Stressful Signing Day!

October 10, 2017

Today was the last signing day for the Club volleyball season for our house.  Thank God!  If I didn't love my girls as much as I do I keep saying I wouldn't go through all this.  But turns out I do love them very much, and so we spend a great deal of time jumping through hoops and trying to make this part of our world have some semblance of order.  

Last year, we hobbled into a Club Season, mostly on a what if, and a how about we try sort of mentality.  Let's face it, that was the best we could do at the time, there was no pre-planning or thinking through all the options of these places, it was merely try out somewhere because we knew our daughter wasn't going to make the high school volleyball team if she didn't play Club.  She was literally told this by the freshman coach.  Back pedaling later to say it was highly encouraged.  Yeah whatever... She didn't sign for his over-priced Club, she signed at another one that offered a Developmental program for her sister.  Well, turns out they lacked enough coaching so that without having to try out, Sydney ended up an a Club team.  Score one for Sydney and shield us from the rigors of the stressful tryout weekends.  

This year, we had to go through it with Madison and we tried to choose places where we thought she would have a good fit, and we paid attention to the kind of connection that the coaches were trying to make with her.  We want her to have a competitive year with a Coach that sees her potential with the desire to want to help her bring it out, all we want for each girl.  We want them at the same place because we have no desire to run from one end of the earth to another.  We limited our choices to places where coaches were willing to let them both be at the clinics before tryouts, and she went to tryouts at the places where coaches knew her face if not her name.  Turns out they all knew her name, so that was a nice perk.  So we took a deep breath and chose a Club based on how much they wanted both of them.  When the Coach we ended up going with had asked her if she might want to be his starting Outside Hitter, she told him: "Yes, but it depends on what works best for my sister too, we want to be at the same Club."  Good girl, taking care of her sister, I love it.  

After we signed, we pushed it back into the recesses for a good month until the buildup started for Sydney's age group.  And though we knew where we needed Sydney to play, we also knew that she really wanted a 1's team, she also wants to be more competitive.  And even though we know her skill level, and we've been told lots of positives about her skills; when it comes down to it, there are still lots of politics and other factors that play into these decisions.  Turns out on this particular round, Sydney was an integral part of the puzzle for the 1's team that they wanted.  She was quite excited.  And Eric and I were happy for her.  There is nothing that matches the look of joy that borders on sparkling with excited tears that you get to see in the eyes of your daughters.  In August, we got it with Madison and a bit with Sydney when Madison chose the Club Sydney wanted...yes, they actually agreed on something.  But then we really saw it in Sydney on Saturday afternoon.  There were three definite phone calls to be made twenty minutes after the tryout...Sydney was one of them. Talk about an Ego boost, that made her very happy too.  

But then the wait began.  Would any of her teammates from the year before choose the same team?  Would one of the younger girls with an excellent skill level possibly get pulled up to potentially get offered for Sydney's team?  When she did, would she choose to stay with Sydney or chase other equally excellent opportunities?  Would there be enough for a team...and what would happen if there weren't?  

We were a little bummed to hear that two of the girls she played with had chosen other Clubs, one getting the chance to play an age group up - talk about a boost and so exciting.   We learned Sunday morning that one of the players from last year was joining Sydney's team.  I actually "Yeahed" and hugged her mom.  Later that night, I would try to be unbiased as I traded text messages with the younger player's mom.  Trying to give information without sugar, but at the last letting her know that we would love for the girls to play together almost as much as Sydney wanted to play again with her daughter too.  One of their deciding factors was that their daughter wanted to play with Sydney at least one more year.  

Great joy in our house!  Great humbling joy.  To know you are doing something right as you shape your kid and she takes the reins to become this incredible little person that touches people like that, that is humbling and so wonderful.  We hugged our former teammates at the signing tonight, the girls chattering like excited, little birds.  Happy to be on the same team, and happy that they had the perfect number to have a team.  We all headed home and not too long later, we got a text message with a picture of their other teammate at their Club, signing to join their team.  Despite the opportunity to play on an older team, their teammate chose to play with these girls for at least this year...dare we hope for more?  How very exciting!  

So these young girls are chasing this desire to be competitive and strong as a team and they are starting where it truly counts, with the heart of it all.  They held each other together through some rough times last year, and they all grew, on and off the court.  Just when they were getting really close the season ended, and now they are back together again!  

These are the families that provided such a support system for us, and us for them.  Eric and I are thrilled to have the chance to spend the next nine months watching Volleyball with these families, and having a front row seat on where ever and how far these little ladies can go.  Win or lose, there are some great times ahead and we couldn't be happier for Sydney.  

As for Madison, we hear rumor that she will also be playing with at least two or three of her teammates, but we weren't able to go to the signing day for her (she had class) so we aren't quite sure about her team until it gets closer to the start of Season.  You can imagine how excited she is, it's been too long without playing so she is chomping at the bit to get going again.  

As for Bradley, the coaches at this new Club are starting to recognize him, give him high fives and getting to know him.  There is a lot of space in this facility, so there is a lot of area where we can safely roam and satisfy curiosity, all while mom and/or dad can still pretty much enjoy watching practices.  And when he's tired, he can camp in his stroller, or he can choose to sink into one of the comfy couches that overlook the practice courts.  Since we could be there for practices for two to four hours, this is key!  One day at a time; one step after the other, but still a little excited and ready to watch the girls get to playing!  :-). I am hopeful that Bradley will start to take more of an interest in watching this year, but we will get that when we get it...that's totally on his timetable, not ours.  

Just an everyday family; trying to juggle life in a way that allows us to live, breathe, and love all the best parts of our lives.  Sydney has a team this year that embodies all the good parts of why we wanted the girls to play on a team.  I think that we got very lucky!  Even luckier will be if we get that with Madison's team as well.  Hoping for the best for sure!