This is my entry for the week on @pete freaky Friday contest organised to encourage newbie’s on scorum community as well as bloggers that feeling like entry the contest can enter their entry below.
https://scorum.com/en-us/volleyball/@pete/welcome-to-freaky-friday-january-11-2019
Volley ball has never being a sport I ever contemplated spending a second of my time all through my college not until I happened travel to England where I have gone to complete my college with my twin sister Rosy. The bond existing between strong that we nearly did our things together. Before now, it was all about football or playing my favourite game with Rosy.
On her first day in college Rosy and i hand gone to the canteen to have some lunch after the break. When we entered the canteen all the tables were occupied and after looking around for some few seconds, somebody waved at us to come join her table. That day we got to meet Sussan and two of her friends. So we got talking, Sussan told us about the volleyball club and many good things about the club but what endeared us to join was that she said that their club coach was a very good man. Later that day Rosy and I thought about it and we decided to join the school volleyball club. While Rosy joined the female volleyball team, I joined the male volleyball teams.
On Friday which was a major day for all clubs activities from 12:00pm -03:00pm, I accompanied Rosy to see head of all volleyball coach in his office. We had met Mr. Brown days ago and told him our intentions to join the Volleyball teams and he promised us to enjoy every bit of it. So, that afternoon we stepped into his office. He didn’t notice us at first as he was busy sorting something form the book shelve.
‘’Good afternoon Mr. Brown’’ we greeted him
‘’Uh, Rosy and Jammy, am having a busy day. You people can make yourself comfortable’’ he said
We discussed at length as Mr Brown gave a full run down about the history of the school volleyball team, the prospect and heroes that have made names via the school volleyball and especially, he laid emphasis on the volleyball rules and regulation as well as the family bond that holds all the teams members together .All the things he said, we digested with much attention and at the end of our interaction he welcomed us into the school volley ball teams and registered us as well. He now told us to wait for next Tuesday which was the club meeting day to meet our various head coaches.
The following Wednesday, Rosy, Sussan and I joined the general class for both gender and Mr brown officially welcomed us and few other new student s that joined the club. It was really memorable as they showed us much love and at the end, the boys moved to the stand and the girls too all in one hall. Mr brown brought all a white file and began to teach us the rules of the game of volleyball.
The Volleyball Game Rules
Each team is made of 6 players as well as six substitutes.
The head coach can substitute any player at any given point during the match and if an already substituted player must come in, he or she must replaced the player that substituted him or her initially.
Point can be earned up to 25 and the winner must win with 2 clear points. To win, team must score more points than their opponent and if both teams scores 24-24, then the game continues until there is a clear winner by two points.
Team has the option of hitting the ball or pass the ball up to three times before striking to the opponent and the opponent has the chance to return the ball by hitting the ball up to three times without the ball dropping on the floor on both occasions. A player is not allowed to hit the ball twice in succession.
The attacking team stays next to the net while the defensive team stays at the back of the court; which is a rectangular shape measuring 18m x 19m. Three players mount this area in each zone: defence or attack and are rotated in clockwise direction after each point. The ball is an 8 is inches in diameter and weighs about 8-9 ounce. In the court is an out of bound area where the ball must not bounce if not, the opponent gets a point for that.
To get a point, the ball must bounce in the out of bound section of the court, hitting the ball into the net or hitting the ball outside the outlined area.
Fouls Are Committed
A player must not step over the base line while serving the ball.
Players are not permitted to run, carry or palm the ball.
The ball must not pass under the net.
Players must not hit or touch the net.
Players cannot reach over the net to hit the ball.
The next Friday was a practice section and there were court each for the girls and the boys. Rosy and I were very quick to learn the game and moved up the ranking very fast. Along the way, I had to drop out and focus on my studies as it became more tedious for me but Rosy continue until she became an integral part of the fits team choice. She went to many competitions with her team, they won trophies for the school and made name for themselves. The following the year, rosy was called up by the national team coach after seeing her clips in one of the popular sports station in UK. Rosy was very happy and worked harder the before. This was her new found dreams to play volleyball and become a star.
So that afternoon, I was just coming back from the library where I had gone to do some research when Rosy came back happy.
‘’Do you know Jammy what is means to play for our country and carrying that flag with shoulder high. Millions of people are going to see me on TV’’ she said.
