Every preseason the coaches want us to set our minds on goals. We actually have homework the first week and we fill out about six pages worth of goals for this season. I set personal, nutritional, seasonal, and practice goals for me to go after. Without these goals there would be no ambition to go out and play. The purpose of taking the time to fill these out is to go into practice everyday striving for somthing. If we go into practice with just nothing on our minds and go through the motions, we are not getting any better.
Having the drive to do these things takes hard work and dedication. It takes a good player to go into the gym and pretend like it is the state championship every day! What helps me as a player is remembering why I started playing volleyball. Having the love of the game makes it easier to enjoy and stay focused on achieving the big goal. Each day I think about what I can do to help my team win. Some days, all I want to do is quit and those are the days that nothing seems to go right. Those are the days that help me get better. Having the drive and ambition to go into the next practice determined to be better is what makes me a good player.
I have been focusing lately on what it is going to take for us, as a team, to win everytime we step on the court. The answer that always seems to come to mind is strength and heart. Having the strength to always word harder and will to win is what brings our team together most.
This weekend we travel to Fort Hays. Fort Hays is six hours away and on the bus we will get our minds right and perform the game plan to the best of our ability. GO CATS!!