I just got home from coaching my ol' family ward's Young Women's Volleyball team. My sister and I were trying to figure out how many years I've been doing this, and to be honest, I'm not exactly sure. I know I've been doing this every winter/spring since I was 19, with the exception of my mission and school in Utah....so about 10-11 years. Some of the girls from my earlier teams are now married with about 2-3 kids. Wow! I just can't believe it... I feel a lil old. But then again, those girls were just a few years younger than me, so it not that odd.
I love coaching the YW. I have so much fun with them. This past Sunday, when I saw a few of them at church, they were so excited to have me back to coach them. I don't know exactly why they enjoy it so much. I guess cause I tease them and try to be more of a friend than a leader, but I'm also serious about the game of Volleyball and it shows. I love the YW. Some of the girls I'm now coaching, were ones that I babysat as a teenager. Oh wow... I'm making myself feel older and older.
As I was cleaning out my closet, I found my "Coach of the Year" plaque from 2000 and my framed & signed teamed photo from 2011. It makes me a lil nostalgic. I miss some of those older YW, they've become close friends. I'm always elated when a YW comes back and tells me they decided to join their school team, after playing church Vball. I make it a point to go to at least one of their school games, because my heart is just filled with so much love and happiness that they've come to embrace this sport that I love so dearly.
Who knows what this season of church Vball will bring. I know, that in the end, it doesn't matter how many games they win, but if they felt like they truly tried their best. That's all I can ask.
