CONGRATULATIONS!!! ITS A BLOG!!!!
Welcome to the inaugural day of my newly designed blogsite!
(Courtesy of the web-goddess herself, Dame Yvonne of Alverstone. Her ladyship will be signing autographs this evening following her lecture tour at the concert hall.)
Its so great. I just love the picture. To me it says..... its a new day, an empty volleyball court full of potential and a chance for glory once again....anyone can win.... who is willing to accept the challenge?
That's what I love about sports. Its a challenge, a chance to dig deep and see what undiscovered abilities lay below the surface. It reveals character.
Every new game starts off on equal ground. Each team has the POTENTIAL to win, and its not just about who is stronger or faster. I've been beaten by lesser teams and I've won against teams that were superior to me. There are so many factors involved which is what makes it exciting everytime.
Determination is a key factor. Lance Armstrong beating cancer and going on to win the Tour de France six times! That is admirable. Who wants it the most and is willing to push themselves and not give up. Its about character.
Training and technique. Being committed to putting in time to practice and run, and train your body to do it right. Its about dedication.
Having a positive attitude when you face a team who has the ability to crush you, and you know it and they know it. Facing Goliath and saying, "I'm a winner and even if the score doesn't reflect that, my actions will. This will be the best game I ever played."
Its about dignity and passion for excellence.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah....sports good...blah, blah.....why the speech Erica?"
Here is why I say all this:
I grew up in a church environment (for which I am eternally grateful) where often my love of sports was misunderstood. Sports were considered competition (and therefore considered by some to be inherently evil).
For me, sports has been training ground for character. I learned about my natural limitations.
I also found a "Tough Erica " who can be determined, assertive and even aggressive. This person didn't exist outside of the gym, and I can leave her there when I need to be sensitive and compassion. But its good to know she is there. I became able to transfer that characteristic in other areas of life. It empowered me!
It was always one area of my life where I felt on equal footing with other people. In the gym, there are no subtle social graces to manuever around. What you see is what you get. You either do it right or you don't. Its simple, unlike dealing with people. Conquering the world of relationships with all their intricate complexities seemed far more daunting to me.
In my adolesence I was saddled with social and cultural differences to overcome. I felt inferior to the kids who had never known rejection, and walked with a confidence so foreign to me. Their life experiences were so different from mine, I often felt like an alien. I endured many awkward silences after doing or saying something culturally innappropriate.
But during that difficult time and place, I found something that let me shine. I had coaches who saw potential, added some encouragement and got a kid who would run miles for them.
I found out that I had POTENTIAL and what I did with that, was up to ME!
(An empowering revelation to a 13 year old girl! )
Volleyball isn't just a passtime to me, it was a part of my growing up. Sports aren't stupid or evil, they are as valid to Christianity as music or dance lessons. What happens in our hearts while we create art is what matters most to God. And volleyball is my artform.....
Welcome to the inaugural day of my newly designed blogsite!
(Courtesy of the web-goddess herself, Dame Yvonne of Alverstone. Her ladyship will be signing autographs this evening following her lecture tour at the concert hall.)
Its so great. I just love the picture. To me it says..... its a new day, an empty volleyball court full of potential and a chance for glory once again....anyone can win.... who is willing to accept the challenge?
That's what I love about sports. Its a challenge, a chance to dig deep and see what undiscovered abilities lay below the surface. It reveals character.
Every new game starts off on equal ground. Each team has the POTENTIAL to win, and its not just about who is stronger or faster. I've been beaten by lesser teams and I've won against teams that were superior to me. There are so many factors involved which is what makes it exciting everytime.
Determination is a key factor. Lance Armstrong beating cancer and going on to win the Tour de France six times! That is admirable. Who wants it the most and is willing to push themselves and not give up. Its about character.
Training and technique. Being committed to putting in time to practice and run, and train your body to do it right. Its about dedication.
Having a positive attitude when you face a team who has the ability to crush you, and you know it and they know it. Facing Goliath and saying, "I'm a winner and even if the score doesn't reflect that, my actions will. This will be the best game I ever played."
Its about dignity and passion for excellence.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah....sports good...blah, blah.....why the speech Erica?"
Here is why I say all this:
I grew up in a church environment (for which I am eternally grateful) where often my love of sports was misunderstood. Sports were considered competition (and therefore considered by some to be inherently evil).
For me, sports has been training ground for character. I learned about my natural limitations.
I also found a "Tough Erica " who can be determined, assertive and even aggressive. This person didn't exist outside of the gym, and I can leave her there when I need to be sensitive and compassion. But its good to know she is there. I became able to transfer that characteristic in other areas of life. It empowered me!
It was always one area of my life where I felt on equal footing with other people. In the gym, there are no subtle social graces to manuever around. What you see is what you get. You either do it right or you don't. Its simple, unlike dealing with people. Conquering the world of relationships with all their intricate complexities seemed far more daunting to me.
In my adolesence I was saddled with social and cultural differences to overcome. I felt inferior to the kids who had never known rejection, and walked with a confidence so foreign to me. Their life experiences were so different from mine, I often felt like an alien. I endured many awkward silences after doing or saying something culturally innappropriate.
But during that difficult time and place, I found something that let me shine. I had coaches who saw potential, added some encouragement and got a kid who would run miles for them.
I found out that I had POTENTIAL and what I did with that, was up to ME!
(An empowering revelation to a 13 year old girl! )
Volleyball isn't just a passtime to me, it was a part of my growing up. Sports aren't stupid or evil, they are as valid to Christianity as music or dance lessons. What happens in our hearts while we create art is what matters most to God. And volleyball is my artform.....
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