Meet and Greet: GVK Elit

With every season comes an opportunity for club organizations to revisit their past and identify areas that need more attention, areas that were successful, and others that need improvement. Most of the teams competing in the Swedish Elite Series search outside of their borders for their key players; however with the future rule-change set to occur at the start of the 2015 season, which limits teams to just two international players in their starting six, Gislaved Volleyboll Klubb is realigning their focus. GVK prides themselves on their youth development program and, as is such, the club has decided to invest on their local talents, with hopes of developing throughout the season both individually and as a team.

Many of my teammates in GVK grew up in this club, joining the Elite Series team as they graduated from the local high school. They are the heart and soul of GVK, and constant reminders for our youth teams of what they can achieve through hard-work, commitment, and dedication to the sport. A few other players were selected to study at RIG Falköping, the National Sports High School. These players have competed alongside the best in Sweden from their respective age groups, gaining specialized technical training in a highly competitive environment.

I'm very excited to be joining this great group of players, and cannot wait for the start of our season. Our season opens in Gislaved on Thursday against KFUM Göteborg.

Our Middles:

#1 - Stina, spent the last 3 years at RIG Falköping, new to GVK Elit this season

#7 - Jollan, played for GVK Elit the past two seasons, originally from Svedala

#9 - Lisa, played for GVK Elit since 2010, graduated from RIG

Middles: Stina, Lisa, Jollan

Our Setters & Liberos:

#2 - Mikaela, played for GVK Elit since 2010
#8 - Amanda, played for GVK Elit since 2010
#12 - Elin, member of the GVK Superettan team, training with the Elit team this year
#16 - Jessica, played for GVK Elit in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons, rejoined this year

Setters (blue) & Liberos (red): Mikaela, Amanda, Jessica, Elin

 Pin Hitters:

#5 - Lina, moved up to GVK Elit this season from GVK Superettan

#6 - Meghan, returning from graduate school, previously with Ljungby VBK in 2011-12

#10 - Mathilda, played for GVK Elit since 2012

#11 - Sanna, joined GVK Elite this year, previously with KFUM Göteborg, graduated from RIG

#14 - Emma, played for GVK Elit 2010-2012, rejoined for the 2013 season, graduated from RIG

Pin Hitters: Sanna, Emma, Lina, Mathilda, and me 

Knallecuppen Pre-Season Tournament

This past weekend, Gislaveds VBK sent both their Elit and Superettan teams to compete at one of Sweden's largest international tournaments, Knallecuppen. The tournament hosts women's and men's teams participating in the Elite and Division 1 levels of their respective countries, and provides teams with two-days of competition. The Damer Elit (Women's Elite) division hosted seven teams: four of which are active in the Swedish Elite Series. Teams were broken into two pools for round-robin group-play; the first place team of each pool automatically advanced to the semifinals, while second- and third-place finishers would play one another in two quarterfinal matches.

SATURDAY

Our day started off with an 8:00am departure from Gisle Sportshall, driving 55 minutes northwest to the tournament's host city of Borås. Dick had told us at Friday's practice that there were no outcome expectations, that we should instead focus on personal goals in every match, using this weekend as an opportunity to practice and train our skills in live-match situations. Each player was given 2-3 goals that they should carry with them in the tournament, and we were told that, as a team, winning would come as we achieved those goals. Dick is very passionate about the mental game, and helps to remind us that we play volleyball because we love it and enjoy the game. You can fake having fun, but until it is genuine, you won't truly be happy.

Gislaveds VBK-Koll Volley (Oslo, Norway): 27-25, 25-18

Our first match of any tournament is always a challenge. Off to a shaky start in the match, we fought hard to come from behind and managed a close first-set victory. We recovered stronger in set two, gaining control and momentum throughout, allowing us to play more aggressively and secure the win.

Gislaveds VBK-Amager VK (Copenhagen, Denmark): 25-19, 25-22

We managed ourselves much better than our first match, allowing Dick to test out a few changes in our lineup. After a solid set-one, Dick challenged us with a 6-2 offense, which is very rare in international volleyball due to limits on substitutions (here, we only have 6 total per set, with no re-entry; meaning you can sub in/out once and that's it!). We struggled to find a new rhythm with the change and were a bit unorganized at times, but managed to pull out the win. 

Gislaveds VBK-KFUM Göteborgs VK: 25-19, 25-22

Whenever you play a regular-season opponent in pre-season or a friendly-match, an internal switch gets turned on and you know it's "go-time", but this was an extra-special match for Sanna, as she had played with them for the past two years in the elite series before returning back to Gislaved (her home club). Dick also gave a few players new goals for this match, as we had already guaranteed our position in the tournament playoffs. Despite Göteborg not having a "real" setter (as their had recently been injured) they fought hard, and kept us on our toes throughout the match.

