“Pheep!” The whistle blows and the volleyball sails through the air over the net from a serve. During the next hour nothing else matters except for not letting the ball hit the floor. Every pass connects the team closer together while they all share one goal. If you’ve never tried volleyball you are seriously missing out on the excitement, lessons learned, and one of the most enjoyable sports.
Volleyball is played six versus six, three front row and three back row players. Played to twenty-five points and in best out of three style. Only three contacts are allowed before the ball must be sent over. Every time the ball hits the ground, goes out of bounds, or your opponent commits a fault it’s a point to the team that didn’t make a mistake. Although volleyball has simple rules, understanding the pace of the game can be hard to keep up with, but it’s so thrilling to play (and watch).
This unique sport consists of seven special positions: libero, defensive specialist, setter, middle blocker, outside hitter, and rightside hitter. First off, there is a libero who stands out in a different color jersey diving like a dolphin on the floor just so a ball doesn’t hit the ground. This player who wears the libero jersey is not permitted to play a position in the front row and must have another player substitute for them. On the other hand, the defensive specialist is just like the libero but one step behind and doesn’t wear a different color jersey but only plays back row too. In addition, a setter is like a launchpad for their teammates, launching them into operation with the top of their hands(it can’t noticeably delay like catching and tossing the ball). Lastly, the third and final contact comes from a hitter. The hitter is supposed to terminate the ball by jumping and swinging with one arm. Either from the outside hitter(left front), middle blocker (middle front), right side(right front), or even a back row player. To most people hearing this volleyball sounds like a simple sport to play and it is. Yet it’s a challenging sport to master.
Without a doubt, you can play so many different positions with diverse skills you would need. In each position, you’re able to get so many physical benefits from playing volleyball. For starters, playing volleyball improves heart health by keeping your heart rate high with the constant quick movement you are doing. In addition, these quick movements help burn calories and help manage weight. Not to mention, you’re able to build muscle strength by working your arms, legs, and core. When you’re constantly jumping, hitting, passing, and diving. Going off of your physical well being you agility and balance increase as you play more volleyball. With the constant fast direction changes you make and quickens your reflexes. So with these physical benefits, what’s stopping you from grabbing a volleyball and having the time of your life?
In addition, not only is volleyball such an easy sport to get into. Its accessibility stands out versus many other sports. You can play on a beach, indoors, on grass, or even just playing one on one with someone. Many park districts also offer rentable gyms. So what’s stopping you? Not only is volleyball so easy to find places to play it’s just as simple to find people to play with. You can get on so many different levels of volleyball teams: travel, park district, school, or just ask people to play with them at a beach.
For instance, I play travel volleyball at Mindset Volleyball Club in Illinois but before I played at Forza Volleyball Club of Illinois it was one of the best experiences before the change. The sole reason why I switched teams is because of the distance from my house to the facility. This goes to show how the sport of volleyball can be enjoyed wherever you go. Playing at Forza was an experience where I learned leadership from playing libero and getting the opportunity to be our only captain for Forza 14-1 Black. Being the main person everyone looks at in a high intensity game when the pressure is on at first felt overwhelming. At the start, I thought being captain meant being “perfect,” but my head and assistant coaches have taught me otherwise. One time, Coach Lucci(my head coach) was personally talking to me in a challenge match which was to see if we could get into gold, where the stakes felt through the roof. We were down one set and it felt like the energy on the court was sucked out. Yet he told me, “You don’t have to go out there to be perfect. You have to step it up even though your playing is there but how you are leading right now is not. We need your support as our captain.” After his sage words I didn’t feel offended but relieved that I don’t have to be a perfect player but the team truly needs me as a captain and it’s not just a title I bare. In fact I’ve had a similar interaction with our assistant coach, Coach Jasmine. The score was 22-23 and we were down. A timeout had just been called but I had just gotten aced(a receiving error from a serve) as our team’s libero. All I felt was