Volleyball Champions

Don't you love those movies about underdog sports teams that play with all their might and end up winning? Well, now I can say I've been a part of such a story - and it wasn't in a movie!

A school-wide volleyball tournament has been taking place on campus the last several weeks. I was invited to be on a team with fellow South Americans and gratefully accepted. However, I didn't hold out much hope that we would be very good considering that the majority of my teammates were soccer players and rarely stepped foot on the volleyball court. :-)

But at least we could give it a shot and have fun, right?

Practices got underway and I realized I was part of a team that was downright terrible.

I know that sounds pessimistic, but I really did think it true! Just goes to show you can't base anything on first impressions! The good thing was, I'm not the greatest volleyball player myself so I felt good that at least I wouldn't be the only "weak link" on the team.

Imagine my surprise when at the second practice game I saw my team actually rally together and play some decent volleyball. Maybe we weren't so bad after all!

The first weekend of the tournament we beat one team and lost against another. The second weekend found us the victors against both teams we played. I was impressed to see my teammates work so well together and play not only decent volleyball but excellent volleyball! It turns out I was the weak link after all...which was humbling to recognize! :-)

We tied with two other teams in our division for winning 3 out of 4 games, so a tally of points was taken. Based on our scores, we came out in the lead and were told we'd be advancing to the semi-finals! I was shocked! Never did I imagine we'd make it so far!

Part of the crowd at the semi-finals Friday night.

Praying before we began.

Ready to conquer...

Pressing forward for victory.

I can't believe we won!

Heading to the finals...

And so it was that our humble little South American band played tonight in an intense final competition against the other leading team of the tournament. I have to be honest and admit that even with all the victories I had seen us win, I still thought we would be beaten tonight. I mean, the other team was REALLY good and we would need every last ounce of effort to keep the scores close, let alone to win.

O me of little faith.

Let me just say right here that my team is AWESOME. :-) They gave their wholehearted effort to the competition tonight and the best part is, we all had fun doing so! Even though the scores were neck and neck...even though the tension in the air was so thick you could practically slice it with a knife...it was a real joy to play volleyball with a court-full of Christians who love the Lord, wanted to have fun, and wanted to win!

The first match we won...but only by the skin of our teeth! It was close all the way.

The second match we again played with scores so close we had to go into overtime for I don't know how long, only to lose the victory at the last.

The third and tie-breaking match started out dismal - 4 to 0. But as we are famous for doing, we rallied together, encouraged one another, and plunged forward.

Linda served a perfect game...and steadily our scores went up!

Before long, we had pulled ahead..and kept going! 15 to 4 South America!

We won!

The victors! Go South America!

Receiving our gold medals...

and the trophy.

RGBI 2010 Volleyball Champions

1st, 2nd, 3rd place teams

Alejo from Venezuela

Linda was so excited --- she said she's never won first place for anything in her life until now!

Our team captain and his co-captain :-)

Friends who wanted in on the fun!

All the students from Chile sharing in the South American victory.

Fun times are here!

Never underestimate the underdogs!