US Olympic Volleyball Team Body Issue: Feature Will Lead to Olympic Success

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London are just a couple weeks away, so the inclusion of the United States women's volleyball team in ESPN The Magazine's Body Issue couldn't come at a better time, as the gold medal favorites will look to avenge a loss to Brazil in Beijing four years ago.

On the surface it may not seem like the two things are related at all, but getting the team in the spotlight ahead of time should prepare it for the challenges it will face in London. If the players are comfortable enough to be photographed nude for a magazine that will be seen by millions, then the Olympic stage shouldn't be a problem.

The American squad was extremely impressive in 2008, but it faltered in the finals against a Brazilian team that is used to playing for medals. Prior to Beijing, the United States women's volleyball team hadn't won a medal since 1992 in Barcelona, so the squad gained some valuable experience and now knows what it takes to win.

Since there are such high expectations for the women's team this time around, it will be beneficial for them to be out in the public eye, and that is what The Body Issue will provide. It isn't going to have any tangible effect on how they play physically, but perhaps the ladies will be even mentally tougher when you combine the photo shoot with the Olympic experience they have collected.

Had the team gone into London as the favorites without any previous exposure, the Olympic pressure could have certainly gotten to them. The closer they get to the finals, the more pressure they will feel to win. Now that they are out in the open and are a known commodity, though, I can't see them being rattled moving forward.

The US Olympic team's inclusion is also good for the sport as a whole. Aside from the Olympics, there generally isn't much national interest in volleyball. While it may not be for all the right reasons, I'm sure that the women's squad will gain quite a few new fans because of its appearance in the magazine.

Hope Solo helped women's soccer gain new legions of fans last year when she appeared in The Body Issue shortly after Team USA's participation in the World Cup. I'm not sure if women's volleyball will see a similar spike (pun intended) in popularity, but there is no possible way that it can hurt, so this entire situation should be looked at as a positive no matter how you slice it.

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