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Haldane set for GB bow in Sheffield
Volleyball superstar Jason Haldane is preparing to make his Great Britain bow this weekend with the remit of helping prepare the squad for the 2012 Olympics.
Harry Brokking's men take on Australia in Sheffield as a warm-up to their European League fixture against Croatia in two week's time.
They will be boosted by the presence of Haldane, a former Canadian international and one of the most decorated players on the circuit, who has received clearance to play for Britain at the age of 37.
"I have a three-year programme to improve the level of volleyball and increase the interest in the sport in Great Britain," he said.
"I knew that GB had the Olympics in 2012 and that was a key factor behind me deciding to play for them. I've had a British passport since 1996 because my father is British. I felt that this would be a great opportunity for me to play and help out the GB team and help them compete at a higher level before the Olympics."
Haldane brings a wealth of experience to the British set-up and is keen to get on court with his new team-mates against the Australians on Saturday.
With the Edinburgh clash with Croatia on the horizon, Haldane knows that the more time he gets with the team, the better their chances are.
"I have had two weeks of training to see what level we are now at," he said. "To play against Australia, who are a decent team, it will really help us prepare for the matches in the Euro league.
"The game is going to help us so that we can compete at a decent level against Spain, Croatia and Turkey.
"I think this team will definitely benefit from my experience and I will be able to help them get better as players.
"I played for the Canadian national team for 12 years and I played professionally for different clubs in Europe for the last 13 years. The main thing for me is to get out there and start to play with the guys."
Haldane's arrival on the British scene has been welcomed by Brokking, who is hopeful that the Canadian's attitude to practice can have a positive impact on some of his other players.
Brokking points to Haldane's willingness to work on the basics of his game as a major example being set to the younger members of the squad.
"He brings everything you need to be a top professional player," he said. "He has the right training mentality and the right physical possibilities. He knows what is needed to stay at the top. He has a lot of experience but despite his age, is very eager to train.
"If I tell him to serve for half-an-hour, he will, and eight out of 10 will be good. With our guys, if you ask them to serve they will for five minutes and then they will try something else.
"They now see what is needed. Jason can say 'I don't need the training anymore' but he does and he does it good. And they can see he's 37 and doesn't need it but is still training at that level. He will help them see that way of thinking."
As well as the men's team, Audrey Cooper's women are also in action this weekend. They face Turkey in Sheffield as part of their European League campaign.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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