An Addiction ~Personal Narrative 2

Score check: 25-24, my possession. I embrace the ball in my hand and walk to the back line-determination in my eyes; I position my body, toss the ball up, bring my arm back and snap it forward. The white object flies to the other side of the court and contact is made; position 6 passes to 2 who sets a high ball for the lengthy player in position 4. As the powerful hit comes my way, I bend my knees a little lower, anxiously waiting for the dig. I get it up to our back up setter who places it perfectly behind the white line for me to hit. I approach it with the three-step method and the ball glides across the net, dropping to the floor. Score: 26-24. My team just won; we’re Regional Division 16 champions! After a 12-hour day and six games, we receive the celebrated squishy volleyball pins with the title we just achieved engraved on them. Yet the smiles, small tears of joy, and proud hearts are the result of six months of intense practice and endless determination

Volleyball is a game of feelings. It brings a wide variety of emotions to me: the glory of winning a match, the disappointment of losing a game, and the sense of family I get when I’m around my team. Every missed serve, messed up set, or failed attempt to reach the ball is met with encouragement. Simply by learning new techniques to improve my game play I gain confidence. In cases that cannot be solved by a change in body placement, I procure determination. This comes from the rush of adrenaline that is felt after I serve an ace, set the ball for a perfect hit, dig it up for a save, or make the winning point. Every game I crave the same blood-pumping, competitive feeling; it pushes me through the long days of hard work and frustration, it is what I look forward to after a full day of tests and papers, it is an escape from my responsibilities and a chance to let my feelings take over to guide me in every move. Volleyball is the ultimate high that clears my mind from the struggles I am going through. Every time I pull my socks up, secure my kneepads, tighten my ankle braces, and lace up my shoes, insurmountable feelings flood into my veins. Volleyball is my addiction, my passion.

Many characteristics contribute to my never-ending passion for the game. They are life lessons that have helped me develop as a person: trust, family, and encouragement are the most prominent aspects of a volleyball team relationship. I started playing in 7^th grade, even though I was less skilled and through hard work I was able to earn my way to becoming one of the top players on my team. Once I reached high school, I found my best position as a setter and began perfecting that skill. By playing volleyball my freshman year I acquired the necessary strategies of the game as well as learning the importance of teamwork. However, the competitive nature of the game had me yearning for more. I began looking into clubs teams and joined the Westminster Volleyball Club. I was on a team with seven other girls and we quickly began hosting team dinners in order to get to know whom we would be spending the next six months with. From what I can gather, there is a special bond between the players. We practiced minimum 4 times a week and have a 12 hour-long tournament every Sunday; and high school volleyball took up twice that time! In comparison to school and free time at home, volleyball tended to be the subject in which we devoted most of our time; so, it comes as no surprise that friendships were formed as a result. There was never a sense of loneliness or discouragement as we traveled from tournament to tournament. And even through the long nights of running suicides and going over a play twenty times there was always unity throughout the team. This was also true when I played for Juggernaut Volleyball, one of the most dedicated clubs I have played for. It was always a struggle as we tried to improve our techniques and uphold our name, but as the season drew nearer to April our unity became stronger. Our outstanding teamwork led us to become the Regional Division Champions at one of our tournaments. That was the moment we had worked all season for. And although we won the title, the feeling of accomplishment overpowered the moment. We learned that persistence, when trying to reach our goal, was the secret tool to achieving this type of euphoria.

Although I do not play for a club or competitive team any longer, I still feel the same rush of emotions as I play recreationally. Volleyball was part of my life for 6 years and as I walk into a gym I can’t resist the urge to join a game. My passion for the game still exists as it is a part of my being and the addict inside of me craves the exhilaration of hitting a volleyball once more.