My time here in the U.S. is beginning to wear thin; yet I have only three GMVA posts to show for it! Let me at least climb above the not so impressive one-post-per-year pace by filling you in on what has been another very Lope-esque season.
Once again, promise and potential have not proven to be enough. The 2014/15 pre-season provided an unprecedented abundance of optimism. Wins against UCLA and Stanford put smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts. To fast-forward six months, free from elaboration, we find ourselves at the end of a disappointing season, with a losing record (14-17) and a very abrupt knock-out blow in the first round of conference play-offs to Lewis University; who went on to lose in the National Championship Final to Loyola University. With wins against nationally ranked teams Ohio State University, Ball State University and IPFW scattered throughout, it is difficult to pinpoint where things went wrong. I can only give my personal piece, with the only intention being - specifically for those of you who are interested in coming to the college scene - to describe some of the challenges that can arise. This is not to say that the season itself has been a negative one, only that we as a team did not find ourselves in the position we would have hoped. Fortunately, I have one more shot at it ahead of me.
Coming into my Junior year, myself and the other nine upper-class athletes found ourselves surrounded by fresh faces. 'Fresh faces', here, is to be read both figuratively and literally; the young blood within them brought attention to my own age and subsequently, the new role that would need to be assumed. I was forced to lead by example. As far as work ethic and intensity goes, I am naturally inclined to give everything I have; this is not where I found any difficulty. The challenge arose when things were not going well, and our team would look to the upper-class members for an appropriate response. As a freshman and sophomore, it was easy to let myself be swept away by complaints and negativity. It's always possible to point the finger away from oneself, and often so much easier to do so. This year though, there was nowhere else to point; sadly I don't possess those wonderful attitudes of denial nor ignorance to such matters. See, I started 30 of 31 matches and played 120 of the 123 sets that our team competed in. This is where I struggled, in reconciling my evidently large role on the team with the disappointing results experienced. It was difficult to not feel personally responsible for any failures experienced as a team, and furthermore to continue showing positivity in the gym for those younger players - all of whom are eager to get their own chance out on the court in future years. And perhaps it is the manifestation of some inner defence mechanism that led me to my revelation, but I found solace in the fact that I am capable of growth and improvement. Not only capable, but I was reminded that this is primarily why I came to play NCAA volleyball; it's why I left all that I knew behind. If I had already made it, if I were already perfect, then what would be the point! Ha! What a great thing the mind is to manipulate failure into opportunity, but this is what I found myself doing.
Now, on reading the last paragraph, you might assume that I single-handedly blew it for the 'Lopes this season! This is not what I'm saying, I'm no martyr. I'm only trying to say that I found myself in a new role this season, and with it I was forced to hold myself more accountable than I was previously accustomed to. For those of you reading this, I offered a method of coping with such weight; to recognize the opportunity to improve in the environment that you are given. The result of one's season is such a flimsy and unpredictable thing that it's dangerous to live or die by it. Too many factors lie beyond the locus of control. Rather, put your focus into what you can determine - that is your own development and affect on your team-mates. This is by far the most important thing to come out of this season in my own personal development. As I write this, in a very sunny Prague apartment, I cannot wait for next season, and the new challenges that it will bring.
For now though, it's time to rest and reboot. A true off-season proved to be the most beneficial use of a Summer in my career. I came back stronger than ever, and the desire to play was an at all-time high. I hope this post doesn't come across as preaching, it's merely the experience of one college volleyballer and hopefully it serves as useful to at least one of the handful of you who I might call my dedicated readers. Dedicated might be a stretch though, given the light load I've offered over the past three years!
Graduating a year from now, ever-closer to attaining that Psychology degree and reading minds, college life is as exciting as ever. I'll skip over the details, but I feel I have to mention that life is good.
Keep up the hard work, I'm looking forward to that fateful day when I might return to see a larger than ever GMVA, but sadly I can't give a date - or even the year - as of yet. Listen to Luke, and get to training on time! ;)
Here's a video to keep you occupied for a little while, I saw Jordan Richards highlights video and knew that it was about time I made one of my own.
