A Walk on Memory Lane with Cuba’s Yumilka Ruiz – FIVB

Volleyball gave Yumilka Ruiz the chance to be part of one of the greatest teams the sport has known. She joined the Cuban national team as one of its younger players, learning from an extraordinary generation before later taking on greater responsibility as the team entered a new era.

Those years brought far more than success on the court. They also gave her lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories and an appreciation for the values that have remained with her ever since.

“I would describe Yumilka Ruiz on the court as one of those players who never gave up, one of those players who felt fulfilled and happy with everything she did on the court,” Ruiz said.

“At the beginning, of course, I was a player who had a lot to learn, and I received a very good education and guidance from our senior players. Later, when the generation changed, I had the opportunity to take on a leadership role within the team, becoming one of the more experienced players of that new generation from around 2000–2001 onward.

“Off the court, I am a friendly and approachable person, someone who is very respectful and very family-oriented. I love spending time with my family and enjoying those moments whenever we have the opportunity to be together at home.

“More than anything, I see myself as someone who loves being with family and being at home.”

Many of the friendships Ruiz values most began well before she reached the senior national team. They developed through the national youth programme and remained with her as they progressed together to the highest level.

“I had teammates even before I joined the national team, when we were part of the national youth training squads,” Ruiz said. “I especially remember Taismary Aguero who was one of my childhood teammates along with Zoila Barros.

“Later, when we had the opportunity to be together on the national team, it was a wonderful experience. The senior players welcomed us very warmly, which made me feel very comfortable and at ease.

“I was always someone who laughed a lot. I trained very hard, but I also had a lot of fun. I always maintained great relationships with my teammates and got along very well with everyone.”

Among the many matches Ruiz played for Cuba, one has stayed with her more than any other. While the Sydney 2000 Olympic final is often remembered as the crowning moment, it is the dramatic crossover victory over Brazil that she regards as the turning point of the tournament.

“Everyone talks about the 2000 Olympic Games, and if I had to choose one moment from that event, it would be the crossover match against Brazil before the final,” Ruiz said. “It was a tense match, a very tough battle in which we had to give absolutely everything. In the end, we won 3-2.

“I remember we won the fifth set 15-7, or something close to that. One beautiful memory from that match was when I was at the net in position four, ready to block. I looked over and saw Leila Barros standing nearby, waiting as part of the rotation. She looked at me, and I looked at her. It was one of those moments where my expression was saying, ‘I’m so happy,’ while hers seemed to say, ‘How did this happen? How did we let this happen?’

“People don’t talk much about that match, but for me it was one of the most important matches of my life. If we had lost, we would have known that our chances of winning the gold medal were gone. Of course, there still would have been another match to play, but that was the true do-or-die match, the match that decided everything.”

The rivalry between Cuba and Brazil produced some of the sport’s most memorable encounters, and for Ruiz, the anticipation began before either team stepped onto the court.

“When I think back to those matches, the first thing that comes to mind is what we used to call ‘the tunnel’. After warm-ups, both teams would line up side by side before entering the court,” Ruiz said.

“Those moments were incredible for me. The tension would build because we were standing there just like in football, one team next to the other. We had the chance to exchange glances, to stand face-to-face before the match even began.

“That always made a strong impression on me.

“Of course, everyone knows what happened between our two teams during those years and the history that existed between us. But in the end, the most important thing was that each team stepped onto the court determined to give absolutely everything they had.”

Ruiz hopes future generations will discover the same love for volleyball that has stayed with her throughout her life. It is a feeling that leaves her with no doubts about the path she chose.

“Tell them to continue with that passion, with that love for the sport,” Ruiz said. “We should always try to carry messages of solidarity, love and respect.

“We should also be able to pass on what we learned through this discipline, which helped shape us, educated us and made us who we are today.

“I am forever grateful to volleyball, and having had this opportunity has been wonderful for me. If I were born again, I would become a volleyball player again.”

This World Volleyball Day on 7 July, look back on the moments that made your time in volleyball unforgettable. Share the memories that still mean the most to you using #WorldVolleyballDay.