So for the last month, once to twice a week our beach team (7 doubles teams) has been training in preparation for the Club One 14U fall beach tourney. This past Saturday was game time and the girls played great. I am proud of how quickly they are developing. I am especially proud to have the opportunity to work with 4 of the greatest 10 yr olds around! These kids formed two doubles teams and took the court against BIG 8th graders - and expected to win! What great competitors! They love the game, and they won the respect of everyone at that tourney. The older girls on V4L have helped them so much. Great chemistry in practice all around. All of you are amazing! I am humbled and honored to privileged to work with you. I believe coach Mike feels the same. ...But why?
Last Wednesday was the last practice for that tournament series. Club season (indoor… mehh..) is right around the corner and it’s time for a break… so i thought. Sitting home, I got a text - “Where are you? We need the balls”... ( Mike, you had something to do with this!) I apparently had 6 or 7 girls ready to rock and roll. I put stuff down, grabbed my 7 yr old, 11 yr old and a bag off volleyballs, and we headed to the sand!
After answering one question on line shot rundowns and drilling it for a bit, we went straight into ‘side out’ (like queen of the court, but doubles.. in sand). I played, Mike played and one of the girls mothers jumped in (she played college, she’s a baller). -Not to be left out, the 7 yr old and 8 yr old soon put aside the hole they were digging and demanded a turn. I reluctantly (I know, I’m horrible) let them in for a point, expecting they could just lose and move off (I told you i was horrible!). This began a great lesson for me. Progressively, older girls began taking turns partnering with the younger ones, helping and coaching them! - The grins on the youngers’ faces were sooo big - playing with the ‘big girls’ on a real court! This was religious for me. Hi fives and congrats as the mites (i call the super small ones ‘mites’) made attempts at plays. When we got home the first words out of my 7 yr olds mouth screamed: . " MOM! I am so GLAD I went to practice - I got on the winners side a LOT!" She was stoked. Special things going on out here, I think. These kids won't stop. I'm so excited for them, I'm so excited to see where this takes them. Im excited to see their eyes light up so big at the joy the game brings to them. I hope it continues and becomes a lifelong service to them.
So why do I coach? - Because the excitement i get watching my kids do something in a match that he/she has been struggling to learn in practice is earth shattering. Because I never could imagine that watching a 10 year old score an ace, or an 11 yr old hit a cuttie, could mean more to me than winning a tourney myself. Because this is the best form of adrenaline, and i am a junkie!
I love watching it.
Still.
Volley On
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