Lessons in the sand

Darren Brown, News9.com Insite team

I love to play volleyball.  I'm not real good at it, but I do have my moments...sometimes.

Every summer here at at NEWS9 we try to put together a team to play beach league.  Twenty years ago I used to look at the "old "dudes on other teams and think "What are they doin' here?"

Did I say twenty years?  I must be one of those dudes now.

Anyway, over the years, I HAVE learned a few things about life...I mean volleyball.  Here they are:

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES--It's not a good idea to go up against that 6"7' dude EVERY TIME.  Yeah, he might flinch and miss every once in awhile, but odds are that he'll spike on your head, or dink it right where you SHOULD have been.  You're better off going up against someone your own size...when the time is right.

PLAY YOUR POSITION--Every player has an area of the court they're responsible for.  When you're on the back line, it's tempting to run up and get in on the action, but when you do that, you leave your area VULNERABLE.  Be patient, you'll rotate in a minute or two.

DIG IT--Just because the ball goes into the net doesn't mean that you can't dig it out.  You might even be able to turn it into a point.  It's just another opportunity.  

SACRIFICE--Go for the ball man!  You might get a mouthful of sand, but you might save the game.  Too many times the ball drops because someone doesn't want to get dirty, or scraped up by the sand.  Cuts and scrapes are temporary, but sometimes the prize is well worth the cost.  Wear that "beach rash" with pride!  

Have fun...