Volleyball
One of the best experiences I had in high school was being on the inaugural volleyball team. I played starting setter and took our team to a glorious 4-19 record. Uh... yeah, that's right. Singlehandedly. (No.)
Ok, so our first season wasn't glorious, but man, did I have fun. I'm also infinitely proud to have been a varsity athlete, something I had never dreamed of earlier because I had always been on the un-athletic side (see here for some history). I learned a lot about volleyball that season and really got addicted by the end of it.
When I got to college, the first thing I did was drag people out to the sand courts by one of the freshman dorms. I pretty much spent day and night there while the weather was good, and even when the weather wasn't good. As a result, pretty much every friend I made the first semester was through volleyball. I also hold the sad distinction of having taken the "Advanced Volleyball" PE class five times. That's right. Five semesters of volleyball classes. I don't regret it though, because, again, I met some of my best friends through that class.
I also became a regular at rec volleyball nights and made a lot of friends that way too. All in all, volleyball was my favorite social setting, and a big part of my college life. I had thoughts of joining the club team, but never had the time to make the commitment. Not sure how try-outs would have gone, but I liked my chances, especially since I finally shaped-up in college. I really wish I could have brought some of those improvements back to the HS setting because I felt like I wasn't playing at my potential in HS.
Not having played competitive volleyball for four years, my skills have definitely degenerated, and I haven't touched a volleyball since I graduated. Yeah, I know. I'm looking to get back into it, though, but am waiting until I find a way to balance all the interests I'm trying to pursue at the same time. But while the weather is good, I suspect windsurfing will win out.
