To the Saint Francis DeSales Volleyball Program,
I am one lucky girl, and being able to attend DeSales is one of the luckiest things I've ever been able to do. My journey at DeSales started way back when I was a little baby. One of my uncles graduated and played football at DeSales. I would sit in those bleachers on Friday nights in the rain, snow, and freezing cold and watch proud parents, relatives, and students fill the bleachers and field in SFD gear. Little did I know, I'm doing the same exact thing now, just twelve years older.
My very first time watching DeSales play volleyball, was in the 2014-2015 Regional finals game against Dublin Coffman. I was in eighth grade and had never seen volleyball at that level. It was beautiful seeing so many talented high school girls on one court together. The gym was absolutely packed, and I barley had a seat. My parents on my left and dozens and dozens of college coaches on my right. That's when reality hit me and I gained a sense of pride for DeSales. Never did I think that I would be playing that game just a year later, against the same rival, in the same gym, for the same title, just ONE year later and be best friends with those girls. I am so lucky.
It's simply the conversations we have at spread. The time of relaxing and resting our bodies in preparation for the game. The time we all just sit around and talk about our day. The time we all just really get to know each other.
It's simply the crazy car rides to the game. The panicking and frustration of finding directions to the game. The worries of who is riding with who, and make sure nobody gets left at the school. The "shotgun". The music deafening. The safe (unsafe) driving because it's game day. We are hyped up.
It's simply the waiting in the locker room. The changing out of my school uniform (which by the way, I didn't think I would like wearing that jumper, but now I find myself never wanting to take it off. It gives my so much pride.) and into my warm ups. Sliding my knee pads up my legs, strapping on my ankle braces, and lacing up my shoes. The locker room goes from obnoxiously loud, music blaring, conversations brewing, to complete silence as coach walks in with his pregame speech.
It's simply the adrenaline I have before a game after warming up and heading to the locker room to remove my warm up and slide my arms through the sleeves of purple and white, with Saint Francis DeSales written on my back along with my number I was awarded with, for I will carry throughout each season. It's amazing to me to think of all the people who wore this same uniform, and all the plays, victories, and memories that were made in this thing. This jersey we sometimes may take for granted.
It's simply the tradition of the pre game cheers and chants. The tradition of not taking one single step on the floor until it's actually game time. The tradition of giving and receiving the little hand hug squeeze as we all stand side by side down the end line humming the National Anthem.
It's simply the feeling of people of all ages, coming through your gym doors with your school mascot embellished on their clothing. It's the amazing feeling of your student section going crazy as purple and white pours out of the locker room onto the court. It's the feeling of your side of the gym going crazy after a long rally. It's some feelings you may not get anywhere else.
It's simply the memories you make during your journey, my journey has just begun and I cannot wait to see where this thing takes me.
GO STALLIONS!!