embarrassment because my only job is to pass and I failed when the pressure was on. I had always been told that pressure is a privilege, but I never fully understood it until this moment. Sweat runs down my face, my cheeks are red as a tomato, and I’m visibly flustered. Coach Jasmine tells me, “You’re in the libero jersey for a reason. You’re the only one in the libero jersey for a reason. The pressure is on for sure. I’m not denying it but that’s when I need you especially not to shy away when you mess up but ask for that ball again because you know your abilities.” From that moment my teammates had told me they could see the determination and look on my face spread like wildfire to everyone else to not give up. We finished the game strong winning that set and the next. I will never forget how satisfying it felt to hear someone not give me tough love, not just sugarcoat everything. That’s why I have so much love for volleyball because of the relentless side it has brought out of me and it can bring it out of you too. Additionally, I played school volleyball from fifth to eighth grade at Ole A. Thorp Elementary Scholastic Academy while being captain from sixth through eighth grade. During this time I stepped out of my comfort zone and played a separate position from what I’m used to. Normally for travel I start as libero but at Thorp I was a starting setter. At first, I took this as my skills weren’t on par with my teammate who was wearing the libero jersey, so I decided to express this feeling to my coach, Ms.Paulson and I asked her why. She had told me, “I think you’re a talented player all around and that’s why I need you setting. You’re our play-maker, I know you can chase down those bad passes. Being a setter means being like a quarterback to this team and I know you can lead us to our goal of winning city.” Not only did I get closure on how I felt, I learned how to advocate for myself from this small interaction. Later, I was voted captain by my peers in sixth through eighth grade. In sixth grade I helped lead my team to win Rickover Naval Academy gym one 5/6th grade league. The following year we fell short, placed third in Network One, but we didn’t give up and in our final eighth grade year we won Network One championships. Then we became CPL (Chicago Public League) 7th and 8th grade city champions. Winning the title of city champion while being a starter and captain was truly a privilege and another example of how pressure is privilege.
Throughout many years of competitive volleyball I feel qualified to say it will be an outstanding experience no matter what team’s jersey is worn. I’ve gained my best friends from playing together, though we don’t play together anymore. We have friendships that will last through the countless hours we’ve spent together. Not to mention the number of people I’ve met who are going to the same high school as me through volleyball! These friends I’ve made are on completely separate teams which just goes to show how friendly the environment is. I haven’t met my husband yet, but I’ve met my bridesmaids all through volleyball.
Furthermore, I hope you’re thinking, “I might have to give this sport a shot! It is easy to understand, courts are almost always accessible, and I can make so many new friends through it.” Well there is even more to it. When playing volleyball coaches always say, “next ball mentality” or “just go mentality.” Yet a lot of people struggle to understand how staying in that mindset outside of volleyball can be so useful. Before I jump ahead talking about how it’s so useful you might be wondering what it truly means. Well for starters, “next ball mentality” is a psychological tactic when you win or lose the point the player resets and moves on to the next play. Just because a method is commonly used in sports doesn’t mean it can’t help you during non-sport activities. When you don’t get a job, get a bad grade in school, or next time you mess up just think “I got it next time.” This constant self-reassurance prevents digging yourself into a hole of doubt, allows you to stay emotionally controlled, and diligent through whatever you do. The “just go mentality” means don’t hesitate over the ball and just pursue it. In this case the ball is your goal, when you have an opportunity to help you reach your long-term goals don’t hesitate and just go for it. Not only can trying volleyball help you gain many friendships, but it also goes to show it’s more than just a social aspect.
All things considered, playing volleyball changes the way you think, see yourself, and the world. The grit you build, lessons learned, friendships founded, and your physicality improving just proves that volleyball is more than just a sport. Volleyball is truly a jack of all trades sport that builds athletes not just stronger physically, but also gives resilience, positive mindsets, and staying connected to who they surround themselves with. This simple sport can create an endless supply of growth.
Katherine Barajas – Loyola Academy – DMSF Class of 2030