So as the days of 2010 count down, the snow keeps falling and Great Britain is on the verge of self-imploding at the sight of the white stuff, its time to put to bed this past month on and off the court.
The start of the month seems ages ago and a trip to Habo. We were planning to go into the game with the same starting line up as the one the beat RiG the week before, however that got blown out the water, when the night before our new outside that got MVP against RiG fell victim to his own sofa and twisted his knee ligaments. So the decision had to be made as to how we played the Habo game, option 1 was to go back to how we had started the season, Option 2 was to throw a 19 year old rookie into the deep end. We/our head coach went for option 2 and it paid off with a comfortable 3-0 win only the 3rd set we had to stage a late comeback to seal it and the rookie did good. The following week brought us up against Linkoping, the defending champions and the team that beat us 3-2 in the semi finals last season. They had a bad start to the season this time around and we wanted revenge. We reverted back to the team that we started the season with, however the game was a complete disaster on our part. our passing unit got served off the court and our wing spikers could only seem to find the block time and time again. Before the game we had been given our tactics from our coaches about how they play and how we have to play to stop them, yet we didnt seem to buy into the system, they did what we were told they would do, yet stood around and let them do it. It seemed none of us had the right mentality, some of us, myself included wanted it to much and to get revenge for last season, plus i had been hurt about some comments made about my performances in the play offs last season, so i wanted to prove some people wrong, but I think I ended up concentrating to much on that, then concentrating on the game. I felt a few others didnt want it enough and let the game pass them by and some others seemed to get complacent, thinking that because we had won 7 in a row we would win this one whatever. I hope this game served as a kick up the arse for all us and will serve us well in the long term. So we closed out 2010 and the first half of the season at home to Sollentuna, who we in fact were the first team we played in 2010. Whoever won this game would be ranked number 1 in the league and the number 1 seed for the Grand Prix tournament at the start of January. The line up this time had the rookie back in so same team the started against Habo. The game was pretty similar to the Linkoping game with tough serving and us making to many errors, quickly we found ourselves 2-0 down, the 3rd set saw the return of our No.1 setter who has been injured all season, and was predicted to be back late January early February time, so it was positive to see him back, we won the 3rd, then raced into an early lead in the 4th however they clawed there way back and took the 4th. It was a disappointing end to 2010 and to the first half of this season. We need to raise our level of expectations of ourselves and each other and stop becoming complacent, just because things have happened in the past and turned out good for us, doesnt mean it will happen all the time. So we will head to GP as No.3 seed and face a difficult game against Falkenberg in the semi final.
NOw off the court and Christmas time and all that balls. So the day after the sollentuna game i was meant to fly back to England, but because Heathrow are run by a bunch of muppets and only have a spade and bucket to clear the runway I didnt even leave Sweden. So i got re-booked on to an easyjet flight to Gatwick for the next day. So tuesday comes i get on the train to the airport in denmark and their is signal failure, so i get to the airport an hour late and 10 minutes before check in closes, i get to the desk and they tell me i am not on the passenger list, I check my booking, and the person that had booked my flight had booked me on the flight for Wednesday instead of Tuesday!!! So a few phone calls and i get my ticket changed to a tuesday night flight which is meant to leave at 9pm (cet), after 13 hours in Copenhagen airport i finally get on my plane at 11pm, then the fuel hoses breaks, and we have to get de-iced, so we take off at 12pm. So i land at 1am (gmt) at gatwick, get off the plane to get my bag and my bag isnt on the baggage belt, so i go through to arrivals to get some help and in the end they find my bag in the back somewhere. I finally got home at 4.30am wedneday morning instead of 2pm monday afternoon.
First few days a home are fine, do some xmas shopping, see some people, chill out, then xmas eve i was hoping to see me dad and my sister, but for some reason he didnt get in touch so for the 2nd christmas in 3 years i didnt see him or my sister, the only plus was i got to see my nan and give her the xmas present i had brougt for them and her birthday present. This disappointed me more than pissed me off, maybe I need to stop jumping through hoops.
So onto the big day, and Mother and I went up/across to Portsmouth to have Christmas with my Great Aunt and my Mums cousin. After being in the door 15 minutes, my great aunt suddenly collapsed in the kitchen and had suffered a stroke, so i spent most of Christmas Day in hospital, while they could find out what had happened, she came round in and was talking by the evening after a few scares through out the day. The rest of the family arrived during boxing day whilst i was taken to the airport to fly back to Sweden. My plane was delayed buy a few hours and i ended up getting home at 2.30 am this morning instead of 11pm sunday night. This morning i got a phone call from my mum saying that my great Aunt had passed away in the evening about the same time i was taking off.
I dont want to get to emotional and OTT, but i just want to thank aunty Joy for all the wonderful family parties we have had at her house, all the wonderful food she has cooked for us, for treating me like a direct relative, for showing an interest in what i have been doing with university and volleyball and for being proud of me when closer members of family where being nasty to me.
RIP Aunty Joy, I hope Grandma doesnt boss you around to much up there.
Sorry to end my blogging year on a low note, hope the rest of you had a good Christmas and will have a happy new year.
Monday 27 December 2010
Wednesday 1 December 2010
Oh look, a snowflake and a snygging
So now that winter has officially started everywhere it seems and the fun yet bringing countries to a stand still snow is falling, I thought i might as well write something to cover the past month and the fact its -15 outside so would rather stay in and be warm.
