Going Completely Insane

So I’ve been giving it my all this week to go the extra mile to practice, which is rather difficult given that we had one organized practice, there is snow and ice everywhere outside my house, I have several finals next week, and my parents aren’t exactly all for the whole play in the house thing. They think I’m gonna break something or whatever. So I’ve taken to watching all of the training videos on the club website and getting some one-arm touches while sitting on the floor in my room. Not really the greatest conditions but it’s my third year, I know enough to make it work. Now not that I’m complaining, but my mom and brother aren’t going to be around for my first tournament of the season. My mom gets to go to my brothers house in Texas for a little while because she’s going to help look after my fifteen month old niece while his wife is doing a bridal shoot (she’s a photographer). As for my brother, Wes, he’s going on a road trip with his friends.

Normally this would be totally fine, my dad and I will just spend the time watching 1,000 Ways To Die, horror and action movies and eating. No biggie, we’ve done it before. Here’s the thing though, my mom let me know she couldn’t come by saying, “Since I’m going to Jake’s next week I won’t be able to make it to your first tournament. I’m sorry, 

I really wish I could go.” At which I smiled and said, “Nah, it’s fine. Isn’t my game this week anyway?” Nope. It’s next week. Gah!

Image courtesy of the Club Elevate site

So not only have I been struggling to find time to study for all my finals and to get some touches in, but now I also have to wait another week! What?! No! I do not remember signing up for that. Next week is going to be a brutal battle to get through. So just in case I come crying and complaining to my blog and poor unfortunate readers, I apologize now. I am truly and deeply, sorry. I’m also totally lying, expect ranting and whining about wanting to play. Starting now, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. There ya go.

The only way that you will be able to escape this outcome is to comment and refer shows, movies, and YouTube videos. Yes, I have an addiction, please don’t judge me, I know people who are worse. So here’s where you must come in my young padawons, direct me toward the the multimedia to distract me for the remainder of the week. Enlighten me! I wish to view the things! All of the things! Send me all the funny, scary, dorky and utterly unnecessary links you can to keep me from going completely insane.

Just Wanted To Play

So today we had our only practice of the week, (yeah, I’m not thrilled about that) and we were working on transitions. Pretty basic stuff if you understand what you’re doing. It’s kind of hard to explain with words and not some type of visual aid, but I’ll give it a try. The position I’ve played the longest is setter, so I’m the one who always (well, mostly, always doesn’t always happen) gets the second touch so that I can set up the shot for my hitters, hence the name setter. Now the particular part of the transitions we were working on is when we are in serve-receive, with a back row setter on the right side, (generally known as rotation one for serve-receive using 6-2). This pretty much means that the other team will be serving at us and I am standing in the back on the right. 

Transitions for 6-2 in serve-receive
Image courtesy of Nitro 12 Regional website

What happens now is that I (S) will push up and hide on my right front hitter (RF), while the left front (LF) will pull back to help pass with the center back (CB) and left back (LB). This prevents most servers from being able to serve at me, which would put the play out of sync and basically increase the chance of us losing the point. So by standing on my hitter I can escape a vast majority of screwy plays. From there everyone can transition into their quick spots easily.

We worked on this for at least twenty minutes just tossing and catching the balls before we actually got to play it out.The only players getting any legitimate play time were those who got the first touches, so they could work on passing it to me. So when our coach finally said, “Okay, this one’s live. Make a play.” there was a sigh of relief across the court. I don’t know if you play volleyball, but I’m sure that it can be translated to all sports that if you’re walking through drills, it SUCKS! Seriously, there is nothing worse because all you want to do is play. It’s like having a scratch that you can’t itch, it’ll drive you insane! I think I speak for my entire team when I say, I just wanted to play!

A Medal To Start

So we’ve started playing in practice now, versus just running and doing drills. Now we have to work on teaching the new girls the rotations, which is much easier said than done. It’s complicated. Very complicated. Not to mention we have one more practice before our first tourney of the season next week. Picture this: we have serve. My true position is back left (known as A for hitting) but after the server has made contact with the ball, I have to haul ass across the court and get ready to cover my blocker if necessary and the run to my place in the front of the court, called my POH (point of hesitation). After setting the ball for one of my primary hitters, either outside (on far left of court), middle, or opposite (behind me on far right) I tradition back into what is known as my quick spot. Then I get ready to pick up tips (soft hits that will fall just behind the blocker) and move up to set again as long as the ball is still live.

Seems pretty complicated huh? That’s just one rotation for one play for one specific player. And it’s counting on everything to be perfect. Yeah, it’s hard. Now add in all the other “perfect” plays and the scrappy ones where every player is doing everything she can just to keep the ball alive. Plus reaction to the other team, the never-ending roar from other courts in the gym, and yelling from your coach. Now let me remind you, that’s a practice. During a game everything will be multiplied with the additions of relentlessly screaming parents, tension between teammates, and having to push yourself to the breaking point for the sake of the game.

This is our idea of a good time. Physical and mental torture all for the chance at winning enough games to move on to the next stage in a strong place (really convincing some of you to play I bet, haha). But the feeling at the end of a tournament day when your team has really come together, and hung in enough to get where you wanted to be is indescribable. When the ref from your last game of the day calls your number to step up and place a medal around your neck, a sigh of relief will leave your lips. the moment you’ve worked at all day, sometimes all weekend, is finally here. Another to add to the collection, and for the newbies, a medal to start.

My medals in order of when I received them (left to right)