fun in threes, sometimes fours
the girl
The girls took Blythewood (I think -- I'd never heard of them) in straight sets tonight. Monday, we face River Bluff. We took them in straight sets last year, but we won each set by the barest margin, so we'll see how things go Monday.
When the Girl decided she wanted to play volleyball, when she tried out for the team as a sixth grader and didn't make it, when she became really determined, she'd come ask me, "Padre" (She'd started calling me that by then) "can we go out to the front yard and practice volleyball?" I'd toss her balls, simulate spikes, help her practice running for balls -- all the basic skills someone of my eager volleyball means could help with given our lack of a net.
At some point, she asked me for the last time to go help her practice. I didn't realize it was the last time she would ask me, and to be honest, I don't know if I even agreed to it. She might have asked, and I might have made some kind of excuse. Or maybe we went and practiced one last time.
She hasn't asked me to do that in years now. She probably never will again. The last time, passed without knowing, fully past with complete knowledge.
So when the Boy asked if, instead of swimming tonight, we could practice basketball, I agreed. I didn't really want to: I wanted to get some serious exercise in the pool. But he's that age: how many more times will he ask? When will be the last time?
The Girl's team had their final game of the regular season this evening. They won 3 sets to 1.
We were spoiled last year: with the number one hitter in the state on our team (number 11 in the nation, as memory serves) and another hitter who was a powerhouse coupled with a libero who made the kind of diving saves that make highlight reels, we went into most games expecting our girls to win. And win they did, all the way to the state finals.
This year, we thought it would be a tough year with some major losses, and we have seen our girls humbled a few times. But they've held their own, winning against teams who'd beaten them earlier in the year, winning games that began with a lost first set, and generally showing grit.
Tonight, they played JL Mann, who'd beaten them earlier this year. We beat them in straight sets both times we met last year, but as I said, that was last year, this is this year.
We lost the first set 17-25, and we were playing so clumsily that I was worried we would lose the game in straight sets. But if there's anything I've learned in watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn around instantly. Our girls pulled themselves together and JL Mann partially fell apart, and we took the second set 25-13.
The third set would be decisive, I thought. I guess I'm just a pessimist: perhaps they could have lost the third set and still won the match, but I don't know. They haven't won a lot of five-set matches. As it turned out, they won the third set 25-21, which seemed about right considering they'd both pummeled the other team completely once: it suggested they were fairly evenly matched.
Then we had the fourth set, and before we knew it, our girls were up 17-11. But if I've learned anything watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn around instantly. Suddenly, it was 17-15, and JL Mann looked like they had all the momentum. But if there's anything I've learned watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn back around instantly, and within moments, our girls were up 20-16. They managed to maintain that lead and add one more to it, winning the decisive fourth set 25-20.
The Girl's varsity team played a big rival tonight. The rumor is, one of the girls on the team is the next Journee, the powerhouse hitter we had last year who was number one in the state and number eleven in the nation. They already beat a team that beat us at a tournament this year, so it was going to be a tight match.
The first two sets, though, we won handily: 25-20 both sets. The third set we jumped out to a big lead only to lose it. The fourth set we jumped out to a big head only to lose it again, but we managed to regain it and win 25-23.
Among those cheering were the girls that came to Mauldin's summer volleyball camp. They were there to cheer on their instructors/mentors, and boy did they cheer.
"Let's go for a walk at Conestee this afternoon," K suggested after lunch. She and the Boy had gone to church while I stayed home and did school work and the Girl headed off to work, so we hadn't spent any time together as a family. Yet as is often the case these days, "time with the family" really only means K and I with the Boy.
The Girl, almost 17 now, has her own life: she hangs out with friends, meets them at football games, goes to dances with them, drives them here and there. She has volleyball and work along with her heavy load of AP classes (all four classes she's taking this semester), which means when she's home, she's usually doing homework. Or sleeping.
Taking the Girl and her friend to a concert in Atlanta. Why? Good question. Mainly because I said I would...
Tonight was the start of the 2023 volleyball season. As defending state champions, the girls have a lot of expectations on them: from the coach, from other teams, from parents, from fellow Mauldin High students, and from themselves. Each component of that list has different levels of expectations for the girls, but the most significant component is the girls themselves.
I guess it's a little inevitable that the girls put pressure on themselves. All athletes do that to some degree or another. There are likely some students putting pressure on them inadvertently with calls to bring another state trophy back to Mauldin. Some parents might be doing the same. And the other schools in the area? They're probably rooting for them to have a less-than-perfect season.
What are K and I doing? Making sure L knows we love her, we love watching her play, and we want her, above all, to enjoy what she's doing. I don't know if that will help with the stress she's probably putting on herself, but we can hope.