L to R: Mikaela (2), Sanna (11), me (13), Jollan (7), Emma (14), Lisa (9)

SUNDAY

Thanks to Daniel, we were able to get a little later start, leaving Gisle Sportshall at 9:00am for our first referee assignment of the day at 10:20. We played the winner of Koll Volley - Team Köge; again facing Koll Volley in the semifinals. Again, Dick reminded us to continue focusing on our individual goals rather than the results. As we approached the match, everyone's spirits started lifting and the energy was contagious.

Semifinals: Gislaveds VBK-Koll Volley: 25-14, 25-20

After a convincing first-set victory, you could feel the atmosphere change and relaxation set in, typical of a young team, I am the second-oldest at 25, with many new faces. It's fair to say that we were already looking past this match, on to the finals where we would meet Elit Serien foe and reigning champion Hylte/Halmstad. 

Finals: Gislaveds VBK-Hylte/Halmstad: 20-25, 10-25

In learning that we had won the coin toss for serve, I jokingly began chanting "first ace! first ace! first ace!" and when Lisa made not just one, but TWO aces to start the match, our team erupted in cheers and laughter. We continued on a 4-point run before H/H was able to get their first sideout. We continued back-and-forth throughout the set, but when one of their own servers went on a run, H/H took the lead, from which we never truly recovered. Despite our never-quit attitude and aggressive play throughout set one, we were unable to gain any momentum during the second, and final, set of the match. Our serve receivers had finally found their rhythm and were playing their most consistent of the tournament, but we followed many great passes with unforced errors. 

We concluded the tournament with a 4-1 record, taking home the silver trophy. Although we didn't end on a high note, there were a lot of individual improvements, which should be counted as the great successes they are. Each match provided us with some new areas of focus for practice, and gave many players much-needed confidence. Beyond the court, I think this tournament was a great opportunity for our team to hang out, and become closer friends. There are a lot of unique personalities on this team, most of which become enhanced and complimented by one another. This will probably be one of my most fun seasons of my career, and I could not ask for a better group of weirdos to share it with. 12-1.

Back row L to R: Lisa, Mikaela, Lina, Sanna, Mathilda
Kneeling L to R: Jollan, Emma, Stina, me
Front L to R: Amanda, Jessica

My Summer in a Nutshell

A lot has happened for me this summer: I was home in America for 5 weeks, during which time I revisited my alma mater for the first time in over 2 years and was wowed by the renovations of the Bob Martinez Sports Center and various other improvements around the University of Tampa's campus. I met my sister's boyfriend (finally). I received confirmation that my work-visa for the 2014-15 volleyball season was approved by the Swedish Immigration Board. I was able to spend a lot of time with my dad's mother who, on July 2nd, passed away peacefully after a third battle with cancer.

Showing Grandma pictures of my new home in Gislaved (Kadie got to visit, too!)

Most importantly, I was able to share with my parents and sister a piece of my life in Sweden. I cannot express exactly how it is that I have become to appreciate this new country and all of the opportunities it has afforded me, but I am lucky to have a family that is supportive of my choice to relocate across the pond.

Family tour around Ljungby, Daniel's hometown

My family came to spend a week in Sweden, and although it started a bit rocky, we were all able to enjoy our time together. From Copenhagen (Denmark) to Ljungby, up to Göteborg, and finally a visit to my new home in Gislaved, we journeyed around south-central Sweden. My parents celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary during our day-trip to Göteborg, met Daniel's parents, brother, and sister, as well as his nieces and nephews. It's always an exciting time when your family meets that of your significant other. Even more-so when the two parties don't speak the native language of one another. Regardless, they made it work, and it was much less stressful than Daniel and I had imagined.

Celebrating my parent's 26th anniversary in Göteborg

Left to Right: Barbro & Kurt Magnusson, CJ & Bill Sherman

Seasons Endings

Since my arrival to Sweden, I have been given the unique opportunity to assist Daniel as a volunteer coach with Ljungby Volleyboll Klubb in the second-half of their season, where they would play in the Vårtvåan South-West. The bottom two teams would move down to Division 2, and the top four teams would remain in Division I. The first-half of the season, Ljungby struggled to compete against their Division 1 South opponents, taking only two sets of their eight total matches.

Initially, progress was slow, but steady, and as the weeks rolled on, the athletes' improvements became more and more evident to the few fans we had. Practices often started sluggish, but by increasing the demands and pace of the drills, we were able to get a lot accomplished. The girls' skills and expectations of themselves increased every month as well. Initially, the team was satisfied with a single-set victory, which they had achieved two additional times in January's matches against VK Veddige (16-25, 25-17, 9-25, 20-25) and Eneryda Nsf (19-25, 19-25, 25-21, 18-25). By February, winning one set was no longer enough. After 5 weeks of focused practices and dedication, they were able to secure their first 5-set match, falling to Tuve VK 21-25, 25-23, 25-23, 19-25, 16-18. Despite the loss, the girls, parents, and club were rejuvenated, feeling as though their commitment to the team had begun to pay off. It was big step in the right direction, but still, we wanted more.

