Tokyo, July 24, 2006: After finishing 11th of 12 teams in the recent Pan American Cup, Costa Rica's women's team know just how tough it is going to be at their first World Championship in Japan.
"We cannot cover the sun with a finger," says "Ticas" player Silvia Marin, eloquently summing up the task in hand.
"We will play against the host, Chinese Taipei and Korea, and the Asians are strong.
"We also have Poland, who are another one of the powers, and Kenya. I think we have more possibility against Kenya because of the type of volleyball they play there."
Rather than dreaming of a top-four finish in Pool A, based in Tokyo, to progress to the second round, Marin prefers to take a more pragmatic approach.
"It is necessary to be sincere, and to advance to the next round will be very difficult due to the high level of play around the world.
"This is not being negative, just realistic," she adds.
"It would be a dream, but it is not unattainable either. In sport anything can happen -- but it is like winning the lottery."
Looking at the latest FIVB world rankings, head coach Braulio Godinez and the "sexteta costarricense" have a mountain to climb in Japan -- and we are not talking about Mount Fuji.
Japan (7), Korea (8), Poland (9), Kenya (12) and Chinese Taipei (23) are all ranked higher than the Ticas, who are joint 33rd along with Barbados -- the only team to finish behind Costa Rica in the Pan American Cup in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from June 27 to July 8.
Costa Rica will be one of six teams from the Norceca region competing in the women's World Championship, and Marin says they are determined to prove to the world that they have the technique to attack and defend.
"They have always seen us like the baby who wants to play but doesn't know how," she says. "We are improving our level and that is what we are trying to project.
"We will demonstrate that we do know how to play, and that, with all the preparation, we have grown as a team and can continue to improve."
