THERE are a few Portuguese phrases that Wilfred Navalta has picked up over the past years from his numerous Brazilian players. The one he uses the most is "Muito obrigado." (Thank you very much). International talent has
raised level of volleyballThe coach of the Brigham Young-Hawaii women's volleyball team owes part of his phenomenal success to his foreign athletes. The Seasiders take a 60-match win streak into the Stan Sheriff Center tonight against Hawaii riding the arm swings of Arlete Silva and Vanessa Valansi, and the hands of setter Juliana Lima.
All are from Brazil. All were seasoned players with international experience before they stepped onto the Laie campus.
All are very good.
There are serious questions being peppered around the national volleyball community concerning teams like BYU-Hawaii. Questions such as, "Is it fair?" "Should the number of foreign athletes be limited?" "Shouldn't the sport developed in the U.S. over a century ago be dominated by U.S. players?"
You have to admit, bringing in tested talent can be a quick fix. Just ask Tita Ahuna, whose Hawaii Pacific team is a serious contender for the national title -- along with BYU-Hawaii -- in the two schools' first season at the NCAA Division II level.
The Sea Warriors are ranked third nationally, with their only two losses to the top-ranked intra-island rival Seasiders. New to HPU's roster this season are Hai Yan Wang (China) and Debbie Sant'Anna (Brazil), both in the running for the ironically named award of All-American.
THE sport has changed in the past 20 years. Gone are the days when a Hawaii team could win a national championship with strictly home-grown talent.
I feel sorry for Hawaii-Hilo. Coach Sharon Peterson put the islands on the small-college map with six titles from 1979-84 using mostly local players and has tried to continue that philosophy.
The Vulcans, the defending conference champions, snuck into this week's Pacific West Tournament with a 13-16 record. Half of their losses came to BYU-Hawaii and HPU.
The move from the NAIA to NCAA Division II was also a step up in academic standards. It has changed the recruiting landscape. Some very talented athletes are no longer able to stay at home and play because they can't get into school here.
Dave Shoji hasn't gone overboard at Manoa, but there have been several impact players that have worn the Wahine uniform: Gunnvor Aase, Anna Vorwerk, Malin Fransson.
Where would Hawaii have been without Angelica Ljungquist? Certainly not in Cleveland playing for the 1996 national title.
WITH the number of volleyball scholarships available to women and the number of schools playing the sport, there shouldn't be complaints if foreign athletes show up on the rosters. Isn't the point of it all to be able to compete at the highest level?
At the men's level it's another story with only 4.5 scholarships allowed per team. A number of coaches complain that foreign athletes are taking away opportunities from American players.
The solution is not to limit foreign participation. The solution is to change the American system.
Convince the NCAA to add more men's volleyball scholarships. Convince schools to add men's volleyball.
Convince USA Volleyball to develop the same types of programs that have turned countries such as Brazil, Cuba and Italy into world powers. Develop the junior program so that U.S. players are getting the same type of international experience and exposure that foreign players bring to the American collegiate game.
At some point, the U.S. college coaches have to stop asking to lower the bar. Why fear raising the quality of sport by putting more than just English on the ball.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.