One month later, Ljungby faced Eneryda Nsf on their home court, and pulled off their first and only win of the season: 25-21, 10-25, 25-15, 25-14. This match also marked the first time Ljungby had been victorious in the first set of a match this year. Mentally, the girls had overcome the fears, doubts, and worries they had been plagued with since the club's decision to have this former U17 team as the new LVBK A-team competing in Division I. They initially met this challenge with hesitation and uncertainty, but with their newfound success, their confidence was growing. It was a turning point in the season.

Although we qualified down to Division 2 for the next season in a tough 4-set loss against Tuve (26-24, 26-28, 23-25, 13-25), Ljungby continued to impress spectators and opponents alike. Our final match was against nearby rival Gislaved. Again, we experienced another nail-biting 5-set match: 20-25, 25-21, 25-19, 21-25, 12-15. With loss comes disappointment, yet the players were happy with all they had accomplished in this season. Each player had stepped up to the task in front of them, and left all they had on the court. It is a great day in athletics to see such a vast improvement in this short amount of time. I am so glad to have had this opportunity to help make a difference in this team. I cannot have imagined a better and more inspiring group of athletes to coach. Each day coming to the gym, they were eager and willing to learn. They challenged me to create technical but fun drills. I cannot express my thanks to the club for welcoming me back into their organization. I hope that I can continue to give back to the sport of volleyball. Until next season...

How-To: Look Like a Swede

Tall. Slender body. Blonde. Blue-eyed. Flawless skin. High cheek bones. That is the image that many have when they picture a Swede. Don't get me wrong, the media has provided many prime candidates to prove this true: Malin Åkerman of Couples Retreat, Alexander Skarsgård of True Blood, musician/DJ Avicii, and Tiger Woods' ex-wife Elin Nordegren.

Malin Åkerman

Alexander Skarsgård

Avicii

Elin Nordegren

Take, for example, this photo-collage of when I played in Sweden during the 2011-2012 season. All blondes with blue-eyes...

Pictured left to right: Emma and Sofie, me and Jo (both American), Malin, and Lisa.

Although many of the Swedes I have met DO, in fact, have eyes and hair on the lighter side, blonde hair and blue eyes are not a Swedish guarantee. Despite having a population of 9.64 million people, there are a vast amount of foreign-born immigrants, which causes a mixture of physical traits. Sweden does not base demographics on ethnicity, thus making exact numbers difficult, however national backgrounds are recorded and show that 14% of Swedish residents are foreign-born. The top ten foreign-born groups hail from:

1. Finland
2. Iraq
3. Poland
4. Former Yugoslavia
5. Iran
6. Bosnia and Herzegovinia
7. Germany
8. Turkey
9. Denmark
10. Somalia

Such influx of immigrants has been a major source of population growth and cultural diversity throughout Swedish history. 

To maintain the Swedish figure, many adhere to their native "Nordic diet" in which they consume local, seasonal vegetables, fatty fish (rich in Omega 3's) and often participate in regular exercise. Genetics will play a strong role is your body-type, and as in any first-world country, abundant food options can allow for consumers to fall victim of over-eating. Depending which side of the food-spectrum you choose to participate, your body shape will likely follow.

I have also noticed that Sweden makes staying active an easy part of everyday life, thus promoting the Swedish slender figure. Most cities and towns have bike and walking paths that makes getting around safe and easy for all ages. People are much more likely to ride their bike to and from school or work than they are to drive; not only giving them an outdoor exercise, but also keeping down on the overall pollution. Many people will also participate in some sport, hiking/skiing, or just going to the gym.

Town map of Ljungby

Of course, as the seasons change, so do the activities in which the locals will participate. In the summer, you can find Swedes hanging out near any body of water they can find, enjoying barbecues, tanning, golfing, beach volleyball, and soccer. As winter approaches, people turn to skiing, hiking, and hockey. Whatever the weather, Swedes will find some way to get outdoors, even if for a short time.

Ljungby by the Numbers

I recently reconnected with a middle school church friend, with whom I have stayed in rather loose contact with since my family's move from Birmingham to the St. Augustine area. She has since relocated with her husband - which is very weird to say - to South Korea, while I am now living with my boyfriend in Sweden. Despite an 8-hour time difference, we were able to chat for a while on Skype and decided that we needed to learn a bit more about our respective "home towns". Thus the idea to generate a "City by the Numbers" blog, intended to provide our readers, each other, and ourselves with a bit more knowledge. I give you: 

Ljungby by the Numbers.

