New Position. New Direction?

January 22 & 29, 2011- After a heart-crushing defeat last week in Duddingen, I have been a little perplexed as to how to pursue success again. But like I always say winning and losing is apart of sports and life for that matter. Gotta get back up and try again. But what happens when you are thrown a curve ball? Well that is exactly what happened to Team Sm'Aesch.

After the Duddingen match, injury took out one of starting outside hitters and prominent players on the court. Anouk Verge-Depre has led team Team Sm'Aesch time and time again. One of the Swiss leagues most promising young talents, Anouk was a force on the court both in the front row and back. Her absence would definitely hurt our team. After finding out she would be out for the season, we had to come up with a plan to overcome. Well that plan would be for me to more to opposite so I could get more balls to terminate. I had become a #1 option.

I had mixed feelings about this. I was excited about the opportunity for sure. I started my career on the right side, so it was not new. I had not really played there on this big a stage though. So there was a little bit of insecurity. The big thing was our next match happened to be against Nuchatel, the team I wanted revenge on so bad I could taste it. But I was not in the middle I was on the right side and that would be very different.

Walking into Nuc's gym, I could feel this would be such a big opportunity. I felt like it would either go really really well, or really really bad. I dreamed that I had balled out and was this hero. Revenge was served up on a cold dish. It felt great in my dream. But could it happen in real life. Well it didn't happen. I played okay by my standards. But so worried about carry the team, I fell into that timid afraid to make mistake player that I started my career as. If only I had played like I knew I could. It only I had just let go and balled, would the outcome be different. Nuc didn't even play their real lineup and we still lost. Yeah I got the most points, but I also had many errors. I hung my head. I felt like I had let my team down.

Another Opportunity**********

Our next match would be out last game of the season against Koniz. After a week of beating myself up, self loathing, and complete non confidence in myself. It was time to come back up and play. I cant say it was the best of times at practice. Partially, because chemistry on the court was not flowing so well. Practice became hard to focus, and I felt like I couldn't better my skills for fear of messing up and letting the team down. But I know I can play. Just have to go out and do it.

Koniz is a team I always respected but at the same time thought we matched up really well with. They are led by 2 really good outside hitters, a strong American middle blocker and setter and a pretty good libero. They can be a very strong team, or they can become very vulnerable. Which is almost like out team. Lots of potential, but just have to let it shine.

The match started off well, and then went bad really fast. The next thing I knew we were down by like 10 and I was stuck in middle back, which to be honest with you is bad for us. Bad for me as well as I would try to score constantly from the back row on bad balls against a solid block. We lost the game something terrible. Passing just went out the door. Sorry no passing. No volleyball really.

The next three games would be some of the most intense, tiring, great, and awful times Ive ever experienced on a volleyball court. Sometimes we look awesome as a team and other times we were running into each other like the three stooges. But I think the most important thing here was to stay the course. Jana, our setter was getting us great one on one opportunities, blocking was arite, and Laura Tschopp or the Swiss machine I like to call her, was having an amazing offensive night. She was keeping us afloat in many situations.

After tying the game up, Sm'Aesch had a new life. We were focused up. And things were starting to go in our direction. Exhausted and sore both teams scrambled back to the court. One team wondering how they got in this situation. The other team was wondering how to make the best of the situation. Ill let you decide which team was which. All I know is that Team Sm'Aesch was playing some good ball we should have been playing the whole match and maybe the entire season. It felt good to be in that moment with my teammates. At some times it was not pretty, but success is success. Especially since I was having a very streaky match myself, with a poor hitting percentage. I am my worse enemy at times, but I had my teammates to lean on and help me through. It was game 5 and I knew I needed to show I did indeed know what that round white thing was.

Once we changed sides we were able to put a little cushion between us and Koniz. Had a couple of match points. One of the most controversial calls came this game, when our libero Nadine made the best sprawl out with everything pancake and got the ball the up. I mean she literally dug it with the tips of her middle and fore finger. Jana managed to make a playable ball out of it and we got it back over. Well Koniz thought the ball hit the floor and proceeded to catch it when it came back over. The ref then called a lift on them. They of course were infuriated. But it was a good call. The ball was up. Hey, play until the whistle. May I also take time out to just praise the officiating this match. Best I have experienced my whole time in Switzerland.

Finally it happened. Game point was put down by Sandra Stocker on a nice slide ran to perfection. Perfect enough for the Match. I looked over at Jo and she had collapsed on the floor. lol It was a very exhausting match, but I think it showed us what we were capable of doing once we get out of our own way and do it. Ive always said, there is so much talent and potential on this team. There have been glimpses of it all season, but the most important thing was that moment. The moment that last ball hit the floor. Gotta love moments like that. By the way, this team we defeated that night, beat the number one team in the league the week before. Like I always say... numbers mean nothing in the heart of an athlete that wants to win. Hopp Sm'Aesch!

"Think you can. Think you can't. Either way you will be right." -Henry Ford

Catching Up.... Duddingen

January 15, 2011- Off to play Duddingen. I remember three things about this match. One, my knees were in tremendous pain. I had tried to take it easy this week so I could have enough juice for the match. The tendonitis in my right knee was not getting time to heal, but with Sandra Stocker joining our team mid season, it was kind of a break. Meanwhile my left leg had all types of problems going on that just had to be controlled with pain meds and constant massages from the therapist. Secondly, the Nuc coaches were there scouting I suppose, which is not uncommon, but we had just seen them like three days before and it was starting to become too much. lol Funnier thing is the next day we would see them again at their match. Third, Duddingen had improved a lot from the last time we had seen them. With some coaching changes and lineup changes, I knew this would be a very difficult but decent match.



