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

Nicknames

This week has been one of our few “off” weeks. Don’t get me wrong, we were not “off” in any way. We practiced hard, really hard. Over the course of four days we worked on many different skills, some individual and some team. We also had to do two of our long lifts (4 sets of 8), circuit training and lots of abs. Frankly I am exhausted. On top of that, this is the week when professors start giving exams. I have my first organic chemistry test tomorrow (Friday). Yikes!

            In all the hustle and bustle, I tend to forget to appreciate the little things in life. I begin to question myself: why do I put myself through this? What’s the point? I get really uptight and stressed when those thoughts enter into my head. Every time I get into one of those moods something always reminds me of what I am here for and why I am putting myself through this. I am here because I am called to be here. I am here to strengthen my relationship with the Lord and with my teammates. I am here to further my education. I am here to play volleyball to the best of my ability. Most importantly I need to remember that I am LOVED! I am constantly reminded of this everyday in the little things. This week my teammates decided I need a new nickname. Alyssa Scholten told me during practice that I looked like a veggie tales character (not sure why), so they decided that I looked like the girl carrot. My new nickname is carrot. The point is when they gave me a new nickname (even if it’s not my favorite), compliment me, or encourage me, they make me feel loved. When I feel loved, I strive to do my best in everything I do, for my teammates, myself, and most importantly the Lord.

            One of my main goals is to make sure that every single one of my teammates feels loved. This is why I strive to form deep, meaningful relationships with my teammates. So even on the “off” weeks we still work together to get through the little things and play the sport we love.

Love,

Jamie, JP, Carrot, etc. 

Definition of "Calvin Volleyball"

Calvin Volleyball. Two words that have undoubtedly had the biggest impact on my life. And two words whose meaning to me has changed throughout my years.

Calvin Volleyball was first introduced to me as a little tyke and have held some of my favorite memories growing up. For those of you that don’t already know, Coach Warners happens to be my Aunt. And so for as long as I can remember, I’ve so to speak, “grown up” with Calvin Volleyball. I can remember attending the Calvin volleyball camps, secretly feeling like the coolest 5^th grader because Coach Warners was my Aunt. I remember coming to every home volleyball game, getting there a whole hour early so I could watch the big girls warm up before the match. I can remember when my little sister Sidney and I got to ride the big Coach Bus with the team to the regional tournament at Wittenberg. Sidney and I would spend every time-out peppering off in the corner of the gym. As that little girl, Calvin Volleyball was my biggest dream. One day I would be one of the cool big girls. One day I would play for my Aunt.

As I got older, volleyball became increasingly more important to me. I had passed the stage of not being able to get my serve over the net, tried out for school teams, and eventually started playing club volleyball. I continued to go to Calvin camps in the summer, and their home matches in the fall when I could. I knew every player on the team. During high school this once far off dream of mine started to become more and more real. Calvin Volleyball wasn’t so out of reach anymore – I was only a few short years away.

The day had finally come. The first home match of my freshman year was here. I put on my Calvin jersey for the first time in the locker room, and as I walked into the gym just minutes before the start of the match, my heart was overflowing. I had accomplished what I dreamed of as a little girl. I was officially a part of Calvin Volleyball and it was exactly what I dreamed it would be. Don’t get me wrong, it was physically and mentally challenging at points, but I finally was experiencing everything I had waited for: bus rides to away matches, getting food after tournaments, playing on our home court in front of tons of fans, wearing a Calvin jersey, and so much more.  

Fast forward to today. School is in full swing as we are almost wrapping up our second week of classes. Saying things have been “busy” would be an understatement. We leave tonight for a tournament at Wittenberg, which means we’ll miss all our Friday classes. My homework load has been piling up already, plus you throw in having to make up work for the classes I’ll miss – stressful! While volleyball is great, I’m spending at least 2.5 hours of my time in practice each day, plus games, and travel time to away matches. My part-time job doesn’t seem like much commitment until it’s in place of the only free time I get during the day. And finally I’m trying to squeeze in time to get to know my new housemates who barely get to see me each day. Now a busy schedule like this is pretty typical for me, and apart from one or two breakdowns during the year, I usually do okay with the packed schedule. This year however is different.  

A couple of months ago, my safe, seemingly perfect and struggle-free life came to an abrupt halt. Family is the one thing in my life that I felt was always a rock for me, and this summer it broke and shattered into a million pieces. I went through all stages of any life-altering event like this one: confusion, anger, pain, hurt, fear, etc. And while this summer was a pretty rough one for me, I was excited for volleyball to start up and be a great distraction from the mess that was happening in my personal life. And volleyball has done just that and I’ve done my best to set aside all the feelings of hurt, anger, pain, and confusion. I had convinced everyone around me: strangers, friends, family, teammates, and frankly myself, that I was doing alright. But the reality of it is, I’m hurting. I’m finding myself feeling bogged down with the weight of school, work, volleyball, friends, and family issues. And I’m covered in layers of stress and hurt that seem impossible to remove.

At our team retreat this year, I shared with the team some of the challenges that this past summer had brought me, and the struggles I was continuing to deal with. And let me tell you, over the past two weeks, I have felt more love and support from these women than I ever knew was possible. So as I sit here typing this blog entry, a little discouraged from my feelings of the past week, tired from a game last night, a 6:30am practice this morning, and a full day of classes, I’m thinking back to that retreat. It’s finally hitting me. I thought I knew what Calvin Volleyball was about my first year a part of the team. But I really didn’t. Now I understand what it really means to be a part of Calvin Volleyball. It’s not about the things I used to dream about as a little girl. It’s not about wearing a Calvin jersey or playing for an arena full of fans. It’s not about the bus rides or the meals after matches. It’s not even about the sport of volleyball. It’s about each and every woman that makes up Calvin Volleyball. And it’s about the relationships we’ve made and are continuing to make with each other. There were times throughout the past couple months where I wondered where God was in everything. But these women have showed me Christ. They have been the hands and feet of Jesus to me through their support and love. God has blessed me immensely with these women and I couldn’t be more thankful. Regardless of what’s happening in my life, both good and bad, I now know without a doubt in my heart, we are 19 sisters strong.

Emily Blankespoor #12  Jr. Defensive Specialist