Victory!!!

Last week our intramural volleyball team won our division II tournament. After a lot of sweat and tears, we came out on top and won the most prestigious prize of all... a championship t-shirt. (Picture of the coveted prize coming soon)

Volleyball Lesson Learned

Last Friday I played two tournament volleyball games with my intramural team, Garies'. We have only lost one game in our double elimination tournament. We have plenty of people on our team, but it doesn't help when they don't show up. On Friday we started with 4 players and luckily the other team had only 4 players as well. We beat them pretty easily. The challenge came when we played the second team.

With only 4 players we were already at a disadvantage since the other team had 5 players. Most of their players were decent also. Half way into the first game, one of our players rolled his ankle and was out for the rest of the game. Intramural rules say you can't start a game with less than 4 players, but if you start and one of them gets injured, you can still play. So, here we are playing with three players against their five. The odds were not in our favor.

We were already way ahead in the first game, and we beat them, 25-21. The second game was a scramble. Because there were only three of us, we all knew that we were extremely important to the success of our team. Needless to say, we hustled on the court the whole game. To our frustration, the other team beat us 27-25. Barely. We were pretty pissed.

The third game we turned up our energy and killed them 15-9. It was a satisfying victory against tough odds. That keeps us in the tournament and we play again on Wednesday.

The lesson learned from this experience is about the importance of the teammate on the team. With four players none of us played to the best of our ability. There were a lot of errors due to miscommunication and assumptions that the other teammate would get the ball if you didn't. The truth was that no one on the team really believed that he was an integral part of the team, and that without his complete effort the team would suffer. Once we were forced to play with three players, we all knew we would loose if one of us slacked.

I have always known this principal, but not until now can I really draw on my own experience as to how important it is, and how it works. In management, everyone on your team must know how important they are to the team. They must have a deep down sense of value and responsibility to their team. Without that, your team will suffer and perform below their capacity.

Shoe Funeral

Last night two good friends of mine died. They were twins. They did everything together. You could never find one without the other. Inseparable in life, and together in death. They were so alike, yet completely opposite. They were my favorite pair of running shoes.

I had this pair of running shoes for three years. They even doubled as my volleyball shoes and it was that sport that killed them. Last night as I played my men's intramural volleyball tournament, I could tell they had died. Both insoles wore out causing the balls of my feet to feel like they were on fire, and it was that moment I knew... they were dead!


I find it so hard to part with articles of clothing, especially shoes. They really are like two friends who have been with you through thick and thin; rain or shine. They are so loyal, and after a short while, you grow to love and respect them. You get used to the way you look in them and they seem to boost your confidence in any athletic situation. They never fail you, and the one time they do, you have to replace them.

Why can't I just repair them or something? Can't I just buy them a new insole and avoid having to tell them to take a hike? They've been so loyal to me that the thought of replacing them feels the same as having to take your sick, dying dog in the back yard and shoot it. It's downright painful.

The truth is that at one time I did try to fix them. I did buy them new insoles once and kept wearing them for another year, but those insoles wore out, and now the hard soles were wearing out too, so I think it's time to let them die.

And that's why we had a shoe funeral.


We had an open casket funeral where we lit some candles and I said a few words. I paid my respects and then we buried them. It was quick- very suiting for a pair of running shoes. It's exactly how they would have wanted it.

Then Angie and I went to the mall in search of a suitable replacement. I interviewed many pairs of shoes before I found the right pair. They were light weight, bright, shiny, and of course affordable. We went to the checkout stand and finalized the selection process with the swipe of my master card.


The trouble is, how do I know if they will even fit in? I mean, how do I know they will be as good? How do I know if they will be loyal or not? I don't. But I have no choice but to give them the reigns and see how they ride.

While I mourn the loss of a faithful pair of running shoes and inaugurate the new ones I'm sure the new pair will fill the void in my heart that the old ones left. I'm sure after one run or one game of volleyball, I will notice how new and comfortable the new pair really is. I'm sure by next week, they will be my new favorite pair of running shoes and I will have forgotten about the old ones altogether. The new pair and I will have a lot of adventures ahead of us and hopefully it will be another three years before I have to have another shoe funeral.