Last Game

This evening is the last volleyball game I get to coach with my first group of freshman girls. I have coached 2 seasons before this at a Christian school here in town - so it's not the end of my first season. It's also not our last game - my primary responsibility is freshman but I also help with varsity, and their post-season play begins next week. So the season isn't over quite yet, but today is my last group with MY group of girls.

They've learned a lot (not nearly all from me) and they've really improved and I'm proud of them. We had a good time and it'll be fun to watch them travel through the ranks.

And as my first season in the public schools with a fairly competitive and talented team I have also learned a lot. The level at which these girls play is different than what I've coached before at the Christian school and even than what I used to play as a high school player. Volleyball has really "evolved" in the last few decades and it's very cool to get my head back in the game at this level of competition. There's really nothing like watching a good volleyball match. And I get a front-row seat :)

And, now that I will have a little more free time I am going to be hitting my homework hard for the second class I am taking in Nouthetic Counseling. The assignment is a lot of reading (which I also did last year). I'd like to get a book review up on here but I had always intended to do that last year as well and it never happened, so we'll see... I also have to write a 17-20 page paper on exegesis and (counseling) application of a passage of Scripture. I was given I think 7 passages to choose from and I picked Ephesians 4:1-16. Many people in my class are Pastors or at least Bible school grads, so this could stretch me at least a little. Which is a good thing, right? :)

A Season Complete

Yesterday I had "my girls" over for a pizza party to celebrate our season. Our season actually ended a few months ago, but we didn't get around to the party for a while. It was a lot of fun - we had pizza and ice cream sundaes, and played games and chatted. I gave (or will give, when they are finished) each girl an 8x10 paper I am scrapbooking with a personal note and a pic of the team. I asked each of them their favorite color, and will use a background paper in the color they chose. All but one of the eight girls could come, and we had a good time together before some of them leave for the summer, and then some next year will leave for college. We had 3 seniors on the team this year, who we will miss next year. I am hoping to have enough girls to make a team. Thanks to those who made it possible for me to coach my first season - it was a great learning experience and a whole lot of fun.

So Close

We had a great weekend, although it went too fast! My favorite part of our busy weekend was the volleyball game I attended on Friday night. This game was played by the team I am volunteer coaching, and it was a lot of fun. We didn't win, though I thought we should have. I truly believe we were better than the other team in most ways. But it certainly wasn't a waste to go, even with no "W" at the end of the night. The girls have improved so much, and are so much fun to watch. It took us a little while (too long perhaps) to actually start playing - like a game and a half. We lost by only 2 points in what is the equivalent to volleyball overtime - a 5th game, with extra points. Narasimha wasn't able to go - he had to work, and the game was about 2 hours away. I told him he missed a good one. I didn't have much of a voice for most of Saturday, and my legs were sore from jumping around so much :) This just confirms what I have believed for some time now: volleyball is one of the very most fun things I can think of doing, no matter how you're involved or how it ends up turning out :)

Bump, Set, SPIKE!

Last night we got to go to a volleyball game that was here in M-town. I haven't been to a volleyball game in a few years and it was fun. Both the teams were good - although I thought one was decidedly better than the other (and they were the team that won - which isn't always the case). I get to be a volunteer helper with a high school girls' volleyball team for our church, and practice starts Monday, so it was fun to get my head back in the game. Volleyball is one of my most favorite things - from about the first time I played, I was in love. I was never really all that good - I would say I was decent, and maybe on my best day I might have been good, but from an analytical standpoint, I can't get enough. I like watching the technical skills - floor position and hitting approach, etc. One day I will be a coach of my own team - that has been my dream for some time now. And I am really looking forward to this winter just to get back in the game.