Stacy Sykora at the PalaLottomatica. Photo by Marika Torcivia
Rome, Italy, September 23, 2014 - Special guest of Rome’s press working room today is Stacy Sykora, historic libero of the American volleyball national team who won the best libero title at the 2002 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
Sykora is working for the FIVB’s “Behind the Scenes” team. Stacy spoke of her emotion at being back at the PalaLottomatica as a spectator.
“I miss everything terribly: the court, training, the companionship. It’s the biggest absence in my life, more than my country when I’m far away, more than family. I’m always a volleyball fan, of my country of course - that I’ll meet in Verona. Most of the athletes are young and they are enjoying the World Championship for the first time, but I also would like to see good volleyball, with tight matches, with many tie breaks."
To the children involved in the Children’s Championship, Stacy wanted to share some advice based on her terrible experience in 2011, when a bus accident forced her to spend a month in hospital to recover.
"I was in a coma for five days, and I risked paralysis. Now I’m fine, but I can’t play volleyball. So I want to say to all little athletes what I often say to myself: keep dreaming, no excuses, no regrets. They should not waste a single second of their life, or say “I’m tired” or “I can’t do it” during training, they should fully live every moment."