Origin Stories and First Acts

"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."

Origin stories exist in every discipline, real and contrived. Larry Bird took 500 free throws before school. Michael Jordan gets cut from his high school basketball team. Rafael Devers grew up in the Dominican Republic hitting bottle caps with broomsticks.  

Young girls like Stephanie and Victoria Crovo (right) watch MVB players like Liz Sheerin. Stephanie played on the 2012 State Champion. Victoria became All-State and one of the toughest competitors ever. 

Assistant Coach Ryan Celli started following MVB over two decades ago. That led him to a high school volleyball career at St. John's Prep including Boston Globe All-Scholastic status. And then as an assistant at Melrose. 

At recent informational meetings, 39 upperclassmen and 20 8th graders expressed interest. Origin stories will emerge. Some of those 8th graders will become the foundation for the next iterations of MVB. Mentor them. 

In drama, the first act frames the journey, the second act creates 'insurmountable' problems for the main characters, and the third reveals the surprising yet inevitable solution.

The first act is the offseason and the construction of the team. Nothing is carved in stone. The plot, characters, and dialogue will unfold. 

The second act is the regular season with a formidable series of obstacles. Take nothing for granted. 

The third act is the resolution of the story. You write that narrative.

Lagniappe. Train to be resilient. 

What do you find in mentally tough athletes?

1. Confidence in themselves
2. Emotional control and poise
3. A determination to succeed
4. Clear focus and concentration
5. Resilience during adverse times

Mentally tough teams win.

— Greg Berge (@gb1121) May 25, 2024

Lagniappe 2. Education helps us to think and communicate clearly. The Margaret Atwood masterclass shares some of her writing beliefs. Write better stories. Know your subject and readers. 

Post by @yosawnts

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