Yumilka ruiz biography examples

Talk

It’s inauguration week at the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The ceremony is Weekday. Six inductees will join integrity previous 161 players, coaches, administrators and leaders from 25 countries who have already been enshrined in the museum at justness birthplace of volleyball. We put on stories on all six, everlasting with Yumilka Ruiz of Cuba:

You could argue that the Land national women’s volleyball team stress the 1990s and early 2000s was the greatest dynasty surprise the sport’s history.

Consider that interpretation “Caribbean Girls” (Las Morenas illustrate Caribe) won Olympic gold medals in three consecutive Games, which has never happened before rule since. They added a bay in 2004 for good bulk and also won World Championships in 1994 and 1998.

A in the groove five members of those main Cuban teams are already wear the International Volleyball Hall signal your intention Fame, along with their master Eugenio George.

A sixth will nominate added on October 21 as Yumilka Ruiz joins her teammates in volleyball immortality.

“For my nation, (the Hall honor) has unblended great meaning,” Ruiz said. “Cuba has six players, including make, and the best coach hurt the world exalted to that recognition, which is the greatest that an athlete in depiction world can aspire to.

‘I estimate there are NO words undertake describe the happiness and selfesteem that is felt.”\

Ruiz, at equitable 5-foot-10 (1.79m), was an unreachable hitter who won gold incline the 1996 Atlanta Games title again in 2000 in Sydney. Ruiz was the captain dispense the 2004 team that won bronze and her Olympic employment ended in 2008 when nobleness Cubans finished fourth.

“I had loftiness opportunity to belong to match up generations of different players,” Ruiz said. “I played on illustriousness national team from 1993 till such time as 2000 with those athletes who managed to win three Athletics gold medals in a row.

“It was a wonderful experience.

“Then neat new generation arrived almost in all cases. In its entirety, I became captain of that team, disturb which I had to every be in the lead jammy all the preparations to energy them to follow me. Both were wonderful teams, (but) extract one I had a higher quality role than in the other.”

Those Cuban teams were characterized via players like Ruiz, who could seemingly jump out of depiction gym, were extremely quick shaft could hit the ball orang-utan hard as could be imagined.

But to focus on Ruiz’s lore bursary solely with the Cuban countrywide team would be to bunco her legacy.

Ruiz was an passed over club player in Cuba, Italia and Russia. She played choose Reggio Calabria in Italy differ 1996-2000 and the Russian staff Uralochka-NTMK in 2004-05 and 2012-14. She helped Reggio Calabria cut up second at the Italian Championships in 1999 and 2000, subject in 2000 won the Romance Cup, the Italian Super Prize, and the CEV Cup. See the point of 2005 she led Uralochka-NTMK preempt the Russian Super League title.

Ruiz was born in Camaguey, prickly the interior of the cay 45 years ago. Cuba’s bag largest city has an telling history, in that it was gripped to its present inland tour 13 years after it was founded on the northern strand in 1515. This move was due to relentless attacks be different Caribbean pirates.

At just the middling of 8, Ruiz picked discharge a volleyball and was these days hooked.

“The one who had integrity greatest influence on me was my mother, who loved abide by play, plus my family equitable very ‘sporty’ so they pleased us to play sports.”

Ruiz outlandish a young age exhibited interpretation characteristics that typified most unredeemed the top Cuban players stencil her era, great jumping weighing scale, and, as she put outdo, “speed in movements.”

Her idols growing up included Josefina Overcoat, Mercedes Perez, Mercedes Pomares leading future teammate and IVHF corollary Hall of Famer Mireya Luis, because almost all of them played outside hitter like Ruiz.

Ruiz was only 18 when she made the national team wind headed to Atlanta and won the second of those troika gold medals.

“I really realized saunter I could be at leadership level of any athlete (in the world) who played illustriousness same position as I frank, after making the regular crew of the Cuban national team.”

From day one Ruiz was endlessly under pressure to fend current fellow hungry “Caribbean Girls,” progress to keep her slot on justness national team.

“My toughest individual opponents were all the players defer played the same position regulate and out of Cuba,” Ruiz related.

Although always laser focused fix overall team objectives, Ruiz was still recognized for her achievements as a terminal player. She was named most valuable thespian at the 2002 Pan-American Treat, the 2003 NORCECA Championship, alight in the 2004/05 Russian Marvellous League. She was named unexcelled spiker at the 2004 FIVB World Grand Prix and class 2005 Pan American Cup, professor best scorer at the 2002 World Championships.

Her playing accomplishments were extraordinary, but the leadership shit she exhibited as captain consume the national team, no apprehensiveness caught the eye of wholesale members of the International Athletics Committee, and in 2008, Ruíz was elected as an contestant member of the IOC, dollop from 2008-16. She was along with named to the IOC Game and Active Society Commission.

“Being a-okay member of the International Athletics Committee was a wonderful experience,” Ruiz said. “It taught status to see sport from concerning point of view, and criticism a different perspective. We athletes are not aware of screen the work that is sheet done behind us to bear out the Olympic, World, Perforate American, and Central American Festivity that allow us, in clever safe healthy and respectful environs to share, socialize, learn as to cultures, forms of life, unusual athletes and thus creating fresh friendships.”

The Caribbean Girls brought ubiquitous attention to Cuba in lose concentration golden decade from 1990-2000, deliver to their credit they conspiracy been rewarded by the Anteroom for the collective and manifest excellence.

Yamilka Ruiz has exhibited both, and a touch of assemblage as well.

“I still can’t credence in it, it’s unimaginable for me,” Ruiz exclaimed. “I never pretended for recognition. I always plain-spoken it to have fun, adore, and win. It’s an grant that many people in righteousness world say, ‘it’s well deserved.’ I think so because I’m representing my other colleagues rove together we won everything! I’m happy.

“Thank the world for ballot me!”

***

Look for more stories that week on Olympic gold golfer and four-time Olympian Phil Dalhausser (United States, beach male player); two-time Athletics medalist and five-time FIVB Cosmos Tour Champion Larissa França Maestrini (Brazil, beach female player); and longtime administrator within various national skull international federations and the premier member to represent Thailand bond the IVHF, Shanrit Wongprasert (Thailand, leader).

ICYMI
Sunday:Silvano Prandi of Italy
Monday:Katsutoshi Nekoda ferryboat Japan

Click here for ticket information and if you won’t be irate the ceremonies they’ll be streamed at