Growing a team > Men’s Volleyball midseason update with Jay Tremonti Davie Wong Sports Editor t’s no secret that the Royals’ reign over men’s volleyball in the PACWEST has come toa rather abrupt end. Gone are the days of humble dominance on the court. Gone are the days of Brad Hudson. Now, it’s Jay Tremonti’s team to lead. When Tremonti was first appointed head coach of the Royals men’s volleyball team, he didn’t shy away from the facts. The Old Guard had left the building, and it was his job to build a new one. But building such a thing requires time and patience, which was something Tremonti outright acknowledged in his beginning of the season press briefing. Now that we're midway through the season, we are seeing first-hand what that looks like. To be honest, it doesn’t look half bad. The Royals sit in the middle of the table at 7-9, and they have had some impressive wins, which include a thrilling five set game against the Camosun Chargers. But they have also had more than a couple blowouts. For Coach Tremonti, it’s been more about the process than the result. “From day one, it’s been a process. We've been working towards playing our best volleyball at the end of the season. Funny thing about a process is that it’s not always a straight path. You have setbacks. Some weeks you're performing really well. Other weeks, it’s like, did we get better that week? It’s tough, right? It’s always been The sports and games trying to keep everyone on the same page, and realizing that we just need to get better this week. I think we’ve done a fairly good job of that.” Tremonti was also not short on praise for his young squad, who have brought a level of competition to every game that is hard to match. However, for him, that kind of attitude and dedication is something that he expects from his team, always. “That’s a bit of a non- negotiable. When you're playing at this level, you have to find a way to bring a compete level and come in, compete at the highest level, communicate, be a good teammate, and really show what it means to bea Royal.” According to Tremonti, the losses have also taught the team many a lesson about under-estimating an opponent. “I think we look back and evaluate the wins and losses. We see where we're at. I see matches as mini tests to see where the team is at. Where are we progressing? Where do we need help? Overall, the losses have really taught us that there’s nothing easy in this league. You can't come here and expect to get a W from any team.” Nonetheless, the coach acknowledged the dampening feeling that often comes with loss. “The grass is always greener when you win. The sky is always bluer. But, again, it is part of reminding the guys that it’s part of a process. If we truly buy into that, then we aren't getting too upset when we're losing, and we're not getting too worked of the ruins > Ancient game of Central and South America still played today Greg Waldock Staff Writer Corre are probably the last thing that comes to mind when you think “ancient Mayan city,” but that’s exactly what keeps turning up. Almost 1,500 Mayan sites from Mexico to South America have some form of ball court, and all apparently for roughly the same game. Some of them are even thousands of years old. A single game spread across the entire civilization and beyond, leaking into and possibly from surrounding cultures. The rules are a mystery, the myths surrounding it are fearsome, and the ruins have lasted millennia. Called pitz by the Maya, ollamaliztli by the Mesoamericans, and Mesoamerican Ballgame by the endlessly creative anthropologists, the game still exists in a new form and is still played in its ancient home nearly 3,000 years after it first appeared. The sport was more than just a game to both the Aztec and the Maya. Religious iconography has been found on walls across Mexico and northern South America depicting mythic heroes playing the game, or sacrifices being offered at part of a ceremony after play. It was also apparently used for conflict resolution, a form of proxy warfare that was common in the region (the Aztecs are famous for “Flower Wars,” mock battles used for capturing prisoners). Steles and bas-reliefs found across Aztec and Maya territory show players in up when we're winning. That’s actually a battle, though, because we're all competitors, and we all like winning. But sticking to the process is the main focus.” Despite the losses, full credit must be given to the team for their constant ability to adjust to hardships. It’s no secret that the Royals have been plagued with injuries this season. But coach and players alike have remained upbeat, and willing to adapt to any situation. To the coach, this shows just how much of ateam he really has. “It’s beena real testament to our concept of a full team. We got guys one through twelve competing and getting better every day and we’ve been able show several different line-ups for extended periods of time. As much as it’s been a bit of a challenge, it’s been a challenge I like as a coach because it lets us know what our team looks like as a team and not just as six guys ona court. It’s been a fun opportunity to try and get the most of whatever line up is on the court.” One of the players who has been a constant threat for the team and a constant presence on the court is also the player who has surprised the coach the most. Devon Dunn came back to the Royals after taking time to further his beach career. The adaptation from beach to hardwood has been a challenge for many to overcome, but seemingly not for Dunn. “We knew Devon was going to be a guy that was coming in as a vet, but I didn’t think he was going to come in and be as much of an offensive threat as he soldier uniforms, and miniature figurines depict war captives being forced to fight. The military/sport connection was even stronger in this ballgame than it currently is for American football, which is saying something. And like American Illustration by Ed Appleby has been. He’s a guy that brings a quiet confidence to the court and we definitely notice when he’s not on the court. Guys are very comfortable playing around him, and he’s really been a big leader for us.” As the team closes in on a playoff spot and a locked seed, the question becomes: Who will be the Royals line up when it counts? With half a season left, Coach Tremonti didn’t give into committing names, instead continuing to speak on the theme of growth. “We're going to be looking at different options to see which six pieces work the best and give us the best opportunity to be successful on the court. I fully expect every guy contributing down the stretch here and giving us the chance to play our best volleyball come the end of the season.” In terms of playoffs, Jay didn’t give any ground as to which teams they're hoping to play. “We're looking to play any team. There’s not a team that we're especially looking to play. We know whoever we play, it’s going to be a battle, and we have to be playing our best volleyball.” While top two is looking further and further away, the team is gearing up for a battle. With a wildcard spot open for the National Championships, the Royals only have to win two games to make it in. While a little more than a fantasy at the beginning of the season, everyone on the Royals squad is definitely hoping to represent the PACWEST on the National stage. football, it’s no surprise that such a militarized sport is common in a society so often involved in warfare. In fact, finding any large site without a large ball court is cause for research. Teotihuacan, the colossal Mesoamerican city (not actually Maya or Aztec) famous for its Avenue of the Dead and massive pyramids, is remarkable for not having any ball court at all, despite a few glyphs found on the site of a game being played. The game might have had such a huge cultural connotation that removing it was necessary to make their own identity, similar to foreign nations rejecting Coca- Cola and McDonalds. A nearby city called Xochicalco, potentially the biggest rival of Teotihuacan, has one of the largest ball courts yet found at a whopping 51 metres in length, potentially showing that a sort of cultural warfare was going on at the time. The sport is still played in Mexico and northern South America, and has taken on a new form called ulama. It survived a Spanish attempt at eradication and is considered the major “peoples’ game” in the region, like hockey is here. This ball game, whether it’s called pitz, ollamaliztli, ulama, or Mesoamerican Ballgame, is one of the defining cultural features of a massive and ancient culture we're just now starting to learn about.