University of Houston Athletics
Brazilians Add Spice To Cougar Volleyball
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2004
For three athletes on the Cougar women's volleyball team, life in the sport began by playing with brothers and neighbors either in a backyard or on the streets of Brazil.
With few places available to play on a hard court, seniors Cinthia Piva, Mirela Vasconcellos and junior Kariny Ritter honed their skills playing wherever and whenever the opportunity arrived.
"I played a lot of backyard games where I was the only girl," said Vasconcellos. "I just played for fun and people would say, `hey, come play for us' and I'd be like `okay'."
For most girls in Brazil, volleyball is the sports of choice while the boys play soccer. However, the chances for a girl to play on a court in an organized league are few and far between.
"If you are not a really good player you would not get a chance to play on a club team," said Piva. "You basically practice a lot and hope to get on a club team or else you just play with your friends."
"It is more competitive in Brazil," said Vasconcellos. "We played for a chance to be on the court because there were not very many groups you could play with, so you had to be good to get on the court and play."
To be one of the best, the girls focused entirely on the sport of volleyball. Two practices per day, five days a week, since the time they were 10-14 years old is what was required to be good enough to earn playing time.
 Junior-transfer Kariny Ritter, of Porto Alegre, Brazil, attacks the ball against Maryland.  | |
Now that hard work has paid off for the trio as they enter the 2004 season as teammates thousands of miles from home at the University of Houston, but they are not alone.
First year assistant coach Gabriella (Gabi) Carbone is a former Cougar and a native of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, having her on the staff helps to erase the communication barrier that sometimes may exist.
"Being Brazilian helps from a coaching standpoint when I can explain to them what it is they need to do in Portuguese if they are having trouble understanding (head coach Bill Walton)," said Carbone.
Having Brazilian players on the team is an asset to the Cougars says Carbone. "The Brazilians play only one sport and become specialized in that sport," she said. "That makes some of the things you have to do in volleyball more natural because the girls have always been playing that sport."
Off the court the girls have become close to one another as much for their customs and food as for the experiences they have shared.
"Sometimes if you get homesick you can talk to each other about it and know that they have gone through the same thing you are feeling," said Ritter.
With the 2004 season underway, the girls are ready to play and hope they will be able to make an impact on the team with no regrets for having left their home and family to come to Houston to play for the Cougars.
"I am sure I chose the right place to come and want to look ahead to this season and work hard so that I can do my best to finish good," said Piva.
