Bengaluru, Sep 23 (IANS) The two-time Olympic medallist from the USA, David Lee, is back in the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), but this time as a coach for the Bengaluru Torpedoes. He has been with the Torpedoes as the coach for a couple of years and is keen to land the coveted title, having finished as runners-up in Season 2.
Speaking about the team’s ambition, Lee, who was recently inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame, said, “Our goal for sure, 100 per cent, is to win. And that’s every single year. I think those goals have always been achievable and attainable, but we’ve always fallen a little bit short. But this season, this team is definitely better than last year.”
He further explained, “It’s always such a different league. There’s a lot of shifting of foreigners, a lot of shifting of Indian players as well. So, while it is tough to say which is the best team, the Bengaluru Torpedoes, on paper, is a top-three team for sure, and that always keeps you in contention for the title.
The Bengaluru Torpedoes have been one of the teams with the longest pre-season camp. Already into their third full week of training, the coach is quite impressed with how the squad is shaping up behind the scenes.
The 43-year-old, who won gold in the Beijing Olympics (2008) and bronze in the Rio Olympics (2016), has immense clarity on how he wants his team to set up. He said, “I think the team is almost where I want us to be. We’re still dealing with a few small systems that are a little bit tricky, I think, for the new guys to understand. But I think we’re in a great spot.”
Lee further added, “We have two friendly matches this week, so that’s going to be a good indication of where we’re at. But I think we’re in a great spot. We’ve had a longer training camp than most.”
In his time with the squad, Lee has seen players such as Sethu and Mujeeb make immense progress, and once again, he hopes to see the Indian players put on a good show.
“We have Sethu, who has been the best server for the past two seasons, and Mujeeb has learnt a lot over the last two seasons, and with his time in the national camp. We also have a bunch of young, exciting players who are in their first season in the RR Kabel Prime Volleyball League powered by Scapia, and are very talented. I see a huge future for them,” he said.
For the Bengaluru Torpedoes, the plan is clear, and the team is leaving no stone unturned in their quest for glory in Season 4. Speaking on the growth of the league, Lee said, “I think it’s a huge positive for the sport, for the Indian players to get foreign coaching, for the Indian players to see international players, how they play, and train. And the result of that has been seen in the Indian national team as well. For me, I just keep seeing the league getting better and better with every season, which is very exciting and promising.”
–IANS
bc/bsk/
