David Lee: Indian Volleyball's Achilles Heel is Defence, Not Lack of Talent
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New Delhi: David Lee, the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist and coach of the Bengaluru Torpedoes, believes that Indian volleyball's biggest challenge lies in its defence and ball control. The 43-year-old USA great, who has spent six years involved in the sport in India, credits the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) for giving young players a chance to shine. Lee, who has guided the Torpedoes to the PVL title and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, says that the PVL has seen a significant improvement in the Indian team's performance, particularly with younger players making an impact at an earlier age. However, he notes that Indian volleyball still lags behind in defence and ball control, which is a key area that countries like Japan, Korea, and China prioritize. "The Indian team has a lot of athleticism, but they're missing the foundation, which is defence, passing, and ball control," Lee said. "If they can elevate their defensive game, they can compete with the best in the world." The USA great also believes that the federation politics in the last decade have hurt the sport, leading to inconsistencies and a lack of long-term planning. Lee suggests that a longer PVL season, a longer national team training camp, and more exposure to international volleyball can help Indian volleyball catch up with the rest of the world. "A longer league, a longer federation training camp, and more exposure to international volleyball in general can help the players work towards a common goal," he said."The more they can see the rest of the world, the faster they can catch up."
