My volleyball team wrapped up its winter season last night. We're Victory Volleyball Intermediate Plus Champions.
Throughout the playoffs, as things got more competitive, tensions mounted. It heated up, calls were disputed, and the intensity magnified. When that happens, I struggle... because volleyball is different.
My participation sports of choice are baseball and hockey. I play on a couple of different baseball teams (and by baseball, I mean slo-pitch) throughout the summer and Friday night hockey all winter long. The culture of these two sports is very different than volleyball. I'm good for a handful of near brawls a slo-pitch season, and a few each hockey season. But that's not permissible in volleyball. Volleyball is different.
In volleyball, I've learned to tone it down. I suppress my desire to get in the other team's grill, or call them out for a bullshit call or attitude. A little chatter with your teammates is fine, but the only time you yell at the opposition is to say "great play" or "are you okay?". That's just how it is in volleyball.
It took me four seasons to figure out volleyball is different than slo-pitch and hockey, but I think I've got the grasp of it now. I'm available to play if you need a guy. And don't worry, I now understand the culture.
