I. Love. Volleyball.

The 9 young ladies you see above play for Big Lake Juniors, and for the another consecutive season I get to coach them :) Last year was a year spent on improving the basics and learning how to mesh as a team. This year is about fine tuning those same basic skills to make them even better players. The first tournament is always nerve racking, as a coach you're never sure if you covered enough in practice. The first tournament is about finding a flow, in rotations, positions, and communication on the court. Usually the first game is shaky, as everyone finds their bearings but it was quite the opposite for these ladies in their first game yesterday morning. They took the court like champs who had been preparing for months. They communicated, transitioned, and did all the little things I had  especially gone over in practices. I kept looking back at Kyla and saying "Oh my goodness, they're doing everything we talked about! They were really listening!" 

Volleyball is a sport I've always loved. Growing up next door to the Varsity Coach, I attended a lot of games with his wife, Rachel. Rachel and Todd introduced me to volleyball when I was only 8, I couldn't wait to turn 10 so I could start playing with Big Lake Juniors! I played all the way through high school until an injury took me out. As much as I love playing volleyball, I can say that I probably like coaching more. I get to be a part of the "WOO!" moment when a middle gets their timing right on a block, or when a libero (defensive specialist) digs that hard hit up so that her teammates can play it, or when a setter sets so perfectly that the outside hitter gets a bangin' kill....I get to watch my players grow as athletes as well as young adults. 

My goal in coaching is to transpose that same love of the sport into them. I want to teach them respect, loyalty, confidence, and a good work ethic, so they can share in the satisfaction that comes when you work together  towards a common goal, in this case to win!

This weekend they did just that. They communicated with each other, trusted each other, and played some awesome volleyball :) I was so proud to say that Kyla and I had a little part of that. Side note, my Assistant Coach, Kyla is AWESOME... idk what I'll do when she's coaching her own team next year ;) She knows what I need her to do before I even ask her, I can't say enough how much I appreciate her donating her time to this team and to help me, she's wonderful!!

This weekend was an awesome kick off for this season!

It will only get better, and I know by the end I'll be posting a picture of these girls with medals around their necks!

BLJ All the way!