Staff vs. Student Volleyball Game

Today our VA team played against some of the teachers and staff of the school in the assembly, with the whole school watching. It was very fun! We played in our gym, which isn't that big, so all the students who weren't on a team were sitting on the edges of the gym watching us. It was big enough that they could sit and there was still at least a foot or two between a student and the edge of the court.

Our coach wasn't there at the beginning, so we set ourselves up in positions and decided on how we were going to switch out. I started off playing and was in the right front like I often start. We took a while to get into it, so we were pretty even and then the staff got a little ahead. But then we got into it, and we pulled ahead and won by a lot. The first time I served, at the very beginning the serve was out, but then I served multiple more times, and then I had all really good serves! Also, in the first game I had a couple hits, and one of them was really good! It went down and the technique looked good, I felt good about it and was happy I did well and everyone could see it! I had some good passes, too.

We played two games to 25 points, just like we would against another school! We won both of the games, the second one by even more than the first! It was really fun, and it was good for us to have practice! We switched out every 10 points or so, and just had everyone waiting on the side to come in switch out with someone on the court, I didn't always have to switch out because there were only 4 or 5 people who needed to switch in. I got to play a lot, it was fun! Some other teams were playing outside at the same time as our games, but all the other students were watching us. We got to play a whole match, two whole games to 25 with a real referee! The only other team that got to play the staff was the JVA team, and they only got to play part of a game, with someone else as a referee, because the other one had to leave.

Overall, it was very fun!

SillY Volleyball - 4/28/12

At SillY this Saturday we had a day very similar to the last one. We did different drills, but it was set up very similarly and we did the intermediate-group like thing where all the people in the advanced group who played the position of middle went over to the other court to do training/conditioning and the rest of us (there were 11-13 of us left (depending on when, a few people came a little later) which was a perfect number for what we did) played a game like situation like the intermediate group, like the last SillY, but without the group of boys. There were still enough people, though, with a bunch of other people from the Advanced group there too. The number was great because we filled the court with 6 people on each side like a game. At the beginning, the coach was in as the setter, but he switched out with one of the amazing older girls once more people came. The coach threw the ball, or put it in play and we had to play it. It was like a game, but more practicing specific things. Also, the coach gave advice (coaching) at times. It was very fun and really good for me, I felt like I could contribute and I was still learning a TON! It was really great and I hope that they continue to do this group, because it was a really great thing for me!

VA Volleyball Game #2

We had our second volleyball game today! We lost both games that we had in the match, but the first one was really close. We were way behind, it was like 6 to 16, but we got the serve and we brought it back. They had 24 points and we had 20 points when I started serving. I did 3 serves, which were all in, and very good serves. We had 22 points and I served it over, the other team got it back to us and then it was passed, but not very well, so the set wasn't good, and the next person couldn't get it over! We were so close, but we didn't win. We caught up so well, though!

I felt like I did really well in this game, and I had mostly good accurate, controlled passes. I had some good saves, too, and one dive that was really great, that surprised even me! I had a lot of fun, and I thought that I did really well and I have improved a lot, and my skills are much better! Even though we didn't win, I thought we did MUCH better as a team, and I did really well individually!

SillY Volleyball - 4/21/12

At SillY last Saturday there was an extra group of boys who don't usually come. We did our regular warmups and some drills, which was fun. Then there was a kind of intermediate group! There were some of the younger more advanced people, middle-schoolers and freshmen and the group of boys and we played a game-like drill just without serving. It was really fun! I got some really good hits and really good practice! It was fun to play with them, and I hope they do the group again next week!

Picture from first game

Here is a picture of our team wearing our warm-up shirts over our uniforms preparing for our first game to start! You can see the other team in the background if you look closely enough. They look scary, even just from that, don't they? ;)

First VA Volleyball Game

On Friday our team had our first volleyball game against another private school. They were first in the league last season and were undefeated. That became especially clear by the end of the game. We did pretty well, actually, for how our team has been doing, but the other team was SO good. It seemed to me like they had been playing together for a very long time and they were all on club teams and amazing. The school we were playing was a lot bigger than my school, too, so they have a bigger pool to choose from. They were especially good hitters (spikers). They hit it hard and they aimed it and put it where we wouldn't get it. We need to improve on getting the ball when it's spiked and keeping our spirits up. Even so, though, we probably won't have a game so hard for the entire rest of the season. It's kind of unfortunate that that was our first game before we've had more time to play together and get a feel for the games, but we will learn from it.

I got to play for the entire first game and most of the second game, which was fun. I did pretty well, although I was upset at times because I could've done better. We only played two games because the other team won both of the first two (by a lot) so we didn't need a third. I felt like I did the best, and the team did especially well, at the very end of the second game. We brought it together a little bit and I thought was more of a team. We will improve, and I am confident we will do better at our next game. We might not win, but I'm sure we'll do better. I suppose we can only hope.

SillY Volleyball - 4/14/12

At SillY last Saturday I was with the Advanced group again, which I think is going to be how it is officially from now on. The Intermediate group is gone, and we talked to the coach about it and apparently it never really existed. Now, most of the people in the Advanced group are in high school or college. I'd say there are probably 6 or 7 middle schoolers in the group of at least 20 on a regular day when a bunch of people are absent! The high school and college players are VERY advanced and amazing players, and it is really hard for me to keep up with them! All I can do it try to get the ball up if I should and stay out of the way, which is hard. I am going to try my best to contribute more and learn all I can from playing with these amazing people and improve a lot, but for now it is extremely difficult, tiring, and sometimes distressing for me to be in this group. On last Saturday I dove for the ball a lot trying to keep it up and do what I could, but getting it when it was harder to get, so I had to dive. I would guess I dove about 6 times at least, and I actually got theball up 3 or 4 out of those times! That was good. I went down hard, though, for some of those dives. I probably wasn't using correct technique to keep myself uninjured, because I was justgoing for it. That's probably another something I can work on, diving correctly in such a way that I don't hurt myself.

