The Empire Spikes Back...

That is the name of our Fall Volleyball Team. Lame.

Last week we played a few practice games to meet the other teams and practice with our team mates.

Most of last year I spent bitching and complaining that my team mates didn't try and didn't care.

I spent many years playing competitive sports at an advanced level. I learned to win and I learned to lose. No matter what, I was taught to do my best. Playing hard and doing your best was what mattered.

It drove me mental that my team mates were so lackadaisical.

Anywho...

This year we have a few different players. The practice session went better than I expected. We won a couple of the games. We played some what as a team. I was feeling better about this year.

Until tonight. Tonight was our first regulation game. I want to pull my friggin hair out!
For some reason they all seem to think the ball has go back over the net on the first touch. No team work. No effort. No enthusiasm. I left the court with blood running down my leg into my shoe.

We lost all three games. After the match I mentioned to the team that we are allowed to hit the ball three times before it goes over the net. One girl spit water through her nose. The others just gave me a blank look.

On the drive home Precious suggested that I stop playing. I apparently take it way too seriously. She reminded me that no matter what I do they are not going to change the way they play. They don't take it seriously.

I'm torn. I can't stand playing with people that don't care. I can take the loosing as long as they give a good honest effort, but they don't, and I'm not sure I can take eight weeks of this.

I was taught not to quit. How do I let this go? How do I show up and play and not get upset at their attitudes? This is totally my problem, not theirs. They are fine with the way things go.

Maybe vodka in my water bottle would help.

1 comment:

Stacey said...

Ha! I shouldn't laugh, but I so know how you feel. Now, I don't play competitive sports, but for many years now, I have been banned from playing board games with the family. (Some of the ban is "self-imposed.") The reason? I am a "bad sport."

What that really means is, I feel that if you're going to play the game, you should play it right. My father in law cheats. No matter what game, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Generic-Boring-@ss other game, he will find some way to cheat. He calls it "kibbutzing." I call it "i'm going to throw this board across the room if you do it again."

In fact, that's why I'm not allowed to play. I overturned the scrabble board a few years back...

I thought it would bother me to opt out. It doesn't. It's just a relief.

Compete, yeah, but you should enjoy what you're spending your precious time on. Your wife is a smart lady.

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