I was in second grade the first time I watched beach volleyball on television. What caught my eye was its trademark: tan lines, athletes, and a connotation that friendships were made on and off the court. More than anything I wanted a way in, a way to make friends because I simply could not identify myself as one who enjoyed playing with barbie dolls or being infatuated with horses. The first day of recreational practice, I was shocked in dismay. I was not there to play kid-games or to learn the backstory and favorite ice-cream of each of my team-mates, and I was ostracized by that alone. Everyone laughed and criticized me while I hit the ball against the hard concrete gym walls, and pushed to run drills instead of play around. In the preceding years my love for this sport only grew, from …show more content…
Volleyball was the sport for me. In seventh grade, I learned about club volleyball, a select team where people were way more serious and devoted, I was in. Immediately upon learning about club, I took it into my hands to find any club team willing to give me a fighting chance. Eventually I found a club team that was willing to take me on, and show me the discipline and motivation I needed. I yearned to know the agony of fighting to get better, the drive to dive into something and go all the way through without ever pausing for a breath.I dove into volleyball. If there was any open time in the gym before practice started, I was there. If after practice there was extra time, I texted my parents to eat dinner without me. Everyday I played volleyball I fought to get better, and after seven years of playing, I got ahold of the skills I needed to continue on. Paradoxically, this lead me to quit volleyball. I
As a child I was not in to many sports or involved in school activities. Going through high school I figured out that being involved in a sport or a school club would make my high school experience better. The first and only sport I chose to do was track. Track changed my whole high school experience and life. I learned to never give up, and it kept me out of trouble throughout my four years of high school.
I first joined my high school’s tennis team when I was a freshman. Although I had little knowledge of the sport due to the district’s lack of a tennis program at the junior high I attended, I still wanted to experience something new. However once tryouts came around, I was one of the unfortunate ones to be cut for no logical reason. The news devastated me and made me feel that I wasn’t good enough to do anything. On the other hand, my friends made the team and encouraged me to try again the following year because they knew I could improve and be great. I took their advice and practiced from days on end the rest of my freshman year to improve and tryout for the team my sophomore year. Through the hard work and determination, I found myself on the team my sophomore year and joining varsity my junior and senior years, which made me feel a lot better about myself.
In the time it took me to actually love volleyball, I went through a vital journey
From the time I was born, I began attending professional volleyball games on the west coast beaches to watch my mom play in these matches. I spent many of my early years of life lying on the beach watching volleyball games. Once I was old enough, I participated in almost every sport that our local YMCA offered. I have been doing gymnastics since I was four years old and have been competing in it since I was eight. With gymnastics I have traveled all over the country. So far, I have spent the majority of my eighteen years of existence learning about sports and the benefits and drawbacks that come along with them. As I grew older, and my commitment to gymnastics increased, my friends began to see less and less of me. It seemed that anytime they wanted to plan something I was busy. They did not like that I spent so much time at the gym and they did not understand my commitment. I do not think that they ever believed that the benefits I gained from my experiences were worth my other sacrifices. However, despite bad days, crammed schedules, and questionable coaches, I have concluded that the good elements of sports far outweigh the bad. I believe that every child should be involved in some kind of sport because of the valuable lessons that are taught ...
I love volleyball even though it has not always been easy. I have had a lot of problems during my volleyball journey that have helped me grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. I started playing volleyball in fifth grade on the middle school team and am now playing on JV. I did not get a lot of playing time when I first started, but I practiced and learned the basics of the game. I developed a love for the game with a great group of girls that I looked up to, during my first season. I have not always had the best team and coach, though.
Volleyball is now one of my favorite sports. I still love softball and basketball, but volleyball is definitely one of my main interests. It’s crazy how I didn’t really like volleyball at all, and now I actually love it! My mom was right, although I don’t like to admit it, and I think I’ll be playing volleyball for a while
My cousin, who is now in the Hall of Fame, influenced my motivation to want to play volleyball when I grew up. Along with that, I was also influenced by all the older girls that were in the gym, from my mom being the head coach. For my little three year old self, watching all the older girls play it, I knew that one day I would want to be one of them as well. I started playing club volleyball when I was eight years old, but in the gym ever since I was three weeks old. Club volleyball is an opportunity to play volleyball outside of the high school or middle school sponsored activities (Klawrence).
I started focusing on tennis more, and forgot about volleyball. Then my senior year rolled around. Our tennis team was good this year, and my top priority for the first months of the school year was tennis. We ended up having the best season in our school's history, and I figured my career in high school sports was over. But a couple months after the season ended, I fractured my ankle while playing basketball.
Mama thought I was a cultural disappointment and dad thought I was disrespectful for attempting such a “manly” sport. My relative judged me for wearing my volleyball shorts and mocked me for thinking that I would one day make it as a world renowned player. Even though I felt torn in two, I never gave up. At school, I was a strategic volleyball player, but at home I was the undisciplined, the rebel, or a story of a good girl ruined by negative influence. Volleyball taught me how to understand the world around me and helped me find my voice and confidence.
Throughout my early childhood, I went through several different phases. I practiced an abundance of different activities such as: dance, baseball, tumbling, gymnastics, and even baton. However, none of these sports or hobbies stuck. That is, until I discovered volleyball. Never have I felt the love for something as much as I did this sport. Volleyball has had an unimaginable impact on my life in so many ways. I would not be the person I am today if not for this sport.