Tag: volleyball

What is a team?

rangerthecatLeave a comment

As I stood in silence, holding the ball waiting for the whistle to be blown so I could serve the ball, I had a thought. Or , I guess you could say I had a question.

What is a team?

The dictionary definition of “team” is: A group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.

Of course, I already knew that; but being on a team is much more than just being a group. My idea of a team is being unified, supporting each other, and trying your hardest for the benefit of those around you.

That is what I think of when I think of being a team.

A team captain‘s job – my job – is to make sure than each player is doing just that; making an effort to be unified, support others, and try their hardest.

When these things do not happen, I have no option but to accept the reality, move on, and try to do a better job next time so we act as a real team.

Even though we had a few setbacks within the team aspect of things, I’ve never been more proud to be with that group of girls out there on the court at Orcutt Middle School‘s gymnasium, battling the Orcutt High School Spartans.

Although they had much higher skill levels than us, each true team member put their heart into the game and it was the best we have every played as a team.

Even though we were not victorious, the varsity volleyball girls really learned how to be a team that day, which is all I could have asked for.

Private School Cheerleaders=Irritating Teenage Girls

r3t5nom1 Comment

Today I traveled to the distant land of Orcutt California with the girls JV and varsity volleyball players as their manager. First off we rode in a bus that seated almost exactly the amount of players going and the bus ride was too long. Secondly, the bus ride back was too long.

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But it wasn’t the bus ride that got me irritated and grumpy, it was the Orcutt volleyball teams cheerleaders that just triggered my frustration.

They were loud.

They were obnoxious.

They were CHEERLEADERS.

And not the kind of cheerleaders that look like these and do things like these:

But more like these:d

hahaha!

I believe that it is disrespectful to cheer while the other team is attempting to serve the ball. Cheering is fun, it is something that gets people amped up and ready to play but everything has its time. When the other team is serving is not the time.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

How do you feel?

We won!

rangerthecat1 Comment

There is nothing better than having the best team mates, a supportive coach, and a team spirit that will stay strong no matter what the outcome of the game.
That being said, there is one thing that can make it feel a whole lot better: Winning.

Saturday, September 17th was the first girls varsity volleyball game.

Walking down to the field, ready to set up the courts and play, I had many mixed feelings about the game in my near future. I thought, since we only had a little over a week of practice, that we would suck. I mean really, I knew Midland wasn’t the best volleyball team, but I thought we were going to lose so badly.

But, as six individuals stand on the court, there is some strong bond that makes us all one. Sounds cheesy, but really, I feel like that’s what happened.

Before I knew it, my prediction from a few hours ago had been completely flipped around. We kicked their butt!

And it felt so good!!!!!!!!!

My doubts for the rest of the season have disappeared. I have so much more confidence in myself and the rest of my team than I had before. I really think this is going to be an amazing season, and hopefully we have a lot more of these victories in our future.

My Passion for Volleyball

pikachu04Leave a comment

Volleyball has always been a passion of mine. I love the sound of tennis shoes scuffing against the waxed gym floor, the feeling you get when you celebrate a victory with your teammates, coming into the center of the court to cheer each other on, the release you feel when you snap that ball down onto the other side of the net, and then quickly prepare for it to come right back. I love that in volleyball, you have to always be on your toes, low and ready to play every ball. The trust and relationships that develop between you and your teammates is something truly beyond words. I cannot express the love that I have for each and every girl on my team. Volleyball is all about team work and always trusting your team mates to do their best with every ball that comes their way, but, if they make a mistake, you are right there to tell them “shake it off, we got this, good try.” I know that this sport will always be a big part of my life and i am happy to share my experience with other girls at OVS.

Volleyball hosts “Dig for the Cure”

pikachu04Leave a comment

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Week, On October 16th, the Umass Volleyball team will be hosting an event entitled “Dig for the Cure.”

During its game against Southern Connecticut State, players will be selling T-shirts, and pledges, and admission tickets. Each pledge per “dig” during the game, along with all of the proceeds from the sales of their merchandise will be going directly and entirely put toward the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

I believe that this cause is very important and influential, and we should all reach out in this effort. It would be cool if our OVS athletic teams could try to participate in our own spin off of this idea, in correspondence to whatever project we decide to donate to at the time.