Team Meeting

On Wednesdays the team watches film and does weight lifting first, and then starts practice at 4:30. This Wed. Sept 30, Tim had put together a video camera set up that allows the camera to be extended on a pole so that the camera angle is looking down on the top of the net. From this angle it is easy to see if the blockers on penetrating over the net and where the position of their body is in relation to the net. Tim showed up to help set it up since they had never used it before, and to show Coach how to do it. The girls had come in to set up the net, but before they could do any more warmups, Coach had them sitting on the floor in a circle talking, in very serious tones. Tim did not need nor want to be involved in this team meeting so he went outside after he had hooked everything up. Over an hour later, they were still talking. I had showed up to meet Tim to go to dinner, but he was still hanging around outside, thinking that any minute they would end. Finally, after an hour and a half they started warming up and practiced 45 minutes later than usual. We left to go eat dinner and Erin went straight to youth group at church after practice. We were dying to know what had transpired at the team meeting. We kept spectulating of course about all they could be talking about. After the big loss to La Serna the week before there were still some raw feelings. We hoped and prayed they were getting it all worked out. When Erin finally arrived at home that night after church, she said it was mostly about drama from 2 of her teammates that she knew nothing about beforehand. Their insecurities were an eye opener to Erin and caused her to have compassion on them. But it was good to get it all out in the open and they had a good pratice after they had cleared the air. Whew. Who knew being part of a team would be so difficult and provide so many life lessons!?

Sept 29th Valley Christian Match

Every year we play Valley Christian we are never quite sure what to expect. Will they be tough, or will they be a little easier than they were the year before? We beat them last year in fairly easy fashion, but you don't want to be over-confident and then be surprised. But once again Valley was not a match for our WC girls. WC won in 4, but the third game they lost because Coach had put in much of the 2nd string and they couldn't quite pull it out (24-26). At times there seems to be a big gap between 1st and 2nd string, but not always on the basis of ability, more in confidence. Erin had a respectable 8 kills and was pleased to have an easy win after such an emotional loss to La Serna the week before.

Sept 24th La Serna Match

The WC girls showed they were fallible on this night. They lost in 4 games to La Serna. And it was heartbreaking for the team, mostly because they did not play their best. The passing was not the usual stellar passing they have become famous for, so consequently much of their offense was not run well or efficiently. To their credit, La Serna played well and did not let up. They also picked on our weakness at middle blocking and caused multiple hits to kareen off the blocks, unplayable from our side. If WC would have played their best it most likely would have gone 5 games, and perhaps they could have pulled out a win. But that didn't happen. Afterwards, Coach put a lot of blame not only on the passing, but on the captains. That really affected Erin. She played her heart out and felt she played to the best of her ability. She was not at all ashamed of her personal effort. But when Coach questioned it, it kind of crushed her. She kept asking, what more could I do? I did my very best! The team had the weekend off afterward, a much need rest and a time to reflect on not wanting to lose again. If there was a good time to lose, then perhaps this was it. Before heading into league play and eventually to playoffs, this is the time to get the kinks out, and figure out what needs to be done to get the girls to play to the best of their ability in every match. A team grows through adversity, and by God's grace, this may be the most adversity they face this season: the adversity of themselves.

Sept 22 Maranatha Match

The Maranatha match turned out to be a personal highlight for Erin. WC won in 4 games, but Erin had a match high 16 kills, as well as a .465 hitting percentage for the night. She was on fire, and she kept getting set from her setter, Stephanie, so it made for a memorable night. Afterward Erin was kind of ho-hum about the whole match, and we (Tim, Lindsay and I) insisted that she played a great match. The next day before the team watched film of the game, Coach told Erin her hitting percentage and other stats. Tim and I had just delivered popsicles to all the volleyball teams that were practicing that day because it was another extremely hot day. Erin came running out of the team room, so excited to tell us her stats from the Maranatha game. I am so pleased that she is physically able to play without pain this year after seeing her play in pain most of last year. I only pray she can continue to play to the best of her ability and have a blast doing it.