THE DAILY TAY
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The League

So you know how people in their twenties and thirties like to do that thing where they think it’s so fun to join all sorts of weird leagues like softball and kickball and volleyball? Yeah, I don’t do that thing.

Well technically, I do. But I don’t enjoy it.

Every Wednesday night I’m on a beach volleyball team. And if any of my teammates are reading, I like totally love it and you can stop reading now. But to everyone else, I hate volleyball. I hate it because it hurts my wimpy little arms whenever the ball hits, I can’t serve over hand and it brings back bad memories to gym class when everyone could do cool serves but me, and it hurts my arms.

I’m either insanely competitive, or not at all. There doesn’t seem to be an in-between. And because I’m not good at volleyball, I choose to be a bad sport and hate it.

If there was a league that involved trying to keep a balloon in the air for as long as possible without touching the ground I would be all over that shit. I love “don’t let the balloon touch the ground” game. But unfortunately I haven’t found that league.

And so I play volleyball. I play volleyball because Chris says “it’s good for me.” And by that he means it’s good for me to get out of the house and be around other people because he worries my social skills are declining since the only person I talk to all day is Harlow. But I tell him that’s not true, I have a plethora of new sketch characters in my head I talk to all day long and even act out loud while I’m writing jokes… But that only seems to reinforce his point about me being a creep.

I also play for the view.

I still get jollies off of this skyline. And the fact the beach volleyball courts are set up right alongside it is pretty cool to me. Last night our game was at 9:30 so Navy Pier happened to be blasting their fireworks in the background as well.

And I play because I like our team, they’re a lot of fun. Sometimes Andy even lets the rest of us hit the ball.

But the main reason I play is because when we’re done Chris always promises to buy me beer or ice cream. Sometimes both.

Take 1. Blurry.

Take 2. Still blurry and a light is on Chris’s shoulder and face.

And take no more.

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21 Comments

  1. Helene in Between
    July 10, 2014 / 4:09 pm

    i was on a kickball league for 2 seasons. hated it all. michael mentioned doing a volleyball league. there would definitely need to be bribery.

    Reply
  2. Brooke Carson
    July 10, 2014 / 4:25 pm

    Same with Helene. I was on a kickball league for 1 season (boyfriend signed me up without asking) and I hated it. I cried before, during and after the first game. Kickball was that sport for me in elementary school where I stuck out like a sore thumb because I was so UNathletic and people made fun of me. I vowed never to play kickball ever again. My boyfriend was not aware of this when he signed me up, but he certainly is now. (I sucked it up (sorta) and played for a while because we could drink at the same time until they switched to an alcohol-free field. I quit immediately.)

    Reply
  3. Danielle @ The-Lifestyle-Project
    July 10, 2014 / 4:56 pm

    I started playing on adult teams for soccer and vball once I turned 18 after getting bumped up from the youth leagues. This summer is the first in a while that I haven't played anything though! My husband was just talking this morning about how we should join a co-ed team together to socialize and get out of the house blah blah. (Sadly I just talk to myself as I don't have a Harlow lol.) I found that the key to liking volleyball is getting over the point where I'd get broken blood vessels along my forearms. Post game glasses of wine helped.

    Reply
  4. Ember Grey.
    July 10, 2014 / 5:06 pm

    I always thought it LOOKED fun but I prefer to sit on the sidelines, cheer on my friends who ARE actually playing, and drink beer. (That's the role I prefer to play.)

    Reply
  5. Candice H.
    July 10, 2014 / 6:01 pm

    HAHAHA. I play at North Ave on Thursday nights and I absolutely hate it too. My colleagues make me, but I'm afraid of the ball for some reason. I know you shouldn't be, I just have so much anxiety playing volleyball.

    Reply
  6. Amanda Nicole
    July 10, 2014 / 6:54 pm

    I'm just not coordinated enough for organized sports. I'm much better at being a cheerleader and making sure everyone stays hydrated and is wearing sunscreen.

    Reply
  7. Carmen Varner
    July 10, 2014 / 7:14 pm

    I can relate with the complete competitiveness or none at all. I'm either super into it or I could not care less. Oops. Sports just aren't my thing. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼

    Reply
  8. Mallory Hermann
    July 10, 2014 / 7:20 pm

    "Sometimes Andy even lets the rest of us hit the ball." I literally bursted out laughing in a silent office. lol

    Reply
  10. Breann Hays
    July 10, 2014 / 8:21 pm

    Ohhhhh volleyball. I can't serve either! I can only play with people who don't care, because people who care are never impressed with my skills

    Reply
  11. Justine Prabucki
    July 10, 2014 / 10:52 pm

    What is it with adults and leagues, I have a friend who is part of a kickball and dodgeball league. I would never want to relive my gym class days.

    Reply
  12. Erica Thompson
    July 10, 2014 / 11:29 pm

    I have friends that keep talking about league things and I just can not bring myself to leave the house for it. Penny is the only one here so it works for me.

    Reply
  13. Bekka
    July 11, 2014 / 6:10 am

    Hey I think we should start that balloon league, sounds right up my street. I haven't found myself jumping into any leagues yet but I have been searching for other ways to exercise besides the gym. Here's hoping I try yoga or something before I assign myself a sport (that I will most probably hate). I admire your spirit though Taylor, and the incentives of pretty skies and beer would win me over too!

    Reply
  14. Autumn @ The Unreal Life
    July 11, 2014 / 9:40 am

    It took me a really long time to figure out that was Chris' hand you were holding in pic 1 and not a furry, fuzzy baby Harlow puppy…

    Reply
  15. ♥Renee @ •Getting Fit Fab•
    July 11, 2014 / 11:16 am

    I'd never be able to play, I have almost no hand eye coordination I'd make a fool of my self. But I would try and play for that view, and beer…. and definitely ice cream. LOL.

    Reply
  16. Brittney, Breaking Free
    July 11, 2014 / 12:57 pm

    I played Volleyball in high school and it took me forever to get the overhand serve I felt like such a failure.

    Reply
  17. Krystal R.
    July 12, 2014 / 1:04 pm

    I played in hight school even though Im too short to play technically but such a fun game!!

    Reply
  18. myfunshine
    July 12, 2014 / 5:57 pm

    I wish I could play volleyball well enough for a league in Chicago – if anything, for that view!

    Reply
  19. Hollie:)
    July 14, 2014 / 1:45 pm

    I used to play netball, and I secretly hated it, I stayed even though our view was a gym not something that pretty! Oh and I didn't get ice cream, i'm starting to feel cheated….

    guesswhathollie.blogspot.co.uk

    Reply

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