They deserve all the love and the respect in the world.
No one thought they’d reach the Final 4 of the 2013 European Champs but they showed and played with so much heart that they made what others thought was impossible become possible.
A real Volleyball fever is spreading around in Belgium after the “Yellow Tigers” returned home from Berlin where they made history by striking bronze at the 2013 Women’s EuroVolley. Three TV crews were waiting for the players at Zavendem airport and the “Yellow Tigers” fan club doubled its members in only five days! Their amazing run at Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin was by far the “hottest” topic also on Facebook and all social media. On Monday night the players will attend another TV show and countless articles have appeared on daily newspapers and magazines. Just to add some more figures, only two journalists had travelled with the team to Zurich for the prelims but 11 showed up for semis and finals in Berlin.
“Did we expect to get bronze after we lost that dramatic semi-final to Germany? Well, I would rather say that we were incredibly hungry for a medal” Belgian mentor Gert Vande Broek says. “We really wanted to crown the great performances we had showed since the start of the tournament with another great result. Of course, when it comes to a tie-break, you have to be a little lucky to bring it home. We did win against France and lost to Germany in the fifth set but eventually it worked just fine with Serbia. What really matters the most is that we have written history for Volleyball in Belgium. In the end, this bronze medal makes the difference because at any Championship only the top three count”.
“I think that this group can still develop and improve” adds Lise Van Hecke who received the award for the Best Scorer of the Championship and registered 35 points in the bronze medal game with Serbia. “We did not expect to achieve this but if we continue to work, stick together and make the necessary steps, I am sure that more is to come. Our next goal is to qualify for the 2014 World Championships via the third round coming up in January. However, I am already going to pack my stuff and go back to Italy where I hope a very warm welcome will be waiting for me. This season I will be playing for Rebecchi Nordmeccanica PIACENZA, Italy’s reigning champions, and our schedule also includes the participation in the CEV Volleyball Champions League”.
Which are the secrets for this success? “Our motivation and resilience. I think that our real strength is that we work all together, we share the same goals and support one another. There is no room for jealousy or whatsoever” Van Hecke stresses. “All players were ready and willing to fight until the end. We help each other and the atmosphere in the group is just great”.
(images: cev.lu)
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