Today, the end of beach volleyball season arrived. It marks a solemn day as it equates with the end of the summer. The days are growing shorter. The evenings have a chill in the air.
As I sat around the table with my team of 8, I remember not long ago when we had our night of matches. That night we struggled to play well. We were, after all, new to one another. We had never played together before. I remember going out after the first round of games and everyone introducing themselves around the table. It was quite a moment as I, being the captain of the team and the thread that pulled all these people together, most of the stories had me attached to them.
I remember feeling a touch uncomfortable as I don’t like to be in the spotlight. I also remember the watching the forging of new friendships and I remember, over the weeks that passed our triumphs and our losses. But throughout it all, we had fun. We had a lot of giggles and a lot of laughs.
The piece that stands out most for me today, on this final day of play with this team, is that as a team we pulled together. As a team, those in need of learning, learned. Those that had experience shared. The cheerleaders who, no matter what challenge we faced, were positive and kind with their words. And those of us who pushed for more concentration and control. Together we supported one another. Together we lifted one another and taught one another.
This is not new for me, as I’ve played on many teams or partaken in many team-building activities. But, there was something special about this particular team and today’s moment is dedicated to them. As I looked at my team tonight at the bar, I smiled as I soaked in their conversations from a distance. New friends, new team mates for a new season and lots of laughter.
Today’s moment is dedicated to the two lovely ladies and the five incredible men I shared my summer Wednesday nights with. Thank you for your teamwork, your dedication and to a summer of fun volleyball filled with smiles and laughter.
Moments of teamwork.
Moments of reflection.
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