10 Things I Love About Volleyball

Because we won our game tonight, and winning feels great, here is a quick ode to the sport I have always loved and rediscovered this last year:

1. The way everyone low-fives after every play, good or bad
2. I get the set up, the spiker hits a kill – full adrenaline rush
3. Those long volleys full of impossible plays where everyone is moving and covering and the ball stays in play again and again
4. The setter gets to touch the ball more than anyone else
5. I love setting
6. The way we do a palm up, wiggly fingers, “Molly on three, 1,2,3MOLLY!” at every huddle break (our team name is ‘Molly’)
7. That I always lead the “Molly on three, 1,2,3…”
8. Sliding, rolling, diving for the ball, moving faster than you think you can, dropping to your knees, reaching, the ball pops up
9. The bruises, like battle scars
10. And again . . . I really, really love all the low-fives after every play. It’s positive, platonic, natural human touch and I am here for it.

With Love,

Natalie