A Missed Game

After watching an exciting volleyball collegiate championship match. I remembered myself playing the same game in high school from the try-outs to the best game I ever played and win a championship.

It was on my first year of high school when I switched from basketball to volleyball. Noticing all my classmates grew taller and I was on the same height when I was in Grade 6, I realized I needed to play volleyball instead. I had fun playing it, then I heard of the tryouts and the rest was history.

The tryouts was a total mixed of emotions for me, for most it was fun because I learned a lot from my first coach (who I have to thank for being a good player), but I have frustrations because of other players who didn't trust I can play, I guess because of my height. I focused on being a setter and became good at it. She instilled to me that I can play the game that I learned to love.

Then another coach came in and helped me to improve my skills through hard work. He made me realize that the setter is an important player in the game. In our warm-ups, I would have a different push up from other players. In our practice, he taught me how to place the ball where it should be for the spikers. It was that time that I had an idea to push myself to the limits and be better than I was before.

From frustrations of being on the bench and losing school meets, to playing and still losing school meets. I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to prove everybody who belittled me when I started to play volleyball that I can help the team win a huge game.

It was my fourth year, the final year of being a high school volleyball varsity player. Our school never won the championship for the boy's division, we were hoping and praying that we can finally win the championship before we graduate. We practiced all throughout the night until we cannot see the ball. We practiced our set plays until we got it right. Everyone can see our dedication and hard work for the game to be ready for the meet.

Then the moment that everyone was waiting for, we were up against the defending champions and what's worse is that we haven't won a single game (or even I think a set) against them. We came in early to practice on the court, and while practicing and getting warmed up, I injured one of my fingers from tossing, but the adrenalin just pumped in and I forgot about my injury.

This was the best game that I ever played any sport that I was into back then and until now. I was focused and determined to win the game. Setting plays from every side of the court, diving for the ball, serving with precision, deceptive drops and even helped out in blocking. But it was not just me, everyone was doing what they are supposed to do. Everyone was into the game and was there to win it all. The team relished every point won and improved on every point lost, until finally we won the first ever boy's division volleyball championship for our school.

And that made my high school life memorable. Thanks for the Captain and the Team! We did what we thought was not possible.