#27 Volleyball State

The bus slowed to a stop. I opened my eyes and pulled my ear bud out of my ear. Looking out my window at the school, I grab my bag and headed off the bus. Little did I know today was almost my last day playing volleyball.

I walked into the school and past the gym, which was already filling up with people. The athletic director showed us to our locker room. As our volleyball team piled into our locker room, our coach was already drilling us on getting ready faster. The best day of my life and I’m already annoyed. I get ready with my team and for some reason today my jersey that I have been wearing for four years seemed to fit different today. I head into the gym. I look up at my parents as they point at the scouts across the room, I’m instantly nervous. I take a deep breath, set my water down, and start to stretch.

The music begins to play above me and the other teams comes out. They all look so much bigger than our team and for some reason much older. But I didn't let that affect me. I grab and ball and start to warm up with my best friend dawson, our setter. After warm ups and the national anthem, I sit down on the bench and wait for the starting line up. “A 5’8 libero, senior, Brooke Thompson”. I stand up and my knees feel weak, I know this has to be the best game I have ever played in my entire life. I shake the officials hands and the other coach’s hand and head onto the court.

The whistle blew and the ball came across the net at me. I pass the ball to the setter and then the first kill by Rachael. We are in the lead 17-12 I can feel the floor shake every time we score. We win the first match 25-16. We got to the bench after we switched sides and our coach is happy, but yet she still lectures us to try and improve the game, and of course all pressure is on me. Now that we are on the other side of the court I’m now right next to the scouts. I can feel them staring at me and criticising us. I take a deep breath, and watch as Jenny serves the ball over the net. ACE! Off to a good start. The announcer yells through the microphone “The 12th kill by Rachael” and the scouts are loving her. I can hear my parents voice in my head telling me this is my only chance to win and to get a scholarship. My team is very happy but still so serious. It is game point 24-23. I watch the other team set up the ball, pass from their lebrio, then the set, and I watch the hitter begin her approach. I’m watching her hand as she goes to swing. Boom right to me, cross court, close to out of bounce but I can't be for sure so I dive for the ball, throwing my body out of bounce. I save the ball passing it back onto the court. My body slides hard and fast into the wall and I’m out. Everything is black.

I wake up in a hospital bed, I open my eyes to a bright lights across the ceiling. I hear a voice but it isn't so clear. I look over and see my parents, my coach and my team. They are all there smiling at me. My head starts pounding as they try to all talk to me at once. The doctor comes in and tells them “One at a time please”. He bends down to me and tells me that my head condition isn't bad, but may be serious if I don’t take it easy, so I have to come back next week. My mom comes closer to me and she says, “We won baby, you made the game winning point, and the scouts are very impressed, in fact they are here now in the waiting room”. The best news of my life. I thought I might of been done for ever, lost my chance, or did not impress the scout, my team, or my parents enough. But I did, they are so happy, the happiest I have ever seen with me. After I was released I got a call asking to play for University of Wisconsin. I’m shocked. I never thought I would get to play for anyone, let alone the greatest universities around. I told them yes. I have been playing for Wisconsin for 3 years now, and every day is a great day.