Concussion, sprained wrist, dislocated knee.  Most student athletes are familiar with these terms.  Some have had these injuries over the course of their high school athletic career, but having them all in one season?  Most don’t, I did.

This year’s volleyball season was not the best for me.  I missed the first four games of the season due to a concussion.  One OIA playoff game sidelined me because of a sprained wrist and the entire HHSAA tournament was observed from the bench due to a dislocated knee sustained in the final OIA playoff game.  A total of eight games and twelve practices missed.

I’m not going to lie, practice is definitely not one of my favorite activities in the world.  I know that it is necessary and beneficial but sometimes it feels like torture.  Blocking drills, running suicides, jumping cones, bear crawls, and going through the same play one hundred times is not my idea of fun.

But, when I was not allowed to practice, everything changed.  The once hated cones were now something that I wanted to do.  I longed to run suicides.  I found myself dreaming about volleyball and going through different plays in my head over and over again.  I missed practicing!

I guess I never knew how much I loved the sport of volleyball.  I mean, I knew that I loved playing games, being on that court digging and passing the ball, but I forgot the other aspect of the sport…practice.  Not being able to practice made me see just how much I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to participate in and be a part of the team.  It turns out that I like running suicides and jumping cones.  Bear crawls aren’t a big deal.  Trying to get above the net when blocking isn’t a chore anymore, it’s a challenge.

I especially missed being with my teammates.  I sat on the side watching them exchange exasperated looks when my coach would say “do it again”.  I longed to be one of the girls sprinting to be first to the water jug when they were finally awarded a well deserved water break.  I wanted to be part of the crazy, hilarious things that sometime occur during practice.  It turns out that practicing for 2 hours everyday doesn’t just get you prepared to play your best, it’s also when you bond with your team.  Sitting on the side made me feel awkward.  I felt somewhat like an outsider.  Everyone looked like they were such good friends…without me.

Even though I felt like this, I soon learned that my teammates didn’t think of me the same way.  Whenever there was a water break, someone would come and talk to me.  At games I was still included in the before game huddle and my teammates acted like I was just as important injured as I was when I was actually playing.  That’s a great feeling.

Although I feel that I learned a lot from my experiences being injured, I definitely don’t recommend it.  My advice is to cherish every moment of practice.  It’s hard work, but it’s worth every minute of it.  All the sweat, sore muscles, and tired feet will make you stronger.  Always remember that your team is going through the same thing that you are.  Practice is the most important part of the sport.  It shows commitment, dedication, teamwork, work ethic and it provides the opportunity to develop values that will benefit you for many years to come.