For the Netherlands' Brouwer and Meeuwsen, it's all or nothing

For the Netherlands' Brouwer and Meeuwsen, it's all or nothing

They’re strategy was, simply, to dream on, because what else could they really do?

Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen had no prior experience to call upon in the 2013 World Championships. The young Dutchmen had never made it further than the quarterfinals in an FIVB of any kind, let alone the biggest FIVB of the year.

Yet there they were, in the semifinals against Germany’s Kay Matysik and Jonathan Erdmann, a pair of Olympians. They were in the semifinals against the most unlikely of odds, navigating a gauntlet of a bracket that included Netherlands legend Reinder Nummerdor, to whom both would point as a source of inspiration the way Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith are to Americans. They toppled Austrians Cleens Doppler and Alexander Horst, stunned Brazilians Pedro Solberg and Bruno Schmidt in the quarterfinals – and now what?

“We just said to keep on dreaming,” said Meeuwsen, now 30 years old and the blocker of the two, on SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter.

So they dreamt, and they won, a 21-13, 21-17 pasting of the Germans, which preceded an equally dominant 21-18, 21-16 over Brazilian legend Ricardo and his young defender, Alvaro.

Against all odds, Brouwer and Meeuwsen, at just 23 and 25 years old, respectively, were the world champs.

“We got first at the World Championships,” Brouwer said. “But we were definitely not the No. 1 team in the world. Because the next weekend we got third.”

“You wish we got third,” Meeuwsen said, laughing. “We got fourth.”

“As soon as you realize it, your feet are back on the earth,” Brower said.

That win in Poland for the World Championships was their first career victory on the FIVB Tour.

It would also be, as Brouwer suggested, the last for quite some time.

It is difficult to imagine a tournament in which the Dutch are not a favorite to win or at least make a podium. Yet for nearly two years, their world championship victory seemed more a fluke than a harbinger of things to come. They played 11 tournaments in 2014 and made it to the quarterfinals just twice, finishing outside of the top 10 in nearly half, once falling as far to take a 25th.

Difficult conversations were had. The topic of switching partners, no small ordeal in a country of just 17 million and what Brouwer estimates to be 150,000 volleyball players, significantly less of which play beach, came up.

Brouwer had previously played with up-and-coming basher Christian Vaarenhorst. At 6-foot-10, with a booming jump serve and a vicious swing, Meeuwsen’s options wouldn’t be limited.

“2014 was a difficult year for us,” Brouwer said. “Bad results and then after that season you come to a point where you think of the options you have. But I think for us both that we both made the decision to stick together and to work on improving things and get better as a team instead of choosing the easy way and switching partners.

“I really like this challenge that even when you have those moments where you feel like ‘Shit this is really bad’ and you can face it not as a challenge but just as a problem and you work on it and you come out stronger.”

Stronger. Physically. Mentally. As individuals. As a team.

In the first tournament of the 2015 season they were back in the finals. Then they were back again a month later. A month after that, in Porec, they were back again, this time beating Canadians Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter for the gold, their first since winning the 2013 World Championships.

In the span of three tournaments they had completely altered the narrative, from a physical team with a high ceiling but little results to show for it to a bona fide power, one of the best in the world.

In 2016 they added another title to their names: Olympians. Better yet: Olympic medalists, beating Russia in the bronze medal match after losing a thrilling three-setter to eventual gold medalists Alison and Bruno in the semifinals.

“The only two moments beach volleyball is really broadcasted in the Netherlands were the World Championships in 2015 and the Olympic Games,” Brouwer said. “That’s where we have to shine and have our moment as a sport.”

They had their moment. They have lots of moments. This week, in Huntington Beach, could be another. Their focus has shifted from simply playing well in tournaments to winning them. This year, they’ve already won two.

“Usually of course before the start of every season we make our new goals and that’s been a big change,” Meeuwsen said. “Before we were always talking about making semifinals and wanting to get medals. In 2015 and ‘16 we were able to do that quite often and we were happy with that result but in that moment, you think ‘Ok, we made it this far but now it’s more about getting those gold medals more often’ and we know that’s a really tough thing but our goal for Tokyo is to win a gold medal. In order to reach that you need to start winning more tournaments and learning how to play with the mindset of ‘Ok, I’m playing this tournament to win. All or nothing.’”

