Volleyball team an inspiration for all Thais

An outstanding performance by the Thai women's volleyball team should act as a spur to greater support for local athletes in a range of sports. The Thai women's national volleyball team made history last month by finishing sixth in the FIVB World Grand Prix. The team beat all odds to become a national sensation.

The Thai team lost in the fifth-place play-off to Japan to finish sixth, but these sportswomen have nevertheless brought joy to the country. Thai audiences paused at work and rooted for these women who have reaped the rewards of hard work and discipline.

The athleticism and spirit of our volleyball players should be cherished. Their fighting spirit should be highlighted as an increasing number of Thais have become more complacent about receiving a helping hand from others. The volleyball players have shown that anything is possible if one continues to work hard and be persistent. They have, for instance, silenced all the critics who said that their physiques were not good enough to come anywhere near the world's top teams.

But this rewarding result did not come easy. Their phenomenal performance this year has come only after their ninth appearance in the tournament. Thailand's best performance so far was eighth position on their debut in 2002, and again in 2009.

The players only used their athleticism and strength, but the right tactics to win over their opponents. One must remember that the Thai team's average height was the shortest among the competing teams. The Thai women's average height of 176 centimetres was considered by many critics to be their greatest disadvantage. The average height of the Russian team, for instance, was 189 centimetres.

However, the Thai women offset this perceived weakness by playing the game with speed and power. Their fighting spirit also came into play. Spectators at the tournament in Macau would agree that the Thai ladies put up a good fight right to the end.

While a general criticism of Thai athletes has often been their lack of discipline, the volleyball women have shown that hard work and discipline, essential qualities for all winners in sport, pay dividends. It is unfortunate that these qualities are not known to be predominant in Thais in general.

The Thai volleyball players inspired the crowds who packed the Keelawes 1 Gymnasium at the Thai-Japan Youth Welfare Centre Stadium during the first round of the tournament, which took place in Thailand. Never before had that arena been packed with more than 7,000 spectators.

Thailand's remarkable run in the month-long competition has created tremendous interest in the game here. The match against China, the former Olympic champions, who are much stronger and taller, which the Thais won handsomely, was one of the most watched games in recent times. This volleyball team has indeed put Thailand into the spotlight, considering that the most popular sports in Thailand for years have been boxing and football.

The hype and support for this team have also been built up by media coverage. Many of their games have been broadcast live, to convince audiences of their admirable efforts and excellent athleticism.

Stories of winning Thai athletes often focus on the value of the prize, but the media should dwell on the marvellous effort and dedication shown by these women as the real value of their success.

Sports help to teach people the value of discipline and hard work, which are essential elements for success. These girls may not be able to succeed at this level forever. But their journey to the top ranks of a very competitive world sport should be highly praised. Our society should do all it can to promote sportsmanship, athleticism and the spirit of these heroes. Let's hope that the enthusiastic reaction from sports fans will help sustain the necessary support for Thai athletes. Victory comes from years of disciplines and hard work. Unfortunately, as things stand, we don't have the patience to groom our sports players. We are a patience-and-attention deficit nation.

Now, the girls will come back to Thailand to prepare for the World Cup in November. The sports agencies responsible should increase their support, to produce a conductive environment for these ladies to make a real challenge in the World Cup. The tournament in Japan is also the start of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Games. The country is hoping for another inspiring performance from these sports heroines.