Encouragement and Entitlement

All opinions expressed on the blog are solely mine. 

From "The Daily Coach" 

"I think I'm working to unlearn the belief that I am not enough, and I think I'm working to unlearn the belief that I am less important and less deserving. I understood that there was something sacred about sacrificing my own need or desire or truth, even to make space for someone else's journey. I've placed so much value on other people's sense of joy and goodness and safety that I've been willing to sacrifice my own sense of joy and goodness and safety. And I don't regret it. I think it's not wrong to care about how other people feel and want to do what's right for other people. I'm just learning to let myself be one of those people, to include myself. I need to be as important as the other people I'm considering that I deserve that."

― Kerry Washington, Award-Winning Actor

The culture of MVB evolved into competition and collaboration. Regardless of your offseason training and investment, six players start. That doesn't mean that it will be the same six in the same spots each game.

Gia Vlajkovic went from setter to outside hitter on her volleyball journey. Sadie Jaggers moved outside from the middle. With the graduation of Grace Gentile, someone else fills the libero's role.

Excel in your role while working to expand it. In every sport, people question coaching decisions about lineups and roles. The reality is that players decide who plays by their performance. When you grow skill, strategy, physicality, and psychology/resilience and perform well, you play more. 

That also means having compassion for teammates who work hard and still won't have as much playing time as others. Make every practice your proving ground, your game. If you love volleyball, that's a joy not a chore. 

Lagniappe. Here's a conversation from a basketball site:

Maybe you've heard of or seen this. Varsity upperclassmen tell talented frosh, "don't make me look bad by stealing the ball or blocking my shots."

Seriously.

Sport is a meritocracy. If you're a "stay ready" player, practice hard, establish great habits, and compete. Don't apologize for bringing your best self. And if you're asking young players to back off, then you're not a competitor. That is fraud.

"Champions behave like champions before they are champions." - Bill Walsh

And a reply: I almost got into a fight with a senior when i was a freshman cause I was kicking his a**. I didn't give two #$&% what grade anybody was, I wanted to be on varsity. 

Your job as a senior or a freshman is to bring your best stuff daily. This is not a union job.