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Don’t be fooled. Volleyball is not for the prissy or the prima donna-type, wanna-be-an-athlete, girls of the world. At least not if you want to seriously play competitively. It’s more than bumping a ball ever-so-lightly so your fellow teammate can score a point. That’s only what you see on the surface. You are probably familiar with the almost ballet-like dance: The leaping, the swinging of arms, the perfect timing and, the grace. It is soooooo much more to it than that. Athleticism, mental focus and skill are required to deliver this kind of performance.
Not For the Faint at Heart
For a true volleyball player, playing the game is an escape. When you’re in a game, your head is all in and your focus is concentrated on one thing – the next ball. Once you’re locked in, no other noise matters and all distractions cease. The only thing that matters is your sister next to you, your pass, the setter’s set, the hitter’s hit and the defense’s coverage. Volleyball is an entirely different world that involves controlling a ball in mid-air and making the ball go where you want it to.
You may not realize that the average competitive volleyball player begins playing the sport at the tender young age of 8, usually no later than age 11. Before they step on the court, there is running. There is strength training. There is skills training – and lots of it! Practices are at least 3 hours long as many as 3 or 4 times each week. Then, strength training happens on other days – off days from practices. Definitely not for the faint at heart nor the pain resistant.
An Individual and a Team Sport – Skills Required
Volleyball is a combination of both an individual and a team sport. To better yourself you have to put in extra effort outside of practice. Individual athletes work to get fast and stronger. The goal is to better your cardiovascular endurance to get yourself to a level to play with a team. However, you also strive to work hard as a team towards effortless flow, performance as well as collective goals. To play on a volleyball team is different from just “playing volleyball”.
Most people play volleyball as part of recess or for light recreation and game play at gatherings like family reunions. Many fail to recognize to truly play the sport well, there is skill and strategy involved. Blocking, setting, spiking, serving and defense are all skills that take time and practice to effectively use in a game to help your team win. Part of perfecting these skills includes getting the timing and coordination between foot work, translating the previous touch – whether from a fellow teammate or an opposing player – and, finally, responding with the most effective skill for the play – at least on offense. Offense begins with the serve. When there is one ball, one player, one fluid motion, one net, 6 opposing players, and 8 different zones on the court. On defense, each player covers a zone on the court. The 1st through 6th zones are the 6 opposing players with the 7th and 8th zones being the seams of the back row.
In addition to executing skills with precision, the best players also have volleyball acumen. This includes being able to read opposing players’ eyes, body movement, positioning and zones to correctly anticipate where he or she will target the ball to land on your side of the court and, respond or return the volley appropriately to turn a potential opposing team’s point into a point for his or her team.
To play on a team, you must be a team player and hold yourself and your teammates accountable. Playing on a volleyball team can help build your character. Lots of humility, being trustworthy enough to be consistent on and off the court, having strong communication skills, and encouraging towards each other are essential traits. In women’s volleyball, being together leads to the formation of a sisterhood that is life-changing for you and those your teammates. Understanding your role and what you bring to the team can greatly impact your success in a positive way.
The Dark Side of Volleyball
As a highly competitive sport, there is also a ‘dark side’ of playing volleyball at a competitive level. It includes post-game ice packs, ice baths, ankle wraps, and elbow bandages. Sacrificing your body to try to keep a ball in play or get underneath it to take away a potential point for the rival team comes with a price. Volleyballs seem to have a mind of their own. You anticipate it going one way, but a slight touch can disrupt the path launching it in another direction. This causes you to stop in your tracks, contort your body to give yourself a chance to re-direct the ball.
Volleyball is a game of concentration, competition, reaction, and adjustments. Lack of focus can make the difference between a win and a loss. At the same time, the game is not 100% about winning but involves getting better and giving all you’ve got. Did I mention the sport is not just for females?
(To be continued…..)
Volleyball is not for Wimps 