Volleyball Sneezin'

Volleyball season has come to an end I feel like I am still in a hole trying to dig out. This was my first season coaching freshman. It was a challenge, but I learned a lot! I think the girls did too! The advantage to coaching freshman is that you see the growth, but the growth was incredible to recognize from beginning to end. Some of the girls really came a long way! The head coach doesn’t make cuts at the freshman level which makes for a big team and by the end of the season a big space between the players development. I was amazed at how team oriented they were. Even though, because of the team being so big, the players would come to one game and then the next wouldn’t get to come, they didn’t seem to have the backbiting and drama that can occur with girls. Playing as a team is powerful in volleyball you can have phenomenal talent, but if they don’t come together on the court success is difficult. Team matters.  Here they are on our Team Day practice. 

My goal for the freshman team was that they would develop a love for the game and learn the fundamentals. About midway through the season during a game I looked out and they all seemed so scared to make a mistake, I thought they will never learn to love it if playing isn’t fun. I learned personally that playing your best doesn’t mean perfect.

I really don’t like refs; they stand up on their stand waiting, watching, and anticipating your mistakes, they have no vested interest in your success or your failure. I would much rather be a coach. Coaching is where you teach them the rules (correct principles) and then let them do it (govern themselves). You correct, motivate, and build up a player; you care about their success and it feels like a reflection on what you have done with them. This season I often wondered why am I coaching; it takes me away from my family, makes me take advantage of my friends (THANK YOU TERA), it pays next to nothing, but it is teaching, physically teaching, hands-on teaching, I love it. But all the time God is coaching me. One of my players is a hard worker, she works at everything I have ever given her. She is also a natural athlete, I gave her some things to visualize herself being successful with. She played such a good game (even though as a team we lost), I was so proud of her performance, how she kept her head up and was praising her and telling her how awesome she was, she looked at me “we lost, I made this mistake and that mistake. I stopped her and said, “You didn’t play perfect but you did play your best. You did everything I asked you to do. I expected big things and you met my expectations.” All I asked each individual player was that when you walked off the court win or lose you would be able to say you played your best. As she left the gym I was gathering my things, thinking, “This is why I love coaching.” Then my coach spoke, “Jana I too am not asking you to be perfect, just do your best, your best can change with the circumstances and it doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect. I am pleased that you are trying to do everything I asked, it is a team effort and although you can’t control others decisions and you will make mistakes, I sent my son and you are on His team, you will eventually win because you do your best. Keep your head up and you will be perfected in Him.” With tears in my eyes I felt His love.

Not all of them were there! 

We had the year end awards ceremony. I forgot so much of what I was going to say but I hope my girls learned the difference between best and perfect. I hope they also learned that hitting is an extension of a throwing motion, blocking is a game of catch, serving is as simple as toss-step- hit, and ball first - body second. It doesn’t take talent to hustle it just means to run. And the TTTTEAm Sneeze. I hope they learned to not to turn one mistake into two and to always make the next ball better. I really appreciated the coaches I worked with, they taught me a lot. I enjoyed my assistant coach and what she brought to the season. coaching staff Rainbow

I hope they know volleyball is worth the effort. They were great girls and at the awards ceremony I gave volleyball ducks to the 2 most consistent players in each particular skill pass, set, block, hit. I gave my core players (crazy core skittles), during the season skittles were given for players who showed hustle skills. I made them necklaces with their awards that the team voted on I was hoping to present them like Hawaiian leis but it didn’t work out that way. They had their awards attached: top players and most improved in all the skills, serving, passing, hitting, blocking, and setting. Net worth for the players who always took down and set up nets. Practice perfect for the players who never missed a practice, Leadership awards, rotation and transition awards, fiber plus awards for paper eaters. Team player, mental toughness, positive attitude, hustle, energy, happy and even loud. For the most improved I gave them something to represent progression, we did for that skill, I also gave a large box of Honey Smacks to my cereal killer (the player who led the team in kills) Then we did 4 big awards, MVP, Rising star, most improved, Panther.

MVP award went to #6. Her goal was to always be hustling, She did that and was always happy to as well she is a great server, passer, setter and hitter thus she gets the MVP but it is also her leadership and attitude.

My 2 rising stars were #10 and # 14 they are both very positive and have come so far but are just budding as volleyball players. I think they have great potential to be a force to be reckoned with in the future. They have the work ethic and discipline to make that happen.

Most improved… #12 choosing this at the freshman level is a daunting task. I chose a player that this sport didn’t come naturally too, she studied rotations until she could tell everybody where they were supposed to be, she worked so hard to improve her serve and passing, she always encouraged others and from tryouts to today she has made the biggest gains in volleyball.

Panther… this player puts the team first even if it means sacrifice individually, early on in the season I asked her to do something, I never had to remind her and she did it consistently all season. It was noticed. She touched every line, went for every ball she takes responsibility serious and she plays with integrity. She worked just as hard during conditioning and fundamentals as she did in the game or scrimmages. She always played with integrity, super coachable. I wasn’t sure if I believed Vargas with this diamond in the rough but after this player I do! We really changed her to a risk server it was a hard transition she worked, cried and stuck with it, If you don’t know who our Panther player is you must not have been in our gym #17 I expect big thing for you! Thank you for your example, dedication and heart!

I do expect big things to come from these girls and hope they spend some more time adding to what they have gained. I am so grateful for the opportunity to coach! I only wish I had more pictures.