Personal Narrative: Try-Outs In Volleyball

It was a hot summer day in Hammond, Louisiana and I was pouring down sweat like I had just jumped in a pool. The game was just about to begin, me and my team was eagle eyeing the bomb squad. It was so quiet that you could hear your own sweat hitting the bench. The umpire broke up everyone’s concentration by saying, “play ball”! The defense had ran out on the field and I started rolling ground balls from 2nd to short-stop to third base. They had all made good throws back to me and then I threw the ball into the dug-out because the game had begun.

Middle school is a time when kids attempt to figure out how they fit in, and that is exactly what I was looking to do when I started playing volleyball. I was in seventh grade when I decided to try out, and it was only because my best friend was playing. Little did I know just how organized and complex the game was; I just assumed volleyball was a more intense version of “don’t let the balloon touch the ground.” I never thought that I would become so passionate about this sport that it would have an impact on my character.

It was the day of volleyball tryouts. I was obviously pretty nervous as most should be, but it was way more than that. But something about this current volleyball tryout felt good. Very good.

When I was younger, basketball was all I wanted to play, it just looked like so much fun. In fifth grade I had my parents sign me up for CYB, then in sixth grade I tried out for middle school basketball and played all the way up until ninth grade. In middle school when I was in eighth grade I was awarded the captain position and that helped me build leadership and responsibility. All of the players especially the younger ones knew they could always come to me at any time if they needed anything or help with anything. High school basketball was a lot different than middle school. In middle school I was one of the star players so I played a lot but in high school that changed. I sat the bench a lot that taught me patience and understanding even

It is my junior year of high school and basketball season is right around the corner. I am on the verge of either making varsity or junior varsity this year depending upon my skills. Went through the tryouts and was able to make the junior varsity again for my second year with coach Maloney. I was all excited to play there again seeing I was one out of the three kids that made it back there again. From there it was Cam, Anthony, and I who thought would lead the team because we were the only ones who knew how to run Maloney’s offense and defense well that’s what I had thought was gonna be the case but in reality it wasn't. I thought I would be a starter for the team, but in reality I ended up being a bench player or how I thought of it as a

I had always wanted to go and try out for the school volley ball team but i wasn't sure if i was going to make it or not. I made the first cut and then the second cut. At the last tryout i put all the effort i had into it, hoping that I could make the team. The final cut came and i was not on the list. I was devastated. This was very hard to take. I told my parents that i didn't make it and they said that they knew i tried my best and that there is always next year in high school. Sure enough they were right. Coming into grade 9, I made the volleyball team and have been playing ever since. I thought that i was panicking and it was over but it turns out that i was just choking and thanks to my parents they helped me out of that

While learning and taking volleyball throughout this term I learned many different skills and concepts. Some of the skills I learned from this course were serving, forearm pass, setting, blocking, and spiking. Personally for me, I think the biggest skill I learned was setting. In taking this course, I think I have grown with the game better and have been taught new skills to apply to the future of playing volleyball. A skill that I believe perform well on is passing, while a skill I feel as if I could improve on is blocking. Lastly, if I could change one way in which I approached this course it would have to be to come in with a more confident attitude. I know that I'm not the best at volleyball, and that gets in my way sometimes, but I have

Tonight, is one of those nights. One of those nights where I sit down and reminisce about my life around this time last year. Volleyball was my main priority around this time last fall and the only thing I cared about.

Sophomore year came, and I was nervous because now there was jv dark and varsity to worry about. I came to tryouts, and gave all my effort on volleyball as well as my friends. They had made the teams, and I never expected to be in jv dark. My best friends didn 't made it to jv dark but I couldn 't miss this opportunity. In addition, I was depressed that I could not be with them, but I needed to be in a team that I knew it was going to help me become better. It surely did because now there was more tasks that I could do. My serves were something no one could receive. Consequently, the only horrible part of jv dark is that I never had the chance to play. I came to practice everyday and I followed instructions, I never complained if we ran, but the coach never showed me that I could be in the court. I did showed her, I tried to show off my abilities in volleyball for her to notice. As a result to that she always put me aside. In effect of this, it brought me down I

“Come on you got this!” I will never forget those words like never forgetting my name.

Playing on the varsity volleyball team is an adrenaline rush like no other. To be able to play the sport you love with teammates that are like family, in front of a crowd of actual family members is the ultimate feeling. Playing is even better when you, a small town nobody, beat a ranked team in the first set. We had just beaten Humboldt 25-17 and I was on top of the world. We were playing like our lives depended on it and I couldn’t be more proud of the girls.

Here comes high school. My friends and I from middle school all went to the same high school, and played volleyball once again. The only difference between us was when I was on the B team they were on the A-team, and when I was sitting on the bench they were playing. We got to high school and things didn’t change, they were on JV as a freshman, and little old me was still on the freshman team. I decided that for the next year they weren’t going to be better than I am. I worked so hard the summer going to my 10th grade year.

I know that even though my label comes with negative thoughts I know that I will never be ashamed for loving to play volleyball. Hearing people say things to make darkness override just makes me want to work harder and prove them wrong. Enjoying something that makes you feel like you belong should never make you switch your light because you will always make up to a new bright

I tried out ninth grade year and made the B team. The start of high school volleyball was extremely hard because I was out of shape, and again behind technically. This meant that for the next three years of my life I would have to push myself past subconsciously set limits, and attempt to not only catch up with my fellow teammates but surpass them. This entailed summer workouts Monday through Thursday from eight to ten, starting club volleyball, and staying positive through it all. Despite all of my efforts, during the off season of my junior year my coach told me I was not likely to make the varsity team. Everything I had planned since seventh grade was slipping through my fingers, and I felt completely helpless. Furthermore, that off season consisted of my coach’s indecision on whether I would make the team, and my growing dislike for the sport. Needless to say my last months in volleyball were emotionally draining and because of that I decided not to try out my senior year.

The gyms are full of hot and sweaty people. No air conditioning, but with just a little wind from some fans over head. People bump into each other in the crowded rooms. Whistles are blowing, players are yelling with excitement, while some are upset about a loss. Teams are winning and teams are losing. Outside, the beach waves are washing up onto the sand. The sounds of seagulls’ wings flapping against the air. Children splashing the water with excitement.