This time I got an ugly bruise on my right hip, that looked like I broke a bunch of blood vessels! (ew!) I also got a burn mark from the floor on my left elbow, from sliding, a scablike sort of thing on my left knee from diving and sliding and it got below my kneepads, and my left hip also was hurting. Today I went to the chiropractor to get everything straightened out, and he straightened me out and gave me some stretches I can do after practice and games and such to help with everything.

Overall, I think being in the Advanced group will be good for me. Playing with and observing those amazing players can help me improve my own technique. Combine that with the extra practice time, higher level of drills and coaching, and the game-like situations that I get to apply myself in a much higher level than I probably need at this point, and I will be in really good shape if I just work hard, observe, and let myself make mistakes and not be as good as the other players. I don't have to be the best, especially not in this group. If I just do the best that I can do, practice, learn, and observe, I will get better and gain a lot from this experience.

VA Scrimmage

We haven't had any official games yet, but today the VA volleyball team had a scrimmage against another private school VA team. Originally, at the time of the scrimmage I had a conflicting event scheduled, but we moved it earlier so I would miss the last class of the day so I could go to the scrimmage. We figured I would be around the time the game was going to start (with no time for warmup) or even late. What ended up happening was that we got to the event exactly on time and did what needed to be done, and it ended up taking less time than we expected, so we actually got to the other school's campus for the scrimmage in the middle of the warmup time. It was a really good time to get there because the team was already there so I knew where to go and didn't have to wait, and I still got time to warm up a little and get the same place on the court I would've gotten if I had been there at the same time as the team. (If I had been late she would've probably had to give someone else my spot.)

We started the game and I was one of the starters on the court, which I was happy about. We rotated around the court to the different positions, but didn't just go out at a certain spot, our coach subbed us out when she wanted to. I stayed in for a lot of the first game before I was subbed out. Then I was in for the entire second game, and part of the third. To get to three games usually it is because one team wins the first game and the other wins the second, so the third is to determine the winner of the match. If one team wins both of the first 2 games, then there is no need to do a third, because the other team couldn't win the match, anyway. The team we were playing against won both the first two games, so the reason we played a third is that it was a scrimmage, so we could, we all wanted more practice and it would be fun!

Our team actually did really well in the games, much better than we had been before. I think being in a game setting was good for us, and especially good practice so we know what to work on and we know what to expect for games. We did a lot of good bump-set-hit stuff where we actually got all three hits and got it over. We didn't win the games, but we learned from them. I think I did a good job. I did really well with serving, I had a bunch of serves in a row at the beginning of the first game that were good, and most of them the other team couldn't return. My serves after that were good, too, but there weren't any other runs that were that long. I made some good passes, got some good hits, and contributed well to the team. The thing about volleyball is that it is really a team sport. You can do perfectly (which I didn't, I'm just saying theoretically) and still not win or do as well if your team is not good, or can't work together well. I think we have a lot of potential as a team, and we're actually doing pretty well already (better than last year's VA team, because we're actually bump-set-hitting and making it over! Last year we didn't even try to do that), but we just need to learn our team dynamic and get even more practice playing together, and work even more on our skills. I think we are well on our way, though, and I am excited for our first game on Friday to see how we do!

SillY Volleyball - 4/7/12

It's been a while since I've posted about SillY, sorry, but I've been going most Saturdays as usual, although I missed a few weeks because of various conflicts. This Saturday and for the past few there have been very few people, less than usual, and so there really has only been two groups. There has been the beginner group and the advanced group, the intermediate group hasn't been happening. This is sad for me because I am in that group and I feel out of place, like I'm not as good, with the advanced group, but I don't belong in the beginner group at all either. It is very confusing and stressful for me. I hope they bring the intermediate group back, and soon. This Saturday we were in a different, smaller, gym than usual, because our other gym was being used for something. There was only one volleyball court in the gym instead of our usual 4, so we did everything together. We did a weird warmup with yoga mats and heavy balls and did aerobics or something. Then we did some passing like normal. Then, all of us together, we did passing and hitting and stuff on the single court. At the end they had everyone who was not in high school sit on the side and watch the older kids play and they were amazing. I particularly watched their hitting (spiking) and tried to learn from it. That's my goal right now, to work on my hitting.

The week before this, my grandparents came and watched me at my SillY Volleyball class! It was really nice. Then later, I played volleyball with them and taught them some of the things I know, the basics of playing. It was very fun!

VA Volleyball

A few weeks ago the list went up for the Varsity A volleyball team at my school. I am on the team! We have had some practices and our team is improving. Our coach is not a volleyball player, she didn't play volleyball before, but she's been studying. She was the VA coach for basketball at our school, so she's trying out being the coach for volleyball to see if she'll be the coach for all the VA teams. She started studying before volleyball season started so she could be ready for the first practice, and she was. She has also continued studying and improving since then, so she will be an even better coach than she already is. Even though she isn't an expert in volleyball in particular, she is a really great VA coach, so it actually works out really well. As a team, we're trying to do things right and get 3 hits and everything, but we need to practice. We have been practicing and we'll practice this week (and after) but our first game is on Friday. That will be the real test of our ability and our teamwork, and I hope we do well!