That Didn't Happen

So you may have noticed that I never posted about the results of my last tournament… Yeah, that’s because we didn’t win. Whoops. But there is always next time right? Of course I’m right. Here’s the thing though, we lost to the one person we vowed not to: none other than a former coach, Bob. We hated this coach, and hated losing to him even worse. You see, the reason for such a deeply rooted dislike for this particular coach is, well his nickname among the players was Boner Bob if that helps to make it clear. Now I had played up with his team my first and second years on Elevate, due to that I had actually become comfortable around him as a coach. Mainly because I liked his tactics: first off, you’re here to play, so show up ready for the game. Second, this is a sport not a beauty show, so stop constantly worrying about how you look. And third, if you want a playing spot you have to earn it. However this was before he started coaching my age group as much.

As Bobby became more involved with girls on my team and the B team, the rumors started. Given that I had never experienced him doing this I didn’t believe it, but then there came the tournament when it happened. After that season however, no one had seen or heard from him, until the invites for the new club he was starting. Unfortunately, we lost a couple of players to him, those traitors!

Aaanyway, enough about the creepy coach. This time, we were gonna get GOLD!! 

My team after taking second in the gold bracket

We did get to the gold bracket, we just didn’t win it. We lost to Apex by less than ten points between both of the games in the match. You don’t understand how pissed I was for every point I gave up. I’m really competitive and I had a deeply rooted need to beat this team as a recovery from last time… That didn’t happen. 

But I did walk away with my medal first medal of 2015, and I can’t wait to sontinue my collection on the fourteenth! (I know, it’s Valentine’s Day. I apologize now to my boyfriend, Dillon)

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)