FBS - The Gold Jersey

Thanks to Coach Bindon, “FBS” is now permanently a part of the Calvin Volleyball vocab (or so we like to think). FBS stands for “first ball specialist”. Sometimes we like to joke around in the backrow about having each other’s backs, and backing each other up and once in a while you’ll hear Kristen say “I got you girl”, or Emily saying “I got you boo thang!” It’s a great little reminder that they always have my back. Us FBS’ work really hard at moving our feet to the best of our abilities but sometimes we have to throw our bodies on the floor to get good passes for the setters and hitters.
We come in to preseason and are expected to win 9 different challenges.  These challenges really show how much your teammates are there for you. It’s probably the most rewarding feeling after you win a challenge, but helping save a teammate in a challenge is an indescribable feeling. If you ask anyone on the team to help save a teammate, we would do it in a heartbeat. It’s so heartwarming to know that all 19 girls ALWAYS have your back.
Us FBS’ can agree that diving and throwing our bodies at balls going over 45 mph is what us little people are made to do (when it comes to volleyball at least). Except for the past couple of weeks, the DS’s have been having bad luck with our backs. So as much as we love having our teammate’s backs on and off the court, our own back was something that we needed to take care of (literally). Sometimes we go a little too hard after a ball or even during a challenge and that causes us to get injured. As satisfying as it is to get a sweet dig or pancake, I’m not going to lie, it hurts!! After finishing one of the challenges during preseason, I hurt my back to the point where I couldn’t even bend over. It’s been a rollercoaster ride. Some weeks I can go a few days without it hurting at all, but other weeks I do something as simple as bend over to put my socks on and my back locks up again. As hard as it is for me to practice or play with an injured back, I am super thankful because I am still able to play the sport I love, with the people I love most.
Lately I’ve realized how blessed I am with such great teammates and friends who have my back. They’re constantly praying for me and checking in on me, asking if there is something they can do to help. The little things mean the most – like Jenna offering to help stretch me on the sidelines, Anna telling me that she’s stepping in to take any short balls so I don’t have to get on the ground, or even Kristen putting on my socks and tying my shoes before practice and games. Those are the things I really appreciate, and it reminds me how blessed I am to be a part of this team.
Ever since spring season last year and this season, I feel like my relationship with God is getting stronger. I never really understood how important it was to have a deeper relationship with Him but it’s so comforting. I’m thankful for these girls for that; and for my best friends outside of volleyball. We’re able to take time out of our hectic schedules and sit down for an hour on Sunday nights to catch up on our lives, read our devotional book, and just talk about God. It’s so refreshing to form a closer relationship with them through God.

Laura Danhoff tagged me in an AVCA article about DS/Libero’s this past weekend and I’ve never read something so relevant. A quote that really stuck out to me was: “We are the backbone and voice of the team...” and “Small in stature, big in heart” it is a perfect definition for us FBS’! I love it.

Whether were throwing our bodies on the ground, helping a teammate win a challenge, or even tying a teammates shoes… “I got you girl”.  A huge shout out to all the FBS’ our there doing their thing!

Keilahna Castillo #1 So. FBS/Libero