Things I learned tonight at a high school volleyball game

Tonight I learned some stuff, and being the teacher that I am, I decided to share them with you all. You may already know these things or you may not care, but it’s my blog and I can do it if I want to. Tonight I went to Lake Region High School to watch a volleyball game. In the past few years, I have been to several high school volleyball games and watched young ladies from my church play. I’ve watched Sami Carver and Hannah Smith play. Tonight I went to see my friend Laura’s daughter Kali play. Laura and I have been friends for about 100 years, (Okay, maybe just like 20 or something) but we haven’t seen each other in person in YEARS. We used to work in AWANA together and as hard as this may be to believe, of the two of us, I was the warm, fuzzy one! Laura is probably the toughest person I know. She would kick butt on Survivor and she could seriously win if she were ever a contestant on Fear Factor. So, we rediscovered each other on Facebook. (I LOVE that!) Her daughter Kali is a freshman on the varsity volleyball team at Lakeland High School, and Laura helps coach the team. I wanted to go to the Auburndale/Lakeland game, but it was the night of Open House at my school. So tonight, I went to Lake Region to watch them play. In the process, I learned some things so here we go!
1. I didn’t think that my friend Laura could sit so calmly and watch a game, especially a game her daughter is playing in. She keeps statistics and sits right there in her chair and makes notes on paper. She never jumped up and yelled, never screamed at any officials and never appeared to even get very upset. I didn’t know she could do that! I have seen her almost rabid at AWANA Olympic practice! I was completely surprised.
2. Volleyball has changed a WHOLE lot since we played in PE. At every game I’ve been to, I’m just amazed. This ain’t my PE volleyball anymore. No three lines of three players, no more gently wafting the ball over the net. These girls are like machines. I was a little nervous.
3. I’m amazed at how much a kid can make you think so much about two other people. Looking at Kali, I couldn’t tell you specifically if she looks like her mom or her dad, but she made me think of both of them. I look a LOT like my dad – I have his round face, his chin and I’m built more like him. I have my mom’s squinty little eyes. I can’t tell you specifically how Kali looks like Laura or Jimbo, but I can see BOTH of them in her. She makes me think of both of them. One time, during the game, though, she did something and she was her mother made over. At that moment, she was 1000% Laura!
4. I don’t know who decided that volleyball players should wear bottoms that look like boy leg bathing suit bottoms . . . and I’m not sure it’s a good idea. There is probably some reason why those spandex bottoms help them move faster or something, but I don’t know any statistics. I’m shocked at how unflattering those things are, even on high school girls who are in fabulous shape. I also can’t imagine how irritating they must be, because between every part of the game, the poor things have to pull them out of their nether regions. Can’t be comfortable at all!!!
5. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have students from the home school watch the lines to determine when a ball is out or not. . . And that’s all I’m going to say about that. You can probably imagine why.
6. Almost last, but not least, my friend Laura’s daughter is a scary good volleyball player. It should be obvious to everyone that what I know about volleyball could fit in a thimble and there would be room left over, but I can even tell she’s REALLY good. I’ve gotta tell you, she hit some balls that were like bullets. If I were told I had to choose between being chased by a dog and letting Kali hit a volleyball at me, I’d take the dog. I was watching the game and I flinched sometimes, even though the ball was WAY away from and going the opposite direction
7. I’m so glad that God puts certain people in our lives. I’m so thankful that I’ve found my friend Laura again. I can’t even tell you why we’re friends; we don’t have much in common at all!! She is a tough, tough athlete – I’m a big wussy pants. She can handle anything that comes her way, with attitude, while I just want to curl up on the corner and cry! When we first met, she was married and I was single. She’s married now, and I’m still single. She’s a mom, I’m not. But somehow, in spite of all that, we ended up friends – and I’m so glad that we are.