Jaksot(480)

Women's Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview: USA With a Golden Chance in Paris

Women's Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview: USA With a Golden Chance in Paris

This women's Olympic beach volleyball preview is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149   ***   This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, is our women’s Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview, guest starring Brian Cook, a former professional indoor and beach player who is now the co-founder of TruVolley, diving deep into the analytical side of the game. On this episode, we chat about: Why USA Volleyball, with Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth and Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes, has an 80 percent chance to win a medal Why Nuss and Kloth are the heavy favorites to win gold, even bigger favorites than Ana Patricia Silva and Duda Lisboa What makes Nina Brunner and Tanja Huberli such an interesting team to watch through the Paris Olympic Games Why Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson are a value pick to win gold And a whole lot more. Absolute blast on this episode with Brian, who we hope to bring on a lot more. SHOOTS! *** Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST63. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

26 Heinä 202452min

Chase Budinger and Miles Evans: The USA Underdogs Who Shocked the Beach Volleyball World

Chase Budinger and Miles Evans: The USA Underdogs Who Shocked the Beach Volleyball World

This Olympic episode is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149 *** This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features Chase Budinger and Miles Evans. Entering this Olympic qualifying period fifth on the USA Volleyball roster, Budinger and Evans sprinted up the ranks, punching their ticket to the Paris Olympic Games and becoming one of the most intriguing storylines in Paris. On this episode, we chat about: The importance of their first gold medal as a team at the Haikou Challenge of 2023 Why a NORCECA qualifier this past Spring was the event they believe truly decided the Olympic race The media frenzy that has ensued, and how even Budinger, with his NBA background, hasn’t experienced anything like this Their mindset and strategy heading into Paris And a whole lot more. Awesome episode with Budinger and Evans! SHOOTS! *** Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST63. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

24 Heinä 20241h 12min

Men's Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview: It's Sweden and Norway vs. The Field

Men's Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview: It's Sweden and Norway vs. The Field

This Olympic episode is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149 *** This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, is our Men’s Olympic Beach Volleyball Preview, guest starring Brian Cook, a former professional indoor and beach player who is now the co-founder of TruVolley, diving deep into the analytical side of the game. On this episode, we chat about: Why Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig have a 40 percent shot at winning a gold medal Anders Mol and Christian Sorum are…underdogs? Wild to think about. What are the odds of a USA medal, between Andy Benesh and Miles Partain, and Chase Budinger and Miles Evans? Why Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot are one of the most high-value underdogs in the Olympics And a whole lot more. Absolute blast on this episode with Brian, who we hope to bring on a lot more. SHOOTS! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST63. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

22 Heinä 202453min

Can the USA win back to back golds? Women's Olympic Indoor Volleyball Preview

Can the USA win back to back golds? Women's Olympic Indoor Volleyball Preview

This women's Olympic indoor volleyball preview is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149 *** We are breaking out all the stops for our coverage of the Paris Olympic Games, subbing out the Road to Paris for the Paris Pod, or the Olympic Outlook -- your choice! We're bringing in indoor volleyball expert Matt Prosser to break down the men's and women’s Olympic indoor volleyball preview. - How can the USA win back to back gold medals after winning their first in Tokyo in 2021? - Does Italy, the odds-on favorite, have what it takes to win gold? - Where do Turkey and Brazil stand in terms of likelihood to make the podium? - Does Poland have a Cinderella run in it? That and more, as the Olympic Games are less than two weeks away! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

19 Heinä 202427min

Zoe Verge-Depre and Esmee Bobner: Qualifying for the Paris Olympics by Doing it Their Own Way

Zoe Verge-Depre and Esmee Bobner: Qualifying for the Paris Olympics by Doing it Their Own Way

This Olympic episode is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149   *** This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features Zoe Verge-Depre and Esmee Bobner, one of the fastest rising teams in beach volleyball and Switzerland’s No. 2 team heading into the Paris Olympic Games. We recorded this episode with Kyle Friend as a co-host in Gstaad, home of Verge-Depre and Bobner and home to one of the most epic events on the volleyball calendar. We chat about: Their rapid rise up through the ranks and into the Olympic Games Why they never felt confident throughout the entire Olympic race What it was like for Zoe to race against her sister, Anouk Verge-Depre, for the final spot in Paris Why “doing you” even when it comes with making mistakes, is the best way to learn and grow on the Beach Pro Tour That, and so much more. Super fun chat with Zoe and Esmee! SHOOTS! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST63. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

17 Heinä 202440min

MEN'S OLYMPIC INDOOR VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW AND BETTING GUIDE: Can Anybody Stop Italy?

