Americans' extraordinary run to the victory stand.
"If I'm given the opportunity to play I will do the best I can," said Patek, an All-American college player at UC Santa Barbara. "When you are competing against the MVP of the world, it's a difficult task. I think I have a lot of things to bring to the table."
A Volleyball Legend Returns to the Court
Stanley remains a vibrant member of the program, returning to action for the first time in seven weeks. He missed the Americans' first four games in Europe, but felt the group was in good hands without him.
"This is a good group of young kids coming in," Stanley said. "They played well and did some good things. That's quite an accomplishment, especially with a new coach coming in on short notice."
Stanley, an All-American during his days at the University of Hawaii, has been part of the national volleyball scene for 10 years, the last nine on the senior team. He joined the squad just after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, in which the U.S. went winless in five preliminary matches.
Beginning the Process of Olympic Training
"This is year one of a four-year cycle leading to the next Olympics," Stanley said. "One team won the championship. Now it's a new year with young players making the transition with a new coach. We need to play together as much as we can."
The U.S. is the FIVB World League defending champions from 2007 and would like to stay on top and earn their share of the $15 million prize money doled out to the top teams.
The Americans won four of their first five matches in pool play, which determines who advances to the medal round in Belgrade, Serbia in July.
"As with every new team you are figuring things out individually and collectively," Patek said. "We stay true to the mission statement, which is you know were are great players, that we have to work hard and that nothing comes easy."
The match played in San Jose was the first on U.S. soil since the Beijing Olympics. The Americans received a warm ovation in celebration of the gold medal, and for success yet to come.
"It was great for everything to fly home and get the opportunity to play in front of a friendly crowd," said U.S. coach Alan Knipe, who accepted the new position in April but stayed at Long Beach State until the college season ended in May.
"Most of us weren't with the team until the third week of May," Knipe said. "We need to integrate a lot of new players. We have to get as much experience as we can for as many players as we can."
Patek started the match for the U.S. but willingly gave way to Stanley during the second set. He knows his time will arrive shortly.
Rick Eymer - I have written for The San Mateo Times, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and am currently working part-time as an assistant sports editor at ...
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