A Rough Night
Last night ended what has been a very painful hard court volleyball season. We played in what was called a Dinker League. It was as upper intermediate level league. My guess is that every team had a couple of people that played high school and college ball. We had one. We finished a miserable last place out of 8 teams. On only one night were we ever competitive and that was when two of my worst players were gone and we played the 7th place team.
Last night the first place team knocked us out of the playoffs with a yawn. Seriously, I had some desire to apologize for my team's play. Oh, we weren't unsportsman like. Not at all. But, three of my players were completely unable to compete at that level. Our opponents were clearly bored. Furthermore, they were clearly upset by one of my player's continued use of a two-handed hit above his head. As my college player noted on the way home, that was always illegal when she played. The ref never called it so he got away with it.
If I wasn't the captain, if I wasn't the team organizer, I probably would have quit several weeks ago. It was that bad. The two-handed hit guy all but refused to try and control the ball. He seemed to think that any time the ball went over the net it was a good thing. That may work in a rec level league but a free ball over the net in this league just meant it was going to be coming back at us with a lot of velocity and moving downwards at a steep angle.
When one of the low-skilled girls asked me between games 1 and 2 if I had any words for the team I just said, "No." In my mind I was thinking, there is nothing I can do to fix this team. We were out classed. If the three low-skilled players were willing and I could work with each of them for an hour or two a day I might be able to improve things after a week or two. But, as I said, at least one of them was not willing. I mean how many times can I say we have to play for three hits (bump, set spike) and we have to control the ball before it sinks in. Before they start to try. Apparently 8 weeks of being beaten into the ground was not enough.
I know this might sound a little snobbish and I guess on some level it is. But it was just a complete mismatch in skills. Half my team (and most of the rest of the league) are pretty highly skilled players. But, the half of my team that wasn't severely brought down the rest of us. They severely lowered the level of play, and hence the level of fun and competition, whenever they were on the court.
I don't like to drink when I'm in a bad mood, but I tied one on last night. I felt humiliated and embarrassed. We won't play hard court again until the fall and I will be changing the make up of the team. It might be uncomfortable removing friends from a team but it has to be done.
Tonight, I've got the second of my weekly sand court leagues. I'm going to be looking to tatoo the %*&#@ ball!
Last night the first place team knocked us out of the playoffs with a yawn. Seriously, I had some desire to apologize for my team's play. Oh, we weren't unsportsman like. Not at all. But, three of my players were completely unable to compete at that level. Our opponents were clearly bored. Furthermore, they were clearly upset by one of my player's continued use of a two-handed hit above his head. As my college player noted on the way home, that was always illegal when she played. The ref never called it so he got away with it.
If I wasn't the captain, if I wasn't the team organizer, I probably would have quit several weeks ago. It was that bad. The two-handed hit guy all but refused to try and control the ball. He seemed to think that any time the ball went over the net it was a good thing. That may work in a rec level league but a free ball over the net in this league just meant it was going to be coming back at us with a lot of velocity and moving downwards at a steep angle.
When one of the low-skilled girls asked me between games 1 and 2 if I had any words for the team I just said, "No." In my mind I was thinking, there is nothing I can do to fix this team. We were out classed. If the three low-skilled players were willing and I could work with each of them for an hour or two a day I might be able to improve things after a week or two. But, as I said, at least one of them was not willing. I mean how many times can I say we have to play for three hits (bump, set spike) and we have to control the ball before it sinks in. Before they start to try. Apparently 8 weeks of being beaten into the ground was not enough.
I know this might sound a little snobbish and I guess on some level it is. But it was just a complete mismatch in skills. Half my team (and most of the rest of the league) are pretty highly skilled players. But, the half of my team that wasn't severely brought down the rest of us. They severely lowered the level of play, and hence the level of fun and competition, whenever they were on the court.
I don't like to drink when I'm in a bad mood, but I tied one on last night. I felt humiliated and embarrassed. We won't play hard court again until the fall and I will be changing the make up of the team. It might be uncomfortable removing friends from a team but it has to be done.
Tonight, I've got the second of my weekly sand court leagues. I'm going to be looking to tatoo the %*&#@ ball!
Labels: Volleyball
posted by LP Cards Fan at
1:17 PM
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