The Kingdom of Sweden is the 55th largest country in the world with 9.64 million inhabitants. For an American perspective, this country is slightly larger than the state of California, with a population more similar to that of North Carolina. On average, Swedes live to be about 81.3 years, with 87% of adults age 25-65 with a high school degree. The country has an average household income of $26,242 per year; while working just 1,644 hours per year.

Geographically, the country is divided into 3 landsdelar (areas of the country), from north to south. These areas are non-functioning, with their main purposes being that of weather-reports tailored best for the region in which you live.

1. Norrland - "Northlands", 60% of Sweden, with only 1.15 million inhabitants, best known for it's natural wilderness 
2. Svealand - "Sweden Proper", the original Sweden with 3.53 million inhabitants
3. Götaland - "Land of the Goths", the most densely populated at 4.35 million inhabitants within deep forests and farmland 

Culturally, Sweden has twenty-five landskap (provinces), as shown on the colored map. These are meant to preserve historical legacies and allow for cultural identification. I live in Småland ("Small Lands"), alongside 720,358 others. This province is full of forests, lakes and bogs, with mostly barren land.

Politically, Sweden is divided into twenty-one län (counties), in which there is an elected governor and county administrative board to oversee various domestic needs, such as health care, and ensure that the county develops in line with national goals. The governor is appointed every six-years, and assisted by an elected city council. Each county is further divided into kommunes (municipalities), with their own representative in the county council, elected every four-years.

Sweden has 290 kommunes, each with a city council with the responsibilities of managaging facilities and services including housing, roads, water supply and waste-water processing, schools, public welfare, elderly care and childcare. 

Kronobergs Län, where I live, is located within the heart of Småland and has eight kommunes:

1. Älmhult Kommune pop: 15,640
2. Alvesta Kommune pop: 18,766
3. Lessebo Kommune pop: 8,161
4. Ljungby Kommune pop: 27,365
5. Markaryd Kommune pop: 9,608
6. Tingsryd Kommune pop: 12,290
7. Uppvidinge Kommune pop: 9,291
8. Växjö Kommune pop: 82,180

Finally, Ljungby Kommune is comprised of eight urban areas, or localities:

1. Ljungby pop: 15,205
2. Lagan pop: 1,751
3. Ryssby pop: 689
4. Lidhult pop: 635
5. Kånna pop: 365
6. Vittaryd pop: 306
7. Angelstad pop: 276
8. Agunnaryd pop: 215

This has provided me with far more numerical information than I had ever expected, and opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of new blogs that can easily be stemmed from my current research. Although many of you have little, if any desire, to read this, for those of you that HAVE done so, I express much gratitude. Until next time...

IKEA - a Swedish Design

IKEA is the best and worst thing that has happened to me in Sweden. It is a store with endless opportunities of ways to recreate your kitchen, bedroom, foyer, dining room, living room, or bathroom with their ready-to-assemble furniture items. You can physically insert yourself into any of their display rooms and generate an imaginary life for yourself. Did I mention they also have a restaurant? Check out this scene from 500 Days of Summer for an inside look:

Luckily for me, the first-ever IKEA store was founded in Ämhult, a mere 43 minute drive from my new hometown of Ljungby. Rumor has it that Ingvar Kamprad, the 17-year-old founder of IKEA wanted to open the store in Ljungby - as he is from a small village just outside of the city, but was turned down as Ljungby already had a "similar" furniture store. Talk about your missed opportunity.

Daniel and I purchased a dresser, bathroom cabinet, bar-chair, small bedside table, and ceiling lamp for a grand total of $253.96. Upon departure with all of our new goodies, we were overly satisfied with our economical efficiency. So many great purchases for a fairly low price, and items we could keep and use for years. Then we had to assemble the pieces. There is no language in the world, except perhaps hieroglyphs that can help prepare you for and IKEA instruction manual:

The sheer frustration of this seemingly impossible task was breaking us. We managed to assemble the chair and the ceiling light unscathed, but the bathroom shelving unit was a real jerk. It seemed best for our relationship to call it quits after our 4th failed attempt to straighten the door of the cabinet. The next day, we awoke refreshed, and ready for our final piece: the dresser. A few minor hiccups kept us busy for the entire day, taking small fika breaks here and there to ward off any tension that may be bubbling under the surface. 

Dressers in our bedroom: both from IKEA

Bathroom cabinet

It's fair to say that IKEA brings more to the home than just the ability to create the perfect image of your dream bedroom or kitchen; IKEA helps solidify relationships. If you can make it through the carrying-boxed-items-up-the-stairs + the what's-the-word-for-Phillips-head-screwdriver-in-Swedish + Meghan-can't-read-pictorial-instructions, then your relationship is bound to last. Thank you, IKEA.