USA Men’s Volleyball Seasoned Player Reveals the Rollercoaster of ‘Sacrifices’ Every Athlete Endures for the Love of the Game

The life of an athlete is not without its ups and downs. They must brave injuries, grueling training sessions, and intense competition in order to pursue their passion for the game. While it is definitely tough on the minds and bodies of these athletes, they happily lose blood and sweat to reach the pinnacle of their craft.

Every athlete willingly makes these sacrifices on the altar of their aspirations. Now, veteran volleyball sensation Matt Anderson has painted an accurate picture of these sacrifices in his sport, setting the price of success too high.

Matt Anderson details the sacrifices in volleyball

The US volleyball team has recently had an exemplary season with on-and-on victories in the Pan American Cup. Therefore, the team has once again come under the radar of the media, especially after winning the ticket to the Olympics Qualifier meet. The American volleyball legend accepted NBC Sports’ request for an in-depth interview. During this correspondence, the NBC Sports representative asked him to talk about “the sacrifices you make as volleyball players in preparation for your sport.”

In response, the 36-year-old New York native compared his sport to the NFL. He said that the football stars have the preseason games and then the regular season games. If they do not qualify for the Super Bowl or the Pro Bowl, their off-season starts in February. Thus, football legends have ample time to spend with their families and fulfill other commitments outside of sports.

However, it is a totally different scene when it comes to volleyball. Matt Anderson explained, “Volleyball is constant, it’s always there. It takes away time from family, it takes away time from friends. You don’t go to your friend’s weddings, you don’t go to birthday parties….” Players have also had to miss funerals because they clashed with their matches that are pretty much regular throughout the year.

The year-round volleyball grind

Matt Anderson shined the spotlight on the demanding nature of the year-round volleyball schedule. He said, “We go from September to May with our professional seasons”. From May, the players start working with the national team and this goes on till September. During this time, they must compete in the international competition to maintain and elevate their world rankings. This rank is crucial for qualifying for the Olympic Games.

Read More: USA Men’s Volleyball Team’s 22-Year-Old Superstar Unveils the “Biggest Contributor” Fueling Their Pan Am Cup Final Six Glory

The training in an Olympic year lasts for 48 to 49 weeks, out of which about 2 weeks are earmarked for time-offs. However, a player cannot demand the whole 2 weeks off at a stretch; instead, he must spread it throughout the training period. In the Champion League season, the number of days off is further curtailed. Matt Anderson is finding it hard to keep up with this grind, saying, “as I get older, I’m getting in earlier and staying later”. Therefore, he has made the hard decision to retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now that you know what goes into becoming an elite athlete, would you still want it? Comment with your answers below.

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