LUIS GUSTAVO SUPPORTS LEILA IN HER ENDEAVORS
A large part of the success being enjoyed by the Brazilian women's volleyball team is due to a player that could be considered small by the game's standards (1.79 cm or 5'8), born twenty-seven years ago in Brasilia with an infectious smile and lots of charisma.
Top scorer Leila Barros would be a vital cog of the Brazilian selection when they face other top-seeded teams in the Volleyball World Cup in Japan.
From a distance, an intent spectator will be following Leila's performance as she does battle on court. He is Barros' husband Luis Gustavo Milani, an entrepreneur from Belo Horizonte. He will attend Brazil's match versus Cuba to be held at dawn, "It is an ungrateful schedule, but I will be there, ahead of the TV crew... I know that it would be difficult but I know Leila's objectives, I'm sure that she won't give up on these goals," relates the proud husband. Luis shares that Leila shows the same intensity on-court as well as off-court, "I have much pride in Leila's war-like skill... She is the same person on- or off-court. She would dispute every issue until she's fair or even with me."
The fact that Leila is besieged by fans, as much for her beauty as for her talent, does not displease Luis. He affirmed that as a former athlete (a swimmer for the National team) he's aware of the fans' possessiveness, "I don't have much jealousy over it. I know that being a player, you lose some of your freedom... not that half of the time it could also be an advantage."
Luis and Leila talk everyday over the phone and exchange e-mail. Luis says that he is accustomed to Leila's constant trips. According to him, volleyball is one of the topics that they regularly talk about, ":I've always liked the sport. I've known Leila since 1990, we talk about it occasionally, and that has made our relationship better."
Luis, however, recognizes that Leila has little to improve, "She has a very good and solid foundation, but the time has come that she concentrate on other things, to move away from the tension."
For the decisive game against Cuba, Luis says that Brazil cannot commit any mistake, "They have sinned the first time, it cannot happen again. Everything has been prepared, they have studied the Cuban team, now all they have to do is to apply what they've learned in practice."
Chosen twice as the Best Player of the Grand Prix (in 1996 and 1998), Leila started in the Minas Tennis Club in 1989. Two years later she joined the National team. In 1994 she was cut-off from the selection. For a while, she considered abandoning volleyball but instead chose to continue. She trained very hard and improved her overall game, in no time at all, she was back in the selection. Leila viewed the cut as a challege to her , "I improved a lot after the cut . I wanted to prove that I could be part of the selection."