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Velasco compares atmosphere at Pan Am Games with Olympics

 

   

TORONTO, Canada, July 15, 2015 – Argentinean Julio Velasco has made a name for himself as a renowned coach of national teams and clubs in professional leagues during his long and successful career in volleyball.

 

Now he’s adding a new experience to his personal list of achievements as the current coach of Argentina and former coach of the national teams of Italy, Czech Republic, Spain and Iran is participating in his first Pan American Games.

 

Velasco is enjoying the experience and compares the atmosphere he’s living at the Pan American Village to that he has had in the Olympics.

 

“Before, I have been as spectator but this is my first participation. The Pan American Village is always something special, similar to the Olympics,” said Velasco, who coached Italy to a silver medal in Atlanta 1996.

 

About his team, Argentina is bringing a full and the veteran coach said “we expect to have a great tournament and we are looking forward to start competing.”

 

Coaches of the teams expressed their ideas and goals during a press conference held on Thursday afternoon at the Exhibition Center of Toronto, the site of the volleyball tournament.

 

Here the excerpts of their statements:

 

Julio Velasco, Argentina: “This is my first time in a Pan American Games. Before, I have been as spectator but this is my first participation so I am very happy. The Pan American Village is always something special, similar to the Olympics. We expect to have a great tournament. Everything is all right, nice and easy looking forward to start competing.”

 

Mauricio Motta, Brazil: “There are great expectations and it is good to be here in a very important competition for Brazil. The competition is a strong one with very good teams like Argentina, Canada and Cuba, among others. We are bringing a young team and we are going to take the tournament as a big learning experience.”

 

Glenn Hoag, Canada: “It is very special when you play in front of your fans for your own country at home so is a great event. I think our players are excited about it and we hope to have a good performance. The preparation at the FIVB World League before the Pan American Games should be helpful.”

 

Eliseo Ramos, Colombia: “We are here with a young team going through a building process for the future. It’s an important competition to be at the Pan American Games playing against teams of a very high level which is really good as a development experience. We hope to have the best possible result. That’s the goal of any coach.”

 

Rodolfo Sanchez, Cuba: “It is important for us to participate in the Pan American Games since it is an opportunity for our young team. We have come here to battle in every match and to see how far we can go.”

 

Roberto Vilches, Mexico: “Our team is technically well as we have had a good preparation at the FIVB World League and the NORCECA Champions Cup in Detroit. We have lost Carlos Guerra, an experienced athlete who is disabled now after going through a surgical procedure, and we will miss him. Now we have improvised with libero Jesus Rangel in the position as he’s a good receiver.”

 

Javier Gaspar, Puerto Rico: “Our goal is very simple, to play hard from first to the last point in every match. We need to play as a unit while leaving the results to say the last word. Our team has a few veterans but also some young athletes who are part of the transition we are going through. I hope we can elevate the level we showed at the World League.”

 

Charles Sullivan, United States: “It’s been a great welcome we’ve got from everyone here. We feel very comfortable here and we appreciate that. Our expectations are to explore our potential. We are working out on some things to get the best possible of our volleyball team for the United States.”