This wouldnt be my blog if I didnt tell you we started off to a slow start once again. But not this time. This time we were connecting on all cylinders. We started off with a good block and the outsides were terminating balls. We were really frustrating Duddingen. we secured the first set under our belts 25:19. I am sorry to say that is the last time things were at ease that whole night. Set 2: As the story usually goes, we get down in a set and then mentally simple things like fundamentals go out the window. Passing declines and we are making unforced errors. I give much credit to Duddingen. In the next two sets their defense was very impressive. That is in keeping balls alive and blocking us off the court. Once that happened the passing broke down and we became very predictable. We lost the next two sets 19:25 & 18:25. One key change in game was the change of middle blockers. The Brazilian Opposite Emeli Schaffer was switched to the middle for a quicker and better blocking, which definitely made a huge difference. All of a sudden that seam was not there.

Set 4 was neck and neck. Sm'Aesch ofcourse needed this set to stay in the match. Struggling to stay afloat, our team played very tentatively and scared; not wanting to make mistakes. Basically we were making nervous errors. You know them. The ones that you used to make when you first started playing: Being out of rotation, excessive nets, swinging low. Duddingen had control the whole match and they knew it. But you know me. I love close matches. Its like an adrenaline rush. Especially going back to the service line. The gym sounded like we were playing in a conga drum. I couldnt even hear myself breathe or become tired. Barely pulling off the win, we walked exhausted back to the bench for set 5 (26-24).

Set 5 was such a blur, I dont even remember. The only thing I did remember was the setter going to me alot late down the stretch and their blockers being on me like glue. I hit a very important ball outta bounds to give them match point. And like that we had lost the match. I was horrified, pissed off, made at everything. But that was it. The match was over. I managed to be voted Player of the game along with Renata "Pepe" Schmutz from Duddingen. I walked up to received my flowers with giant tears in my eyes. Speechless with so much to say. But no one would ever listen.

After the game I went over and sat with my American friends on their bench. I was so ticked off at everything that had happened. All the angst and pressure and dirty looks and non trust on our side of the court had really overwhelmed me. It was too much and I seriously had to step away from it. I got much comfort from the American girls, because I feel like they empathized.

Later that night.......

Me and my roommates along with a couple other teammates and girls from Duddingen went out to dinner at McDonalds. So healthy right? Nothing relieves anger like a Big Mac. :) Later we went to Kaylees apartment to chill and hang with her roommates, who by the way are super cool students from the University in Fribourg. They spoke French too. Ofcourse I loved them. They were super chill and hipster like.

We sat down and drank and ate some more before heading out on the town. Fribourg is such a nice town. There are many young people there because of the university. They also have a basketball team. Actually the first time we hung in Fribourg was at Emeli's birthday, we met the basketball team. Cool cats.

Emeli's BDay party December 18, 2010

We went to some of the hot spots around town before heading to Paddy O' Reillys. Most of the night I was downstairs watching the football game with other American exchange students. Green Bay was playing Baltimore. I cant help it. I am a football fan, it doesnt matter what continent I am on.

Overall I was disappointed with the loss and the way we played as a team, but thats how things go and you move on and get better for the next one. Trust when I left that gym, it was the last thing on my mind.

Always good times.....

What i didnt know was that this would be the last match Anouk Verge Depre would play....

More to come.

THe Super Bowl.... EPIC!

February 6, 2010- A day that will go down in epic history. A day when two teams, the two best teams came together on the grid iron. They fight through 4 quarters of blood, tears, sweat, and of course an halftime concert that has included some of the most controversial events ever. This year's battle would not be any different. The Green Bay Packers vs the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cheeseheads versus the Terrible Towel wavers?. Heck, they even made songs for this battle. There is the already popular "Black & yellow" by Wiz Khalifa. Actually this song was already in existence; he just campaigned for it to be hailed as the song for Pittsburgh. Weeks before the big game, Lil Wayne came out with his own version named "Green & Yellow." Oh who cares, my Colts weren't playing. Honestly I just wanted to watch some football and hang out with friends.
So the stage was set.

All of us Americans decided to all get together and go to Lausanne to watch the game. I know the girls all went last year when my Colts played and lost. Tear! So this year I was so excited to be apart of the festivities. As you may recall last year I watched the Superbowl on my teammates computer which was skyped from her big screen back home in New Orleans. IT was absolutely soul crushing to sit and watch my Colts get beat by her Saints in front of almost 20 Saints fans. :( So this year I jumped at this opportunity. We went to a lil bar called Darlings open late on this Sunday for the Super Bowl. We got there and fellow American from VFM Kristen Kelly had made shirts for both teams. I reluctantly picked the Steelers, but my heart was still with the Colts. I even asked her if she could make me a Colts shirt. lol That night I had to be Hines Ward. He's alright!



The group of about 30 of us all gathered in front of the big screen. The bar was even gracious enough to serve us food, which included chicken wings, the perfect Super Bowl food.

We sang our National Anthem so loud, we didnt even notice that Christina had messed up the lyrics. Aww God Bless! Then it was on. Everyone was cheering for their teams, we ate, we drank, we talked and met the locals. It was a real good time. Its always great to get together with my American Chicas. I was having so much fun walking around and meeting people that I didnt even see the half time show. Good Times.









OH yeah... Nice job Green Bay Packers, 2011 Superbowl Champs!