Volleyball is the Next AAU Sport

It seems that Southern Alliance Volleyball is the next AAU sport for the JMR household.  First it was AAU Baseball.  For the past 8 years, it seems that every Summer brings a new vacation hotspot.  Reading, Pennsylvania check.  Upstate New York (3 times) check.  Flemington New Jersey? Also check.

Then came basketball AAU.  That was a hoot, traveling to places like the Reggie Lewis Center to watch the kids play 15 minutes of basketball every weekend.  And the best part was when the two boys both played AAU baseball and basketball, which at the time were both Spring sports. 

And just as the boys were wrapping up their AAU experiences (in basketball at least), DLG started playing AAU basketball.  And the next year, she started playing AAU volleyball along with basketball.  This was driving me crazy.  And in the Spring no less - when the Red Sox and the Kentucky Derby are calling my name.

And finally, when DLG finally ended her AAU basketball career after a pretty bad concussion, volleyball was all that was left.  And DLG was excelling.  It's tough enough to be a 12 year old on a U14 team, but she was also going to be the starting setter for the team.  The field general.  A lot of responsibility will be heaped upon her shoulders.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago.  DLG's first tournament was going to be in Hartford CT.  Not the worst place to be if you know where you're going, but how about somewhere nicer?  Newport, RI?  New York City?  Boston (Don't worry, that's next weekend)? Nope, Hartford.  At least we get to stay in one of the nice suburbs, like the one I grew up in, right?  Nope Rocky Hill, which is just as lovely as you can imagine.  Let's put it this way.  Another hotel was adjacent to our hotel.  It was a a Motel Six or  a Super 8.  I would go for my walks in the morning and see the same guy sleeping in his car in that parking lot with drug paraphernalia next to his car window.  I was worried when I saw him slumped over each time.  But I realized he had parked in different spots so he was just living in his car. 

But all that disappeared when we got to the Convention Center. 

After constant negotiations over buying sweatpants, sweatshirts and water bottles, the matches finally started.  DLG's serves were dropping in.  And her sets and bumps were really good.  She was expected to block, save or kill the ball being the setter, bet every time she had an opportunity, she was playing well.  This was their first tournament of the year, so the expectations were pretty low.  And when we lost every match, there was reason to believe the low expectations.  But certain rotations looked pretty strong even though this was their first time playing together.  DLG played on this team last year, and I think this year's group looks a lot stronger than last years'.

Maybe it's the new setter?💁