Our 7th and 8th grade girls' volleyball team was in a slump.  As one of their coaches, I felt they were a group of talented young athletes, but something was missing.  They needed some inspiration. 

 

A friend of mine knew one of the players from the U of L woman's volleyball team, and so it was arranged.  The U of L player surprised our team by showing up one night for practice.   While she did show the girls a few volleyball techniques, what she said to them  made the biggest difference.  She reminded them to really listen to one another, to look each other in the eye when they talked, to give each other encouraging words in the huddles, and to truly care about one another.

 

After that practice, the girls won every game, making it all the way to the city championship game.  No, they did not win; however, opposing coaches during the tournament told me that they really saw a true spirit in our girls.  They saw team members who cared about each other and who worked together for the good of the team.  

 

As their coach, I was very proud of the girls.  And, I was grateful for the valuable lesson they learned - a lesson they can take beyond the volleyball court and into their everyday lives:  listen to one another, look a person in the eye, give encourageing words, and care about one another.