Volleyball Tournament #4 is in the books.

K and I left on Friday afternoon for Topeka, which is about 2 hours away from home. We stayed the night in a Fairfield Inn where K enjoyed swimming with some girls from another team and we had Mr. GoodCents before heading to bed. We got up and got to the tournament venue at 7:30 a.m. and proceeded to warm up and check out the competition. This was a big tournament. The biggest we had been to so far. There were teams from all over Kansas, Missouri and even some from Nebraska. Something like 26 teams in all. We were one of two teams from Salina. The other team, being our clubs Team 1 which we are Team 2. A re-cap of the first 3 tournaments. K played "up" in a 13's tournament for her first experience. A huge eye opener of some great competition, but a fantastic experience. The first tournament with her regular team was a disaster. These girls didn't pull out a win or was even close. It was actually somewhat embarrassing. Our coach realized that she has some real growing up to do and some "real" coaching of these girls is needed. No more excuses, no more Ms. Nice Guy. This team is quite the mix. You have 4 really good, quality players. Two players who would be decent if it wasn't for the fact they got on this team, instead of the other team with all of their "friends", and 3 players who have played, but not well, and continue to not play well! The 2nd tournament, they actually won a match and split a match, but not enough to advance to bracket play. This tournament, they pulled out two of four matches to advance to bracket play. They came together, and for the most part, looked like they are well on the way to becoming a team. The complacent players are realizing they should forget about not being with their "friends" and play for these "friends", and the sub-par players are having some signs of competencey. That leaves K and the other 3 still showing some superstar potential. K has been moved from straight setter to all court player who is in essence to floor captain of the team. She never left the court yesterday from the 2nd match on. Never substituted out! She really shined. They lost their bracket match, but after 9 hours of Volleyball, they were exhausted. But they got a taste. Hopefully they will continue to come together and play well so they get to advance again in the next 3 tournaments. I just hope our coach becomes a little more appreciative of these girls. She always seems to find fault in everything they do, good and bad. They worked their little keisters off yesterday, and she needs to appreciate this. If not, it could get ugly. I've brought other coaches in already, and whether she will admit it or not, that is why we got to bracket play yesterday. She is a young girls, who played in college, but she has alot to learn about being a coach, especially of 12 year olds. By the time is was all said and done, I think I worked the math right, and they placed 9th in the tournament. Quite an improvement!