Season So Far

I need to get an update on how the matches are going because we've already played seven (four in the championship and three in the cup) so far, and I don't want to get too far behind.

The first round we traveled to Kiev to play Lokomotiv Kiev, a decent team that recently lost a lot of their top players because of financial issues at the club. They were a very young team, and came out hot in both matches and won the first sets, but our team settled down and won the next three on both Saturday and Sunday, to begin 2-0 and sit 3rd in the table.

The following weekend the championship went on hiatus for the first round of the Ukrainian Cup. The cup system in Ukraine is two rounds of group play, starting with four groups of four, then two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing. The final four teams have a traditional playoff to determine the cup winner. We were lucky enough to be a host for the first group, and played matches against Lokomotiv Kiev (again), a team from the "High" League from Chernigov, and Lokomotiv Kharkov-3, basically their youth team. We won all three matches 3-0 and never had any problems in any of the matches. I started and played the whole match against Kharkov, and did okay.

We had the following weekend off, and then we made the trip to Vinnitsa, about 300km west of Cherkassy. After training Friday afternoon and Saturday morning we played the first match Saturday at 4:00pm. We won 3-0, with scores 22-25, 16-25, and 24-26. They are a young team, with a good opposite and a big (6-11) outside, but poor ball control.

The facilities for the match were poor to say the least. There was only one locker room with two working showers that we had to share with the other team and random people who were using the fitness center there. And the playing hall had a floor that seemed like it was from pre-Soviet times, with spaces between the slats of wood, and real risk of splinters from diving. There were also some nails showing on the floor as well, and the ceiling was only about 30 ft high. Valeriy (our captain) joked that they would be hosting the World League there next year...

The second match started off poorly for us, and we were down by five or six at one time, and I changed in midway through the first. We got some counterattack points and came back to level the score at 21, and from there it was a sideout battle, until finally we made a breakthrough and took the first set 27-29. The second set started off the same, with us falling into an early hole, though eventually we came back, and I had two blocks (including one on the 6-11 guy) to eventually win the set 26-28. The third set was easy however, as we jumped out to an early 7-1 lead and had no difficulty finishing them off 17-25.

The wins were good, and though the set scores were close we deserved to win each time. The only negative from the weekend was that our outside hitter (and arguably best player on the team) sprained his ankle at 2-2 in the first set of the second match. But we have depth at outside luckily, and Losha was able to come in and do well.

The second match was the first time I felt like I played at my normal level, and the first time I've done so in a match here in Ukraine. I connected well with the middles and had good rythym with the outsides (my biggest struggle so far) and had some good defense and blocks.

Apparently after the match on some volleyball forums people were bashing us about the wins, saying that we haven't really done anything good this season, and that our coach is terrible, etc, which I find quite funny (but interesting), because people really are passionate about volleyball here, and have teams that they support, much like football (soccer) and basketball.

After the game there was also some drama within the team. We bought some beers to drink on the busride home (5+ hours), but when we stopped to get gas (and everyone got off) the technical director went back through the bus and took all the beers, and put them on the seat next to him. However, we stopped about 30 minutes later and he got off, and we grabbed the beers from the seat next to him and redistibuted them. We he got back on he was pretty angry, and wouldn't let us stop to use the toilet. There were some discussions (none of which I understood) though everything turned out fine.

Newspaper Interview

I was interviewed by the local weekly paper and got a pretty big article. Here is the original link, and the google translation. It's a little jagged, but you can get the idea. And since I was speaking through an interpreter there's some misquotations, but all in all, it's pretty cool.

*edit* Here is a better translation, done by one of our technical directors. Read it instead of what's below.

In Cherkassy volleyball team serves American mathematician

For the first time in the history of Ukrainian Cherkasy volleyball team plays an American.

25-year-old native of California, Matthew Reynolds, by profession a teacher of mathematics, donned uniform Impeksahro Sports Cherkasy "shortly before the new season. In an interview with Press Center player shared his impressions about Ukraine and Cherkassy, which he did not present to hear about the game in the team and answering questions about privacy.


- Matthew, say, where previously played and why chose Cherkasky volleyball club?

- Before traveling to Ukraine, I played four years at the university volleyball team, two for the amateur teams, and two years for the club of Denmark. My agent offered me two options - Ukraine and Austria. By comparing the clubs, I prefer it Cherkassy team that was distinguished by a remarkable professional and friendly atmosphere.


- The Ukrainian volleyball is different from American?

- Compare almost no other, as in the U.S. volleyball hardly developed, except at the level of student. And the volleyball players of Denmark, except sporting career, working in parallel, such as factories or offices. In Ukraine there is to professionally deal with this sport.


- Matthew, you have at home is very well developed, basketball, baseball and american football. Why did you choose Volleyball?

- I tried many sports, particularly basketball, golf, American football. But when I met volleyball, he loved this game, although it is not so popular in America. I even coached youth amateur American team.


- You came to Cherkassy club when the team was already fully staffed. Is it difficult to join in the team?

- First, I was hard in the sports sense, because before coming here I have not trained for some time, but the team already has a strong physical training. But beyond the volleyball court did not have any problems, however, all were very supportive to me.


- Could such a short time to get acquainted with Cherkassy?

- When I was driving to you, you do not know anything about Odessa and Ukraine, only seen some pictures online. And when arrived, almost a week studying the city. I was very impressed by the many bazaars and parks.


- How to overcome the language barrier, or to teach Ukrainian, Russian?

- This helps me to dictionaries. And I now live with their mates Zhumatiyem Alexander, who learn Russian and Ukrainian, and he with me in English. So slowly and become proficient in the language.


- Do you like Ukrainian food? Do not miss the U.S.?

- I tasted Ukrainian borscht, dumplings, potato pancakes and many dishes whose names are not remembered. It is like herring, this is no America. So while I am in Ukraine, I will enjoy the cuisine. And if you want American food is, in Yalta, too, can buy a hamburger or pizza.


- Do you have a wife or a girl? Do you like Ukrainian girls?

- I am single and have no girl. And the beauty of Ukrainian women I heard when driving here, and this rumor proved to 100%.


- How did the transition in Cherkassy club your family?

- Mother is very happy for me. However, I have not seen them already a long time and miss their parents and younger sister. We communicate by email. On New Year's Day I hope the trip home.

Number 8 - Matthew Reynolds

Position: setter

Height: 190 cm

Weight: 75 kg.

Came from America, California.

Marital status: single.

Date of Birth: 26/02/1984.


By: Anna OSTAPCIUC