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Go Skyhawk Volleyball!
Adams State. They were ranked first last year in our RMAC conference, and our head coach’s daughter was their starting senior setter. This team gave us so much trouble last year, and had already beaten some of the best teams in our conference.
But the Grizzlies were coming to OUR home court on Saturday. We had worked hard in practice all week, we discussed every player’s tendencies, and the technical strategy we needed to out work them on the court. But still, the record favored Adams for this game.
Right at 7 o’clock, the anthem was sung as our student section was filling up. The “little spikers,” (middle schoolers) who we had coached earlier in the day, were also in the stands with their parents. And then, there was my dad who was the student body president at Adams State in 1989. He loves watching us play his alma mater. But of course, he had no other choice than to cheer for the Skyhawks with his daughter on the team!
With butterflies in my stomach competing with determination, I gave my high fives and good lucks and the first serve flew. Surprisingly, hot out the gate we were up 7-0! Adams was crumbling under the pressure of our crowd and energy! With an established start and confidence, our team was able to keep our heads high and play hard. In the third set, 23-21, Madi was set a quick and slammed the ball to the ground. And our team erupted and screamed with excitement! The crowd was roaring and happy to see us triumph over our rival team! I don’t think any of them knew how much this meant to us. If we beat this team, it would truly give us a boost of faith in ourselves and all of our hard work!
3-0 was the final score: 25-10, 25-23, 25-21. I don’t think a game ever felt so good on our home court. Rivalry within our conference is one of the most exciting parts about being involved with Skyhawk volleyball. We have so much school pride here at Fort Lewis, and we love putting the “W”s on the board for our school. Our crowd never fails us on our home court. The atmosphere is one I’m never going to forget, and that life high that comes with beating a team that you work all year to beat is a monumental moment in a college athlete’s career.
The supportive atmosphere that the students and faculty give us at our games is electric. I love seeing my professors on game day, when they tell me they’ll be routing for me tonight! A bond is formed in our tight community through the excitement of the home court advantage and the support we get from our peers and community members.
The best part about living in a close-knit community is that constant support that’s available around every corner. I find that my peers and professors don’t only want to support me on the court, but also in the classroom, and in my personal life. These wonderful people create a backing that is nice to be able to lean on. I love being a part of a community with this kind of strong groundwork with so much value on interpersonal relationships. It’s nice to feel like people genuinely care about your day and well-being; this is something unlike any community has ever offered me. And being a part of it makes me want to wake up every day and brighten up someone else’s day.