‘’Especially mum and dad’’ I said
‘’Of course’’ she laughed
‘’Sure, I know you will do us proud’’ I commended her
‘’Please Jammy, I want you to come and watch me in the World Women Volleyball Championship, please!’’ she begged. It’s going to be in three weeks during the school holidays.
‘’Okay, I will’’ as she was all over my body petting me.
The Championship
The FIVB World Women’s Volleyball Championship was a volleyball tournament organised for senior women volleyball teams of members of ‘’Federation International de Volleyball'' (FIVB) which is the sport’s body responsible for its global competitions. The championship held in October, 2018 hosted by Japan for the 3rd time in 12 years.
The final was holding at the Yokohama Arena, Yokohama and our nation teams had made it to the finals. The match was to be played in five sets and the team which wins the most points will lift the trophy. Osaka was the city were our nation team was having their group stage matches so were other national teams in various cities like Sapporo, Nagoya and Yokohama.
First round
The first round of the tournament had 24 nation teams were place in four group of six teams each and the top four teams from each group qualified to the second stage.
Second round
The second stage will now see the 16 teams from the first round group into two groups of 8 teams each with the first and last teams in pool A and the second and third teams in B and C. No teams will play against each other at this stage if they had met in the first round. The first three teams from each of the two groups advanced to the third stage.
Third round
The third stage comprises of six teams placed into two groups of three teams by a draw with the team winning the previous stage heading the groups.
Fourth round
After the matches, the first two teams from each group moves into the semi finals and the winners of each of the encounter get into the final while the third placed teams slog it out for the third place.
Our national team: Serbia was a strong contender for the title with lots of young talents. They have qualified from round one up to the finals losing only one match and were squaring it up with Italy: who had not tasted any defeat in the tournament. The Yokohama Arena was filled to the brim with tourist and fans of both countries. I was seated right behind the national team space on that freaky Friday.
Shortly the announcement was made as both teams walked out of the tunnels and sang the national anthems to the admiration of the cheering crowed. Each player was high in confidence as the referee gave them some instructional and the game started.
The first set stared very badly for Serbia as the experienced Italian team won them with 3 points. Same was applied in the second round and it was looking as it the game will end in three sets. The third sets began and the national touch fought very hard to win and came to 1 point to level with their opponent. Rosy shouldered the responsibility as she exhibited different skill I never saw her do to put Serbia to contention. The referee ended the set and both teams went for break.
During the break, I walked up to Rosy with her permission of the teams coach. I motivated her and told her how glorious it would be for our country’s flag to be raised at the end. Soon after that, the referee blew her whistle and the 4th and 5th set began. There was tension everywhere for both teams’ fans.
The fourth round was the longest with no team wanting to miss the hit. The Italian team intention was to hold on to the lead but a little mistake happened that Rosy had to hit the ball but she slipped and missed the ball. She was very disappointed. ‘’The Italian teams now leads with 2 points heading into the final rounds’’ the commentator said to the cheering of the crowed.
I saw Rosy looking at me disappointed and almost in tears. I walked up to her and encouraged her that nothing was impossible. She smiled at me and asked I meant what I said. I told her, ‘’I know you can do it’’ I peg her and left.
The final set was much more hostile and emotional. The Italian side were already cruising to the title with few more serving to go. Then came the breaking moment when the Serbia teams got a point as the left winger of the Italian team miscalculated the flight of the ball from Rosy classy angle hit to make it 24-25. I think the Italian team lost their head may because of that singular mistake and went up to lose the next three services to end the game 27-25 in favour of the Serbia national team.
Magic Moment
Rosy caught the attention of everybody in the stadium with her last minute hits, the teams I guess had plans that Rosy should be taken the final hit into the defence zone and she played into the Italian left winger’s head that had missed that first ball. Rosy kept sending the ball to her section and she was caught in tension and demoralization of the first and failed to reply any of the hit successfully.
The game came to chaotic end when the referee blew the final whistle. A section on the Serbia crowd surged forward and lifted Rosy. She, her team mate and the coaching staff were celebrated.
At the end Serbia team where crown the FIVB 2018 champions. This is my post to emphasize what happened at the FIVB championship won my Serbia as way to align with the objective of the blockchain which is basically sport blog and betting.
Thanks for reading
All thanks to the initiator and all sponsors of this contest.
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