Gerrard
Once again, promise and potential have not proven to be enough. The 2014/15 pre-season provided an unprecedented abundance of optimism. Wins against UCLA and Stanford put smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts. To fast-forward six months, free from elaboration, we find ourselves at the end of a disappointing season, with a losing record (14-17) and a very abrupt knock-out blow in the first round of conference play-offs to Lewis University; who went on to lose in the National Championship Final to Loyola University. With wins against nationally ranked teams Ohio State University, Ball State University and IPFW scattered throughout, it is difficult to pinpoint where things went wrong. I can only give my personal piece, with the only intention being - specifically for those of you who are interested in coming to the college scene - to describe some of the challenges that can arise. This is not to say that the season itself has been a negative one, only that we as a team did not find ourselves in the position we would have hoped. Fortunately, I have one more shot at it ahead of me.
Coming into my Junior year, myself and the other nine upper-class athletes found ourselves surrounded by fresh faces. 'Fresh faces', here, is to be read both figuratively and literally; the young blood within them brought attention to my own age and subsequently, the new role that would need to be assumed. I was forced to lead by example. As far as work ethic and intensity goes, I am naturally inclined to give everything I have; this is not where I found any difficulty. The challenge arose when things were not going well, and our team would look to the upper-class members for an appropriate response. As a freshman and sophomore, it was easy to let myself be swept away by complaints and negativity. It's always possible to point the finger away from oneself, and often so much easier to do so. This year though, there was nowhere else to point; sadly I don't possess those wonderful attitudes of denial nor ignorance to such matters. See, I started 30 of 31 matches and played 120 of the 123 sets that our team competed in. This is where I struggled, in reconciling my evidently large role on the team with the disappointing results experienced. It was difficult to not feel personally responsible for any failures experienced as a team, and furthermore to continue showing positivity in the gym for those younger players - all of whom are eager to get their own chance out on the court in future years. And perhaps it is the manifestation of some inner defence mechanism that led me to my revelation, but I found solace in the fact that I am capable of growth and improvement. Not only capable, but I was reminded that this is primarily why I came to play NCAA volleyball; it's why I left all that I knew behind. If I had already made it, if I were already perfect, then what would be the point! Ha! What a great thing the mind is to manipulate failure into opportunity, but this is what I found myself doing.
Now, on reading the last paragraph, you might assume that I single-handedly blew it for the 'Lopes this season! This is not what I'm saying, I'm no martyr. I'm only trying to say that I found myself in a new role this season, and with it I was forced to hold myself more accountable than I was previously accustomed to. For those of you reading this, I offered a method of coping with such weight; to recognize the opportunity to improve in the environment that you are given. The result of one's season is such a flimsy and unpredictable thing that it's dangerous to live or die by it. Too many factors lie beyond the locus of control. Rather, put your focus into what you can determine - that is your own development and affect on your team-mates. This is by far the most important thing to come out of this season in my own personal development. As I write this, in a very sunny Prague apartment, I cannot wait for next season, and the new challenges that it will bring.
For now though, it's time to rest and reboot. A true off-season proved to be the most beneficial use of a Summer in my career. I came back stronger than ever, and the desire to play was an at all-time high. I hope this post doesn't come across as preaching, it's merely the experience of one college volleyballer and hopefully it serves as useful to at least one of the handful of you who I might call my dedicated readers. Dedicated might be a stretch though, given the light load I've offered over the past three years!
Graduating a year from now, ever-closer to attaining that Psychology degree and reading minds, college life is as exciting as ever. I'll skip over the details, but I feel I have to mention that life is good.
Keep up the hard work, I'm looking forward to that fateful day when I might return to see a larger than ever GMVA, but sadly I can't give a date - or even the year - as of yet. Listen to Luke, and get to training on time! ;)
Here's a video to keep you occupied for a little while, I saw Jordan Richards highlights video and knew that it was about time I made one of my own.
Gerrard
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