Bowling Green State University Athletics
National Sitting Volleyball Team Coming To BGSU
June 11, 2004 | Volleyball
June 11, 2004
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The USA Women's National Sitting Volleyball Team, coached by Mike Hulett and assisted by BGSU head volleyball coach Denise Van De Walle, is coming to Bowling Green from June 16-19. Nine of the 13-member team will be training, with all practices open to the public. An autograph session is scheduled on Saturday, June 19, after practice. Wednesday and Thursday's events will take place at the Perry Field House, with Friday and Saturday's activities to take place at Bowling Green High School.
Practice Schedule (all times p.m. unless noted)On Saturday afternoon, the National Sitting Team will take on all comers from 3:30-5:00.
Wednesday, June 16 - 3:00-5:00 (Field House) Thursday, June 17 - 9:30 a.m.-12 and 2:30-5:00 (Field House) Friday, June 18 - 11:00 a.m.-1:30 and 3:00-6:00 (BG High School) Saturday, June 19 - 9:00 a.m.-12:00 and 2:00-5:00 (BG High School)
"I'm really excited to bring the team into BG," said Van De Walle. "I'm anxious for everyone here to see the sitting game so that they have an idea just how fast paced and powerful it can be. It's a great opportunity for the Bowling Green community to see and meet these Paralympic players. I know the team is really excited to come here and train. I hope that a lot of people will come over to see us. I know they'll be amazed at what they see."
The team qualified for the Paralympics in Greece by capturing the Gold medal at the Para Pan-American games over Brazil in Argentina this past December. This will be the first time for sitting volleyball for women in the Paralympics. The countries that have qualified for Athens are the USA, Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia, China, and the Ukraine.
Sitting volleyball is played with the athletes sitting on the floor. All team members have some type of disability to their body, (i.e. a single- or double-amputation, upper or lower body...most are lower.) The net is 41inches high and the court is 10 meters by 6 meters with a 2-meter attack line. The only major differences between the standing game and sitting game besides the smaller court and lower net are: 1) players can block the serve; and 2) one "cheek" must be in contact with the floor when a person hits/attacks/blocks the ball.
