BuiltFORDTuff!: It Wasnt Pretty, but It'll Do

November 21, 2010- The Biel Game. The one that almost had me give up the sport altogether. And what athlete has not doubted themselves at one point or another. The one where it felt like I was playing with both arms tied behind my back with a blind fold on and a gag in my mouth. The one where my athleticism was put on hold the whole match. The one where I felt so contained, I wanted to break outta the cage I was in and attack like a predator would attack his prey. Good thing Team Sm'Aesch was able to pull off the win in 5 sets or my night would have really sucked. lol

Biel came into the match much stronger than the last time we met. They had acquired a new 6'4 outside hitter which essentially made their team much more effective. This player could do what I do naturally and that's hit over people and she did that very well in the first set. We found it very difficult to stop or contain her at one point. But we held on long enough to take the first set. That definitely was the easiest set we would play that match as Biel continued to put the pressure on us taking sets 2 and 4.

Not much more to say about this match except we took the 5th and decisive set pretty easily. Now why couldn't we play like that the whole match? Why is there such a trust issue amongst the players on my team on the court. In a game like volleyball every outcome is dependent upon one or more actions of a teammate. You can't hit if there is no pass. You can defend if you cant serve the ball into play. Its not like tennis where you individually are out there alone and every decision you make is yours and yours alone. In Volleyball you depend on your teammates for everything. And when there is trust issues, a link is broken. Its like trying to bend your leg without a knee. Its very difficult. Its very hard to be successful in our sport if we cant lean on each other and trust our teammates to do their jobs. It creates self doubt, and a chink in your armor during battle makes for a bloody war. Am I right.

Its the second half of the season and I hope we can move past these minor issues before they become epic. Because its matches like these where I don't really feel like an athlete, but rather a spot filled on a court with 5 other girls. It should be 6 girls on the court working together as one unit. I know one thing; I don't ever want that feeling I felt after this Biel match ever again. But the thing with athletics is I most certainly will have that feeling again, and for sure its all about how I deal with it and move on. Next ball... Next point... Next Practice... Next game. Next! Next Next Next.