City Champions!!!

Our high school senior and junior girls volleyball teams won city championships yesterday. My wife and I had a date night, and decided to spend part of it watching the senior match. As as personal aside, I coached about half the team two seasons ago when I first started teaching at my high school. We never achieved much in terms of wins - but I've kept an eye on their play since then. I have a lot of pride in their accomplishment - not just because they won. They played EXTREMELY well - although they had a lot of talent back when I coached them, to be honest, I scarcely recognized them - they've really come a long way. One highlight was having one of 'my' players from yesteryear lead her team to a 16-0 lead, owing to her strong and consistent serve. It was also exhilirating to watch the range of plays they are capable of - in the first 3 plays, they perfectly executed power side, then right side, then back row attacks. Their fourth attack was a 5-1 - unfortunately the set was a little too high, and the hitter passed under the ball. It was a great adrenaline rush, and I got to think a little about how much has happened in the 3 years since I started teaching there - I'm going to miss an awful lot of students after they graduate this year. I'm calling it empty nest. I estimate that I have taught 2/3 of the 450 graduating this year. Oh well, I'll face that when it comes - time to enjoy these last months with those I still have in my classes!