There was one Thursday afternoon in high school when our coach told us we’d be scrimmaging against the varsity team. My stomach dropped. I was still trying to master my serves and positioning. Scrimmage? That sounded like a full match. And it kind of was. I thought we were just going to do some drills, … Read more
After one long summer tournament, I remember coming home and tossing my knee pads on the floor. I was so tired, I didn’t even care how bad they smelled. But the next day, when I picked them up, the odor almost knocked me out. They were stiff, sticky, and honestly… gross. That was the day … Read more
In volleyball, every position has a purpose. The spiker finishes the rally, the setter controls the flow, and the middle blocker shuts down attacks. But there is one player who often steals the spotlight in defense—the libero. The libero is a defensive specialist. Their main job is to keep the ball in play by making … Read more
If you have ever walked into a gym before a volleyball game, you probably noticed two players standing close together, hitting the ball back and forth in a rhythm. At first glance, it may look like they are just fooling around. But in reality, they are doing something called pepper. Pepper is not just random … Read more
When I first played volleyball, I thought knee pads were just something players wore because it looked professional. After one hard fall and a burned knee, I bought a pair and put them on without thinking. They slid, they pinched, and I kept pulling them up between plays. I was more distracted than protected. A … Read more
The first time when I played volleyball, I was totally confused about the score. We were at a small tournament, and I thought we were winning. Then the whistle blew, and the other team cheered loudly. I had no idea what was going on. My teammate leaned over and said, “They reached 25. They won … Read more
There was one match I’ll never forget. We were playing in a local tournament, and the game was getting hard. Every point mattered. One of our players made a rough pass, and the ball started flying toward my foot. Without thinking, I kicked it. It was pure instinct. The ball popped into the air just … Read more
There was a game a few years ago that taught me something big about volleyball. One of our main hitters got hurt in the middle of a match. The coach looked around, unsure of whom to put in. Then he turned to me and said, “You’re going in. Play back row now.” I had always … Read more
When I first joined a volleyball team, I didn’t think much about how tall I was. I just loved the game. I loved diving for the ball, setting it perfectly for my teammate, and hearing the crowd cheer after a great play. But the more I played, the more I noticed something: height seemed to … Read more
When I was just starting out in volleyball, I remember trying to spike the ball during practice. I ran forward, jumped, and swung my arm as hard as I could. But the ball barely made it over the net—or worse, it went straight into it. It felt frustrating. I wanted to hit like the stronger, … Read more