Dunes

I give to you a true story from this weekend's Fire Island volleyball tournament in two times eleventy-one words...

‘Can you read the sign that says stay off the dunes?’ the volunteer asked through his megaphone. ‘Then why are you in the dunes? Your team forfeits a game.’

Our team thought it a joke. It wasn’t.

We had played six games to determine seeding for the single elimination round. Was it one of those six? Or was it the elimination game, meaning our day was over? We thought it the latter. Our team complained. We spoke angry words. Draconian. Stupid. Unfair.

Another captain came to speak with us. ‘You won’t forfeit the game,’ he said. ‘You just have to win by sixteen.’ We had a handicap. But we had hope.

We entered the elimination round as the fourth seed of eight. We were focused, determined. And from the first serve, I knew we’d win. But would it be enough? At fourteen seven, maybe. At twenty twelve, doubtful. Then came their fifteenth point. We lost, playing our best volleyball of the day.

After the game, I checked with the opposing captain who knew nothing of our handicap. So, I ran to the volunteer. He indicated that the forfeit had been assessed for the seeding, not for elimination. We hadn’t lost; there was hope.

Four lessons learned. Teams need a common purpose. There’s always hope. Never assume. And stay off the friggin dunes!