playing volleyball

I went out to volleyball again recently after not playing at all for the last couple years. I was never a total natural at it but it was something that I took pride in during my time in Vancouver. Playing in mens tournaments and beach tournaments around (and even winning the odd one here and there) gave me some identity around it. There were days where I remember playing in a tournament and having people say that they had to key on me!

So I went out to drop in here. First, volleyball on the island is kinda looked down on by people in Vancouver. There are a few decent players here but for the most part, Vancouver is a big city and whenever we'd play and an island team came, people kinda write them off. Second, drop in volleyball is known as where jungle ball, hackers play. People that might be athletic but aren't volleyball players. Or often not even that.

I go out and warm up. It's feeling pretty good. I've got my knee sleeve on and wearing a volleyball T-shirt from some tournament a couple years ago. My fingers are decent, I'm passing ok, arm swing feels as good as it ever has. I take a couple approaches to the net and my knee is feeling stronger than it has ever in the last two years.

The game starts and I'm in power. We receive the serve and the pass comes to the setter who puts up a high, definitely very hittable ball out towards me. I measure and take my approach and jump. I felt like I was FLYING! I was gonna pulverize the ball. The net wasn't even mens height - it was at junior boys. The middle blocker didn't come over. I was hanging for what seemed like forever when I hit the ball as hard as I could. Now first, when I hit the ball, I realized that I was barely over the net - so my vertical couldn't have been more than 6 inches. And I hit the ball RIGHT into the hands of the probably 70 year old man on the other side who decided last minute to jump sideways a bit and hold a hand in the air with his eyes closed and head turned away. The ball came straight back down into my court. Roofed. By a senior citizen.

I think that was his first block ever. His team congratulated him like he'd won the lottery. My team gave me the high five, "good try" comments. My next set, I pounded about 6 feet up on the back wall. And I think I mistimed another one and had it roll off my fingertips. I wasn't set again for about an hour. After that, people started covering for me and trying to give me "tips."

I hate getting old.