Volleyball update!!!
I have completely forgotten about updating my progress! Just came to think about it today and though I give a word from myself.
So volleyball is still fun. A lot of fun. I always look so much forwards to practice. It's so fun for me and our new coach is also very engaged with the team.
In last update, I think I told you guys that I had moved teams and got to play setter. Well, I have the infamous knee problems that comes with volley and needed to step down on the practice amount...so no official setter on the team here haha. Like, I struggled up the stairs in the worst of it. Felt like an old woman, so I had to cut down on practice and needed to stat building the strength and stability up again. But now, they are much better and doesn't hurt too much. Of course, I get the pain her ache here and there, but at least I can function normally.
But I still love playing setter. It's an hard position to learn, but it's a very rewarding thing at the same time. My backwards sets are also very accurate now. I still struggle with knowing exactly the height and position like I do with regular sets-...but the only way to get better at it, is just pass backwards sets.
Since I'm a lot more comfortable on the court now, I get to play around a lot. I can dump, I can set back or forwards or I can run up and pretend that I'm setting; only to spike it over the net in the same jump. It's a lot of fun.
It' very fun when I manages to fool the other team, but it's very fun when my team also get tricked by me just playing around. It's also very fun that I can try out new things and it doesn't affect my team negatively. Like we are only practicing, but just the feel of confidence on the court is world changing for me. Like, I'm not scared to try out new things just for the heck of it.
When we just play normal rotation, I have become a lot more comfortable with feints too and can read the block better to work my way around it. I have even managed to time my attack too, so I don't spike when the block is at the highest reach! I'm also getting better at a spike in the back (before the three meter mark). But when I'm not playing setter or we only play with normal rotation- the others aren't too comfortable setting to the back, so I don't get to do it too often.
Also, not to sound like the biggest weeb here (but I run a HQ blog so...) but I do kind of understand Kyotani in S2 when he said he got restless when he didn't get to spike the ball. I get like that too when I haven't touched the ball for a few rallies and then when it comes my way- I get so excited and just wants it it and I often mess up. I'm such a kid really.
I do still want to increase my vertical jump, so I can get better at both hitting but also blocking. That is a department I'm lacking. It's like I have all the technique down, I just lack the vertical reach I want.
I can also get better at pancake and digs. Sometimes I time it perfectly, but I'm often a little bit to late. So I do want to get a lot better at it, since even as a setter- you can get hard passes that just needs to get up.
My servers are very stable now. When I fail a serve, I always know the reason. Either I didn't throw it high enough or I didn't hit it correctly. I can always managed to fix it when it's my turn again. I want to try the jump serve or even a floater. Fun fact; I did actually managed float serve with underhand serve when I could only do that. I was known for my underhand serves for a while there in competition. Don't let anyone tell you that they can't be useful and cool.
There was also one time, we played mix and I was going to set the ball- and I came under the ball wrong and like all of my bones just cracked. They stopped the game and wondered if I broke something. I didn't, but they were sprained. Nothing that some sports tape can't fix. Seriously though, they were messed up for a few months because I still played. So take care of ya bones, peeps. Message from me <3
My team is mixed with a few people that have some experience and some that have been a few years out of the sport. So we focus a lot on getting the team dynamic down, but to be completely honest- the team is not that close. Some players have quit and new ones have come. And the feeling of the team is a little more detached (in a way). It's kind of sad, since we were such a close group before. I try to be a positive source, but it's hard when the team itself doesn't really come along like we have in the past. There have recently started a new girl, and the two of us play together well and it's nice with someone fresh that also just want to enjoy practice and doesn't freeze people out.
I did try some beach volley in the summer. We have a lot of beach courts in my city. Once even just five minutes away. I'm still not used to it. I keep thinking on digging the ball, but I can't slide and I just knock the breath out of my system. I'm a little scared to do the spike approach, because I have a weak left ankle after breaking it too times and uneven surfaces are my enemy. Not preferred, but it's a lot of fun still. I do still learn a lot from it. Really, I can understand why the sand volleyball players (and hinata) becomes so good at receives. Because, with sand volley- you do need to be where the ball is to make it easier for you and your partner.
Anyway, that was that. I still love the sport and if it was up to me- I would play it every day. Like, I played volleyball for like five or six hours once (no wonder I have knee problems) but I can go on forever I people want to play with me.
(me when my volleyball mates doesn't want to play for another three hours)
