Bump and smash…

If there’s one thing that I have to give myself credit for as an adult, it’s that I’m always willing to try new things. I may not excel at every endeavor but I’m ready to step outside of my comfort zone and give it my all…even if it does sometimes involve looking just a tad dorky.

This summer I will be doing something that I haven’t tried in over thirteen years – I’ve joined a recreational beach volleyball team! Part of me is thrilled at the prospect of the challenge and playing with a group again, however the other part of me reverts to that shy and awkward girl back in junior high who was far too critical of herself and terrified at the prospect of being the weakest link on the team. Despite the fact that I actually made the school team cut all those years ago, I was always grossly aware of the fact that I wasn’t exactly a ‘star’ player. It wasn’t so much an issue of being competitive against opposing players or envious of fellow teammates; I was always too competitive with myself. I never really grasped the concept of playing for the simple pleasure of fun and leisure.

I’m really hoping that this experience will help me get back into team sports. At twenty-seven, I feel that I’m much stronger and more athletic than I was as a young teen. I’m certainly more confident in my abilities now and, perhaps even more important, I am able to laugh at myself. If I do discover that I’m lacking in the talent department, I vow to be a shining example in the ‘spirit’ department. Keeps your fingers crossed folks - the Billy Whitmore Experience (yup, that’s our team name) will be playing its’ first match on July 6th.