A Volleyball Story

Chapter 30

"DETERMINATION. Determination is the wake up call to the human will." 

- Anthony Robbins

INTENSITY NIGHT. 

Noah. 

This morning at the early bird practice we did some easy going warm ups to stretch out our muscles a little for tonight. But after working out, we were able to pick our teams to play some scrimmage games. 

I instantly turned towards Keith and he looked at me and smiled as if he was reading my mind. 

"I say, me, you, Jess, Dylan on a team." Keith said. 

"Sounds good to me. Jess!" I yelled waving her and Dylan over. 

"Four of us a team." Keith said. 

"Sounds great." Dylan smiled. I could definitely tell something was going on with her and Keith, but I just shook my head and was going to ask him later about it. 

"So, Dylan will be the setter, and the three of us will switch out being in the back row. Good?" Keith instructed taking the leader role. 

"Yeah." we all agreed and made our way over to a court. 

After the team that was playing lost, we jogged into place and was ready to play. 

"Mine!" I yelled as the ball came straight at me. 

"Right here Noah!" Dylan yelled at the same time as I passed it to her. 

"Four! Four! Four!" yelled Jess ready to do her approach. Dylan set the ball right to her and Jess did her approach perfectly and slammed the ball down in a line hit. 

Point for us.

"Yes!" we all high fived Jess. 

"Great hit." I told her. 

"Nice pass." she smiled. "You got this serve." she said before passing the ball to me. 

I went behind the line about five feet before I did my usual bounce, twirl, bounce routine and threw the ball in the air...BAM! It was a floater serve. I was meaning to do a floater serve since I came to camp. I guess practice does make perfect. 

Since the float serve tricked out the other team, they had to pass the ball over in a free. 

"Mine!" Keith yelled this time. 

"Got it!" yelled Dylan. 

"Slide!" Keith yelled right as Dylan set a slide and it was a perfect set for Keith to just nail the guy that was in middle back. 

Although that was a great hit, the guy was able to pass it up in the air. Their player then set the ball, and hit it back over on our side aiming right at Jess. She passed the ball a little far behind Dylan, but she was able to pass the ball behind her and I tipped it over to their side. 

Point for us.

"Yeah!" we all then high fived each other once more. 

After going back and forth with points it was finally game point. 24-22. We were up. It was Dylan's serve. She went to the back line, took some breaths, threw the ball in the air and did her jump serve, serving the ball right over the net. I almost thought it was going to be point but they managed to get the ball up. 

Dylan ran up to her position while we were all on our toes waiting for the ball to come our way. I knew the guy was going to hit middle, so I came up to block him. I really thought I had it, but the ball ricochet(rick-ah-chey) off my hands and went to the left. I truly thought we were going to lose this point but that's when I see Dylan diving for the ball which resulted in her getting a pancake.