First Tournament Eyes...

This is the first club tournament for most all of you. So, we want to give you some insight into what we are all in for on Saturday....

We will miss hundreds of our serves.

We will miss hundreds of their serves.

We will let the ball drop often while we figure out this team sport.

 

We will be in the wrong place a lot.

 

We will lose focus because we are so young.

We will become impatient and cranky at times.

We will struggle often but have highlights as well.

 

We will be squirrely and be difficult to herd when needed.

 

We might cry because we care so much and we don’t want to let anyone down.

 

We will be anxious and nervous and scared and it will show at times.

 

We will be incredibly overwhelmed mentally putting everything we are learning into practice.

 

We will forget all day that we are LEARNING this incredibly hard game in a very difficult environment.

 

We will talk to ourselves in a negative way often, not seeing that we are getting better with each serve and pass.

 

We will work to encourage and to be good teammates and root for each other in a world that values individualism.

 

We will unfortunately, at first, see winning as THE defining achievement and losing as THE end of the world.

 

We, by definition, cannot see the big picture yet and it will show.

 

While it may not look like it at times, WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

 

We may hear people in the stands shout things to us that they would never say to a 12-year-old in a mall or a carwash.

 

We might see our own parents lower their head into their hands, shake their head, and seem disappointed in us.

 

We will see and play against others that are bigger, stronger and faster and compare ourselves to them.

 

We are NOT making mistakes on purpose even though some people watching might think so.

 

We will grow weary playing 3 matches in six hours and our normal practice is 90 minutes twice a week.

We will have to officiate and score keep even when we are tired and struggling to stay focused.

 

We are starting where EVERY Olympic player started their journey.

 

We are the product of our parents and we will be directly affected by their emotion and demeanor.

 

We are young.