091

I got to the fish room at 8:15 to get the volleyballs for practice. The elevator doors opened on the fourth floor and I found myself facing an entire circle of badminton people, stretching and warming up. It was by far the most embarrassing and awkward experience of today. As soon as the doors opened, there was silence. I stepped out and slowly weaved around them and headed for the door, not saying a word. Some people said hello, and I said good morning in return, but it was not a pleasant encounter. Their faces read... "why aren't you practicing with us..." and my face read "........ I have volleyball."

It baffles me, why I choose volleyball over badminton, when badminton is clearly my stronger point. I might never get that answer, no matter how much I love badminton. In a way I am being extremely foolish, by focusing all my attention on volleyball, when there's almost no chance I'll make it onto the court this year. But if I don't focus and get better now, how am I going to play on the court in future years? I think it's because I find that I improved a lot in the few months that I've been playing volleyball. I'm the only freshman who can attack at the net, though I only attack twos, and successfully pull an overhand serve to the backline, and that's partially my incentive to keep going.

On the other hand, I've played more than four years of badminton, two of which I spent as varsity captain. My basic technique and skills are therefore stronger than the rest of the team, and that's not something I'm afraid to say. I can't spend so much time on something I've already mastered, when there's so much to improve on another sport I'm dying to play. I haven't been the best at communicating this to the badminton team, and they've been really understanding this entire way... but there's really nothing I can do at this point. I'll be there at the tournaments, and I'll play my hardest at every single game, but as for showing up to practice, any practice that conflicts with volleyball will not be a possibility I can consider.