Hello, Welcome to my first blog.

If you havent noticed on the FIVB website the Olympic Qualification Ranking have now been listed
Provisional Olympic Ranking Women 2008
Provisional Olympic Ranking Men 2008

I remember when we, Monique Oliver and I, were trying for Sydney games and this ranking was a well visited site by friends and family and I am wondering how the freinds and family of Denise Johns and Lucy Boulton are feeling right now?

Probably not that confident after all the expectations of 2006 when they qualified 2 out of 3 times at the end of the FIVB season, with Lucy winning votes for Rookie of the Year and with her fastest recoreded serve at the Thaliand FIVB things were looking great.

When you look at the results this year, you may be feeling a little dubious of their chances, with a 17th from the Wild Card and two 25th's from making the main draw not by qualifying but with the extremely lucky loosers (They dont play for that position as we used to but it gets drawn out! when a team pulls out from the main draw.) At one event we played three or four extra games for the lucky loosers spot in Japan to not qualify but I think todays National Team coaches would like them to be getting that much more game practice in!

Anyway not to be the bearer of bad tidings, looking back at where we were in the same place in our Olympic bid, although we didnt qualify we only missed out by one place, they are in fact in a similar position, we had qualified twice with a 17th in Portugal and a 25th in Brazil. We had totally bummed out of the European Championships after a really bad loss to a very young Dutch team and were hardly speaking.

I had taken the decision to move to LA that winter to train for the coming season but we had no sponsors, no National Team funding, I had a huge visa card bill for both our flights, no coach and just the love of the game keeping me going.

It may sound trite 'the love of the game' but I am sure thats probably whats lacking right now and that is what I know they had back in 2006. The difficuly for them and the GBR teams is the lack of Grand Slam events they are able to play in or qualify for.These events are crucial and without them a bottom feeder team with four Grand Slam 25th's are in a much better position.

However a few 17th's to get more points at the start of the season and being in a good, positive, aggressive place when all the top teams decide they have enough points to qualify just before the Olympics and they could get the scoop that potentially is possible.

Are they feeling the pressure? It the weight of expectation too much? Well I guess it's the world of elite level sports if they are. I sincerely hope they are starting to feel comfotable in this place and are rising to the challenge this winter. Seeing the way Boultz got ready for the windy final at Brigton I dont know? Those who know me will tell you I had issues with the warm up preparation..She's welcome to kick my sorry old arse anyday but its those above her who she should be preparing for when she gets a chance to compete not who she is playing now but who she wants to play and eventually beat.

Denise and Lucy Interview for BBC Sport from Brighton

Good luck girls and boys (another story) It's never too late and lets hope you are the great Olympic Hope for the BVF and the BOA.















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