John Baylor's Blog: May 29

Battling Beijing
Coach John Cook is pleased.

“We took the team to Japan and China for three reasons.  One: Tracy had lived and trained in Japan and our connection with former US National Team Coach Toshi Yoshida.  Two: this generation of college students will grow up with China as a dominant world power; we think it’s important to expose them to China and the Chinese culture.  Three: volleyball is always good in Asia because the players never stop training?the pro teams here play all year-round.”

“Given what the players have had to deal with here, the focus and effort have been tremendous.  We’ve rotated lineups, and the team has performed well no matter what the lineup we’ve had out there.”

“Our expectation was that we would not win a game against these pro teams.  Not only are we winning games, but we’re competing with the best teams here.  This team has been more competitive than the 2000 team against the same competition.  That’s been a pleasant surprise.  Besides the first days in Japan, we have played no college teams?all pro teams.  We’ll have more of the same in Shanghai.”

“We’re not really recruiting while we’re here.  The players on these teams are so talented that the government would never release them.  The Beijing Pro Team setter in 2000, Feng Kun, wanted to come to Nebraska, but we later learned from her sister that the government wouldn’t allow it.  Feng Kun played for the gold medal winners from China at the 2004 Olympics and was the MVP of the entire Athens Games.  Maybe if we played college teams, we might see some talent we’d consider recruiting here.  But we think we can find comparable talent in the US. “

There are actually three robo-Husker fans tracking us in Beijing: Kay Dinkelman of Lincoln, her sister Sharri Baldonado of Johnson Lake, and friend Ruth Sillman of Omaha.  Sharri explains why they’re here: “We heard that the Match Club would be bringing a group.  We were disappointed when the Club didn’t.  My husband said there was no reason why we couldn’t still go.  So I asked Kay and Ruth, and we’re here.”  The three women faithfully wear their Husker t-shirts to all our matches, though occasionally forget to stand and clap on game point.  Their ?roof, roof, roof’ chants have been heartily yelled, albeit still a bit faint.  They wish Steve Johnson were here to prompt them.

The Huskers began the morning with practice games versus Beijing, losing the first, fourth, and sixth and winning the second, third, and fifth up to ten points.  These are practice games without rotating between points or true serves-- a Beijing coach begins each rally be underhanding a ball to the team that lost the last rally.

Kori Cooper is the newest Husker.  What a bundle of energy, talent, and enthusiasm-- she is a great addition.  Her Dad is the men’s basketball l coach at D-2 West Texas A&M in Amarillo, owner of many school and conference coaching records.  Mom is a grade school principal.  Her older brother plays power forward for her Dad.

Kori drove six hours every other week to Colorado Springs to play club volleyball.  She played with the same youth national team as Rachel Holloway in Macau, China.  She is recovering well from her August ACT surgery, leaving high school a semester early to matriculate at NU this past spring.   Missing graduation yesterday was tough, but climbing the Great Wall made it easier.  She is competing hard with Amanda ?Oolong’ Gates for playing time at middle and had 3 blocks in three games this morning.

After the six practice games, the Huskers and Beijing settled in for a dramatic match, swept by Nebraska 25-20, 27-25, and 25-23.  Maggie Griffin set the entire way.  Rachel Schwartz and Dani Busboom played particularly well in the back row in a complete team effort-- another milestone in the development of this team.  This Monday afternoon brings more temples.  Tomorrow a rematch with the Bayi Pro Team and a train ride to Shanghai.