Struggle Bus

Welp, I didn't make the first roster. It's in Montreux, Switzerland and the team that did travel is there now. Not gonna lie, it sucks. The past two Saturdays we had morning scrimmages. Little did I know that the people that were going to Montreux were going to be participating in this scrimmage. I went to the gym the first Saturday scrimmage and warmed up like I would for a match. When warm up was over, we all gathered at the white board to find out what exactly was going to happen with the scrimmage. Hugh pointed at a couple of lineups on the board. If you're initials weren't in any of the lineups it meant two things. 1. You weren't going to Montreux. and 2. You could cool down. Wait...didn't I just warm up? So you're telling me that I woke up early this morning and prepared to play, warmed up, only to cool down right away? Really? Wow. I don't feel like a loser or anything. There were maybe five outcasts that didn't get to play. Awesome.

But, looking back on my first month or so here, I can't really say that I'm surprised anymore. I'm super bummed I'm not in Switzerland right now, but I haven't been passing nearly as well as I normally do, especially this past week. I've never been so frustrated with my passing. I don't think I've passed this bad ever. Literally. So, I've started coming back to the gym in the afternoons to get some extra passing reps. Which is really nice because it gives me a chance to work on technique and to get some one on one time with Hugh. AND not only was Hugh there yesterday, Stacy Sykora was there, as well. I've told you all about how I could sit and listen to Tracy Stalls talk forever and never grow bored. Well, Stacy is that kind of person as well. She is full of awesome stories and is super funny and so easy to talk to. Anyways, Stacy was there yesterday to get some easy passing reps as she's still trying to recover from her accident. She was AMAZING to me! She talked me through that entire hour of passing reps. She told me what I was doing right, what I could do better with, what I needed to fix. We would take turns getting reps and literally after every single one of my turns she had some sort of feedback for me. It was so great. She was so helpful and genuinely wanted me to do well and improve my passing. She told me about when she was first learning this style of passing how she would go and cry everyday after practice because she would get so frustrated. So, she understands the position I'm in as I'm trying to make adjustments that will help me become a great passer on a professional level, and she has been so empathic and helpful and wonderful. Even after practice yesterday morning, she talked to me about communicating strategies that she uses with the outside hitters she passes with. Over the past two days she has instantly become a mentor and role model for me. It's like an amateur guitarist that wants to make it big in the music industry getting a jam session with Leonard Skynard. I am so lucky. I can't wait to keep working with her. Needless to say, she gets my vote for teammate of the week.

So, goal for the next week (or I guess forever): PASS BETTER. That's what is going to get me to the Olympics. That's what going to set me apart from my competition. It is essential.

Wish me luck...

Kayla