19/09/2014 09:56 Scots excited to play internationally on home ground 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Edinburgh, Scotland, September 19, 2014. Shauna Mullin spent six years on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour and played on Horse Guards Parade at London 2012. But the 30-year-old has a special affection for Portobello beach in Edinburgh where she first learned the beach game and makes an emotional return for this weekends 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup tournament. Mullin partners with former Team Edinburgh colleague Anneka Hastings at the event and, after coming through the first round in Slovenia, is preparing for matches against England, Northern Ireland and Ireland in this second round event. Now retired from the international circuit, she admits that playing in the Continental Cup has been a breath of fresh air this summer. Going into Slovenia, I said to Anneka, Lets just have fun, and she was happy with that, Mullin explained. But from the first whistle I had to win. It was the strangest situation which I was not prepared for. It has definitely rekindled my enthusiasm - I love beach volleyball. I love being on the sand, problem solving and competing. In terms of ever going back on tour - being a professional beach volleyball player is definitely the worlds best job but at this stage of my life I am definitely loving my new challenge working at Santander. Her fiancé Robin Miedzybrodzki is also involved this weekend, partnering Seain Cook as Scotlands top seeding in the mens competition where Ireland, Northern Ireland and Slovakia make up the opposition. “It is amazing to be playing an international beach volleyball event at Portobello, he said. Edinburgh is my home town and it was on the sand here that I first started playing beach volleyball. It is going to be great to showcase the sport in front of a home crowd.” Mullin is certainly out to make her mark after her success at London 2012 with Englands Zara Dampney. The best memory of 2012 is still definitely listening to the crowds while we were in the tunnel waiting to come out on court against Canada in our opening match, she recalled. During that match, our coach had told me that if the left side player comes into the middle of the court unexpectedly she will poke the ball back to the line. I blocked that ball in the third set and it really changed the momentum of the game giving us the opportunity to take it. She has now been passing on her experience to her teammates: I think apart from the technical advice I have passed on for blockers (having played as a blocker for six years) to Anneka and Lynne Beattie and defenders (the position I am playing now) to Gillian Lyall, I have said it is so important to have fun as you will find if you are relaxed you will jump higher, dive further and be able to feel more of the court when you are attacking to know where the open spaces are. This is a great opportunity to showcase beach volleyball in Edinburgh. It is amazing for Scottish volleyball to add an Olympic qualifier to their list of honours as hosts of the Continental Cup.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 10:21:26 +0000
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