MEN'S OLYMPIC INDOOR VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW AND BETTING GUIDE: Can Anybody Stop Italy?

This men's Olympic indoor volleyball preview is sponsored by BetOnline! Finally we have a betting sponsor y'all! Use our specific link to sign up and SANDCAST gets a $70 bonus! https://www.betonline.ag/?btag=l2Q0kqrs0suk3WqdcAbDv2Nd7ZgqdRLk&affid=111149 *** We are breaking out all the stops for our coverage of the Paris Olympic Games, subbing out the Road to Paris for the Paris Pod, or the Olympic Outlook -- your choice! We're bringing in indoor volleyball expert Matt Prosser to break down the men's Olympic indoor volleyball preview. - Can anybody stop Italy? - Can France repeat as Olympic champs, riding the high of a VNL victory? - What does the United States need to do to get back on the podium and atone for the disastrous performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games? - Does Poland have a shot at winning gold at the Paris Olympics? That and more, as the Olympic Games are less than two weeks away! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

15 Heinä 202444min

George Wanderley: Brazil's Top Defender in Search of an Olympic Podium

George Wanderley: Brazil's Top Defender in Search of an Olympic Podium

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features George Wanderley, one of the best defenders in the world who will be competing in his first Olympic Games later this summer with Andre Loyola. George is the owner of two youth World Championships with Arthur Mariano, a World Championship bronze medal, and five medals in the 2024 season alone, tied for most in the world with Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig. Such a fun chat with George on his balcony in Gstaad, in which we cover: What it was like growing up around Ricardo Santos, Emanuel Rego, Alison Cerruti, Bruno Schmidt, and the other legends of the game Why he wishes more young talent hit World Tour earlier, as he did when he was just a teenager How he and Andre Loyola maximize their play on the court by being best friends (and literal best men) off of it His prime mental state prior to a match And so, so much more. Absolute blast with George! SHOOTS! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

10 Heinä 20241h 9min

Savvy Simo: Putting mental health at the forefront of professional sports

Savvy Simo: Putting mental health at the forefront of professional sports

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter features Savvy Simo. Long one of our co-hosts, Savvy is also a rising talent on the AVP Tour and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. And she's thriving in spite of going through regular panic attacks that, in her words, make her "feel like I'm going to die." Including on the court at the recent Stare Jablonki Challenge, where she didn't sleep and had a panic attack in the middle of a match. Incredible vulnerability from Sav on this one, on which we chat about: Why she feels like she’s playing her best beach volleyball this season Her history of panic attacks, and how she felt as if she “was going to die” at the Stare Jablonki Challenge Why she now views her perpetual anxiety as a superpower How she has managed her anxiety and panic attacks up to this point And so, so much more. Really, really good episode with Sav. SHOOTS! *** Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  We have a new book! Playbook of Champions: The habits, routines, and stories of Olympians, Champions, and world-class athletes. If you listen to the show – which, if you’re reading this, then you are – then this is the perfect book for you, as it is a distillation of the best golden nuggets from our first five years of the podcast. Check it out on Amazon! We now have SANDCAST MERCHANDISE!! Rock the gear of your favorite podcast today! https://www.sandcastmerch.com/ If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Check out our book, Volleyball for Milkshakes, written by SANDCAST hosts Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter: https://www.amazon.com/Volleyball-Milkshakes-Travis-Mewhirter/dp/B089781SHB

3 Heinä 20241h 27min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
aikalisa
rss-podme-livebox
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
otetaan-yhdet
linda-maria
rikosmyytit
the-ulkopolitist
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-sinivalkoinen-islam
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-pallo-keskelle-2
rss-mina-ukkola
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-merja-mahkan-rahat
rss-terveisia-seelannista
rss-tasta-on-kyse-ivan-puopolo-verkkouutiset