Kristaps Šmits and Edvīns Skrūders have learned to lead Latvia without saying much

There is one sentence Kristaps Šmits keeps repeating to Edvīns Skrūders.
“Give me the ball!”
Usually, it comes after a rally. Sometimes after almost every rally, according to Šmits. He suspects Latvia’s setter may have heard it enough by now.
“I have this one phrase that Edvīns has probably grown tired of hearing,” the captain says with a smile. “‘Give me the ball!’ It’s pretty much after every rally.”
It is a small exchange, but it says plenty about a partnership that has developed over years of playing together.

Five players in the current squad were also part of Latvia’s EuroVolley campaign in 2021; Šmits and Skrūders are two of them. This time, however, their place within the group is very different. They are no longer simply learning from the senior players around them. They are expected to help others do the learning.

For Šmits, that change became official this summer when he was appointed national-team captain, with Skrūders among those named to support him in the role. 

For Skrūders, leadership does not need an armband. As the setter, it is already built into almost every rally.
And somewhere between the two sits much of the personality of this Latvian team.

“We started playing for the Latvian national team many years ago, and since the Latvian Volleyball community is quite small, Edvīns and I already knew each other before joining the national team,” Šmits explains.

Skrūders remembers their first matches together coming through Latvia’s junior national teams. They later shared the court at Jēkabpils Lūši, adding another layer to a relationship that was already becoming familiar.

“We have played a lot together, so we know each other very well,” Skrūders says. “The relationship on court has always been good. Now, with the experience we have, I think we are trying to help each other more and put our knowledge together to help the others.”

That last part matters.

Latvia arrived at EuroVolley with a considerably refreshed squad after the departure or absence of several long-standing internationals. Players who once occupied supporting roles have consequently found themselves becoming reference points for the next group. 

Šmits remembers being on the other side of that process.

“When I first joined the national team, there were many more experienced players,” he says. “I was able to learn a lot from them and gain valuable experience. I knew that my time would come to become a starting player.”

Now it is his turn to pass some of that knowledge down.

Being named captain made him proud, but his interpretation of the role is less about speaking more and more about making sure the people around him know somebody is there when things become difficult.

“I have always wanted to be the team’s biggest supporter and someone my teammates can rely on, both during the difficult moments of a game and whenever they need support off the court,” Šmits says.

“I’m trying to help the younger players understand what Latvian Volleyball and the game itself demand from them. I want to help them adapt to the team’s rhythm as quickly as possible and understand the team’s values, so they can feel confident both on and off the court.”

It is consistent with how Šmits described captaincy when he received the role in May. Even then, he spoke less about authority than setting an example, sharing experience and helping lift the group in difficult moments. 

Skrūders' responsibility is different.

A captain can choose when to intervene. A setter rarely has that luxury.

He is involved in almost everything, deciding who gets the next ball and, sometimes more importantly, who needs it.

“As a setter, I think you have a big responsibility because you are involved in almost every rally and you have to make decisions all the time,” Skrūders explains.

“Especially in difficult moments, I try to stay calm because if the setter starts to panic, it can affect the whole team.”

His assessment of his own performance therefore has little to do with how many points appear beside his name.

He looks instead at the people around him.

“To judge whether it was a good game for me, I look at how the team is playing and whether I’m putting the attackers in good situations,” he says. “A huge part is also whether I am making good choices in the important moments.”

Then comes the part spectators cannot easily measure.

“You have to feel which player is having a good moment, which player is struggling, who needs another set after making a mistake, and who maybe needs some time to cool down.”

That is where the relationship between setter and captain becomes particularly useful.

When Latvia are under pressure, there is often no need for a long conversation between the two.

“I would say we understand each other without saying much,” Skrūders says. “In difficult moments and moments under pressure, it really comes down to making your teammates feel good and making them feel that what is happening in the game is under control, so the team doesn't start to panic.”

Šmits knows exactly who he wants controlling it.

“I have always known that, no matter what happens, Edvīns will make the right decision on the court and run the game with confidence,” he says.

“He has a great feel for the players on the court, and he knows who to set the ball to in the most important moments.”

Although presumably, if Šmits has his way, the answer to that last question will quite often be No. 8.
The partnership is particularly relevant at this EuroVolley because Latvia are trying to turn moments of excellent Volleyball into something more sustainable.

They have already shown what their best level can produce. Latvia opened their Pool D campaign by defeating hosts Romania 3-1 in Cluj-Napoca, having also beaten the same opponents in the European League earlier this summer. 

For Skrūders, however, proving that Latvia can reach that level is no longer enough.

“We believe that we can compete with strong teams, and we don’t want to come to EuroVolley just to participate,” he says.

“We have shown that we can play at a really high level. Now the biggest thing for us is becoming more consistent, raising our floor and being able to maintain that level throughout the whole match.”

Šmits sees the journey from another perspective. Latvian Volleyball, he believes, has grown considerably since the days when he was the younger player waiting for his opportunity.

Representing the country, however, has not changed.

“It is a huge honour, and it has always been my greatest source of pride because I do it from the heart,” he says. “People in Latvia can truly be proud of what we have achieved. All of us players are incredibly grateful to everyone in Latvia who supports us and keeps their fingers crossed while watching our European Championship matches.”

Skrūders hopes those watching notice something else as well.

“I hope people can see that we fight for each other and that there is a lot of belief in this team.”

For Šmits and Skrūders, perhaps that is what experience has ultimately changed.

Years ago, they entered the Latvian national team looking towards the experienced players for direction.

Today, teammates are increasingly looking towards them.

One wears the captain’s armband. The other has the ball in his hands on almost every rally.

They do not always need to discuss what happens next.

Except, of course, when Šmits wants the ball.

Then he makes himself perfectly clear.