Constantly Improving

As we wind down our non-traditional season this spring, I wanted to put in a good word for the work the girls on the team have done in practice. We have been stressing ball control and serving this spring and I have seen improvement almost across the board in both of those areas. With such a small group on campus, they have gotten lots of touches on the ball and lots of feedback, which has paid off. As we improve our ball control, it allows us to play a faster and more aggressive game, which makes playing even more fun! I'm also proud of the way the girls have approached every practice with high energy and communication. Practices with only six players can sometimes seem quiet and slow but the girls did not allow that to happen. Way to go!

Also, our two players studying in Spain for the semester, Andrea and Keri, have been keeping me updated on their workout and playing routine. As the weather warms up, they're getting a group together to play on the beach! So to the players at home and abroad, good work this spring season.

On the road again!

Spring means club volleyball season for many high school volleyball players, which means that I've been on the road recruiting quite a bit. It's convenient that the areas where I like to recruit from are also areas where my family and friends live. A few weeks ago, I went to the Southern California National Qualifier in Anaheim, visiting my grandma and my two uncles and their families while I was there. Last weekend, I spent a few days at the NorthEast Qualifier in Baltimore and got to catch up with my two younger brothers (both graduates of Messiah College) and some other dear friends in the area.

The level of volleyball was very high at both of the qualifiers! Some of it was really fun and refreshing to watch. I've always thought volleyball is such a beautiful and precise sport, when played well. I was able to watch a number of promising athletes who are interested in attending Gordon, which makes me excited about the future of our program!

What does it mean to play for Christ?

This is a question I've often pondered as an athlete and now as a coach. It's something that we talk about within the Gordon volleyball program as well. This past Friday, I had a chance to discuss this and other questions relating to faith and athletics in a more public forum. Keith Krass, an assistant basketball coach at Gordon who also works in the Center for Christian Studies, organized the first Athletics Convocation, consisting of a panel of current Gordon coaches and former Gordon athletes. We answered some questions from Keith and then took questions from the audience, largely composed of current Gordon student-athletes.

This is the kind of event that I believe makes Gordon so unique. One thing I love about the college is the perpetual focus of bringing every conversation back to Christ. I think our Convocation program on Friday morning did a great job of this. There were some funny stories and epic moments shared but I think our conversation about serving God within the realm of athletics was the most meaningful.

In my opinion, the context of team is a great place to live out your belief in God. There are ample opportunities for learning to work together, put others ahead of yourself, persevere through hardship, serve others, love others, carry each others burdens, and the list goes on and on. None of these are easy things to do! And yet, as Christians, we are called to do them. And a team gives us an intense, smaller scale environment for practicing how to be a follower of Christ.