The start of November seems age ago, but we started the month with a 3-1 derby win at home to Lund, a bit of a wobble by us in the 3rd and some unreal defence from the visitors pushed the game to a 4th set but we came through. 3 days later we made the long trip to the Stockholm area to play Vingaker, the gym smelt weird and they played with gala's, which rolled back the sheffield years. To cut a long story short, they bombed us from the service line and we found ourselves 2-0 down, and staring our first defeat in the face, however we then decided to play our volleyball won the 3rd, then won the 4th on a yellow card (pattern emerging here) and then we squeaked out the 5th 15-13 to keep our top spot and winning record. 5 short and snowy days latter we made the longer trip to Uppsala for the swedish cup finals, now we were meant to practice when we got up there, but because of the weather we got there late, so instead of practicing at 11pm on friday night, our coach decided to send us on a half hour run....... in the snow. Onwards to saturday and the semi final against sollentuna and de ja vu from last weekend, we went 2-0 down, then decided to play and 'make the girl say yes' as Martin would put it and won 3-2. Saturday night was mainly a snow ball fight against the american girls from Lindesberg, then bed, but not with the girls. So sunday was final day against Falkenberg, and to put it simple, we were poor, there game plan worked perfectly and we did nothing to stop it and it was our worse performance of the season and with it our first defeat. This may be a blessing disguise as now the tag has gone and we can move on. So after dusting ourselves off, mainly from the snow, we tinkered with a few things and closed the month out with a 3-0 win against the Swedish Junior National team that plays in the top league. Was our best blocking game of the season and we soon shut up the yapping they were giving us through the net. They pissed me off in the warm up in the fact that they would hit cross court, and if they hit one of us they would high five each other. Then in the 1st set after being 5-1 down, there coach moaned that the small light from the video camera at the other end of the gym was putting his players off, so after a lengthy delay the refs said we had to put some tape over it. Somehow I don't think the little light was the problem why there 'star' player kept getting blocked but hey ho.
So into December, 3 games before xmas and not a lot of traveling. This weekend we are away to Habo, following week we welcome the defending champions and team that beat us in the semi final last season, Linkoping. Then we close out 2010 at home to our lovely friends from Sollentuna. A hard run to end the year, but hopefully we end on a high.
Unfortunately I cant recall anyone doing anything really stupid this month apart from the Canadian girl in EVS firstly saying she thought they did stats from games 'just for fun' then followed by 'do you get extra points for doing different things', maybe they have a different scoring system in Canada compared to the rest of the world.
Joe has been normal this month, which will be of disappointment to his family as he never tells them when he does stupid things. (He did do something stupid but am keeping my mouth shut...for the time being)
Not many things to rant at this month, so will have a look at the videos
clever video, the longer version got taken off youtube
don't think everyone will understand, but its funny
pretty clever
this is just strange
enjoy the snow
The start of November seems age ago, but we started the month with a 3-1 derby win at home to Lund, a bit of a wobble by us in the 3rd and some unreal defence from the visitors pushed the game to a 4th set but we came through. 3 days later we made the long trip to the Stockholm area to play Vingaker, the gym smelt weird and they played with gala's, which rolled back the sheffield years. To cut a long story short, they bombed us from the service line and we found ourselves 2-0 down, and staring our first defeat in the face, however we then decided to play our volleyball won the 3rd, then won the 4th on a yellow card (pattern emerging here) and then we squeaked out the 5th 15-13 to keep our top spot and winning record. 5 short and snowy days latter we made the longer trip to Uppsala for the swedish cup finals, now we were meant to practice when we got up there, but because of the weather we got there late, so instead of practicing at 11pm on friday night, our coach decided to send us on a half hour run....... in the snow. Onwards to saturday and the semi final against sollentuna and de ja vu from last weekend, we went 2-0 down, then decided to play and 'make the girl say yes' as Martin would put it and won 3-2. Saturday night was mainly a snow ball fight against the american girls from Lindesberg, then bed, but not with the girls. So sunday was final day against Falkenberg, and to put it simple, we were poor, there game plan worked perfectly and we did nothing to stop it and it was our worse performance of the season and with it our first defeat. This may be a blessing disguise as now the tag has gone and we can move on. So after dusting ourselves off, mainly from the snow, we tinkered with a few things and closed the month out with a 3-0 win against the Swedish Junior National team that plays in the top league. Was our best blocking game of the season and we soon shut up the yapping they were giving us through the net. They pissed me off in the warm up in the fact that they would hit cross court, and if they hit one of us they would high five each other. Then in the 1st set after being 5-1 down, there coach moaned that the small light from the video camera at the other end of the gym was putting his players off, so after a lengthy delay the refs said we had to put some tape over it. Somehow I don't think the little light was the problem why there 'star' player kept getting blocked but hey ho.
So into December, 3 games before xmas and not a lot of traveling. This weekend we are away to Habo, following week we welcome the defending champions and team that beat us in the semi final last season, Linkoping. Then we close out 2010 at home to our lovely friends from Sollentuna. A hard run to end the year, but hopefully we end on a high.
Unfortunately I cant recall anyone doing anything really stupid this month apart from the Canadian girl in EVS firstly saying she thought they did stats from games 'just for fun' then followed by 'do you get extra points for doing different things', maybe they have a different scoring system in Canada compared to the rest of the world.
Joe has been normal this month, which will be of disappointment to his family as he never tells them when he does stupid things. (He did do something stupid but am keeping my mouth shut...for the time being)
Not many things to rant at this month, so will have a look at the videos
clever video, the longer version got taken off youtube
don't think everyone will understand, but its funny
pretty clever
this is just strange
enjoy the snow
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