“You know you’re playing volleyball when…” – any volleyball player.
This is a compilation of various sources related to when you learned to play volleyball.
You know you’re playing volleyball when…
1. You think everyone should wear spandex.
2. When someone says “shaggy,” the first thing they think of is a volleyball.
3. When you are taller than most of the students in your class. Or when you’re not, and people wonder how you play volleyball when you’re not 6’11.
4. When the words “outside,” “middle,” and “right/weak side” mean the world to you.
5. When you realize your thighs no longer fit in your jeans.
6. You can probably hit anyone sitting on a wall.
7. When a ball is thrown to your face, you catch it, pass it, or hit it. Or you beat your arms intermittently.
8. You know what a libero is/does.
9. You have more than one pair of knee pads.
10. You get angry when someone says volleyball isn’t a hard sport.
11. You own at least one T-shirt with the word “volleyball” or “hitting” written on it or with a graphic of volleyball on it.
12. You know how to score yourself.
13. You know why ankle braces are a must.
14. You have injuries to your knees, elbows, ankles, neck, shoulders, back, head, etc.
15. You’ve mastered volleyball.
16. She tried to get into a basketball hoop. It’s much easier than shooting a ball into a basketball hoop.
17. You know pie is more than just something we eat.
18. You think TV should show volleyball more than any other sport.
19. I was asked why volleyball players wear spandex.
20. You know your field, and you always hope to go up in some way.
21. You hit at least one ball in the face.
22. I went to volleyball camp. Many times.
23. You know who Misty May is.
24. You know the scoreboard like the back of your hand.
25. You have to admit that you love “ACE!” cheers.
26. Whenever you see a flying ball, you have to touch it.
27. At some point in your life, you have had knee problems.
28. You know what those “other” streaks are at the gym.
29. You don’t dribble the balls, you hit them with your palms.
30. You own a pair of “volleyball” shoes.
31. You know what 4-2, 6-2 and 5-1 are.
32. You have muscles where you don’t think muscles exist.
33. You are not afraid of falling.
34. You saw that movie “All You Got” and wanted to write to the director how bad it was.
35. You see tall people and think that he/she would make a great volleyball player.
36. When you learn to shave your armpits before a game…and stop when the other team forgets to.
37. You waste a lot of fuel driving to tournaments.
38. You are/were in a volleyball club.
39. You can’t actually run…but you sure as hell can.
40. You laugh when you see other people trying to play volleyball.
41. You get really upset when someone kicks a volleyball.
42. Volleyball is more important than anything else you do.
43. You have permanent burn marks on the floor.
44. You’ve wanted to spank your coach at some point. And/or your coach wanted to beat you up at some point.
45. Two words: GET LOW.
46. You know what “lateral” means. Or you don’t, but you yell anyway.
47. You think it’s normal to intentionally hit the face with balls.
48. When going up for a putt, you’ve at least missed the ball once in your life.
49. I’ve hit a wall, a pole, a person, bleachers… so many times.
50. Gym (or PE) volleyball is not volleyball. You end up yelling at everyone for doing it wrong.
51. You can hold your hand up to a volleyball net and tell someone how close to the height it is supposed to be.
52. You have tried to pass or put a basketball and failed miserably.
53. Your knees smell after a game.
54. When spandex collars/leggings became fashionable, I was like, “I wear them all the time.”
55. There is a wonder why there is an NBA, NFL, NHL, but no NVL?
56. There is always that person on the opposing team that you want to slap in the face.
57. You hate that hair clips and metal hair accessories are off-limits. Wearing a stretchy headband is no fun. They slip through the crowds.
58. You choose publicly wedges.
59. You don’t just “wake up.” You roll.
60. You can easily remember the noise of leather sliding on a waxed floor lately. And it still makes you shiver.
61. You caught the ball in the middle of an intense rally because you thought the referee had blown his whistle… only to realize the whistle came from the court next to you.
62. You’re trying to intimidate the other team during your warm-ups.
63. I’ve spent at least half an entire game getting rid of spandex that’s too small because it rides so much.
64. You use the primer (in different colors) on your hair more often than your injury.
And remember, hard work trumps talent when talent fails hard work.