I recently found a document in my Google drive with a list of match reports from when I played beach volleyball for Team Ontario. As part of our training program, we were required to journal after important matches as a tool for self-improvement. Reading over these reports was not only a fun throwback, but I was reminded of how important writing in a journal can be!

The match reports.

U21 World Championships – Round 2 of Qualification – Canada vs. Australia – July 23rd, 2014

This was a very close game. The scores were 21-15, 28-30, 19-17. It was the longest match of the tournament at one hour and three minutes. The location was Larnaca, Cyprus and it was very hot. This first set of this match was not very stressful, however the next two sets were. My partner and I had multiple opportunities to finish the match in the second set. We did do a good job managing the pressure as we survived multiple set points in favour of our opponents in the second set. On the other hand, when we did have match point in the second set, I believe I got ahead of myself. We were up 20-19 in the second set and I was setting my partner at the net. I expected him to finish of the match then, but the Australians peeled and got the point. I realize now that I could have communicated with my partner more effectively at that moment. I should have treated that point like any other point in the match. I needed to fight for that point instead of expecting my partner to finish it off. In the third set, I think that both teams were so exhausted from the heat that is was a constant battle to stay focused. I remember trying to channel the energy that I had into each rally. When our opponents were up 17-16 in the third set, my partner gave me a good set at the net and I swung and scored. However, my fingers wrapped around the mesh on the follow through and I pulled down the net. The referee hesitated greatly on the call but managed to make the right call and award us the point. The Australians were not happy about this. My partner and I stole the next two points to win the match. I believe that the Australians were affected by the previous point. This once again reminds me that I can never let the referee affect me.

U21 World Championships – Round 3 of Qualification – Canada vs. Russia – July 23rd, 2014

This was a very close game. The scores were 17-21, 21-19, 13-15. At first I was slightly intimidated because I had heard stories about other teams going to worlds and getting beaten badly by Russia. I believe this affected me in the first set because I wasn’t confident that we could win and I didn’t fight for every point. After the first set, I now believed that we could beat this team. My partner and I played side-out volleyball and were able to steal a few point here and there. The third set began with Russia jump-serving me. The first serve, I tried to pokie it over the block but was blocked and was unable to recover. The next two points I attempted to hit a shot but the Russian defender was able to chase them down. The fourth point I swung and just missed the line. My team was down 4-0 and I called a time out. During the time out, Coach Eddie asked if I had any thoughts about my attacking. Nothing came to mind and I said no. Eddie then asked if I had been playing it safe. I then realized that I was playing it safe by not taking any risks during the first three points. The fourth time I was served, I took a risk and just missed. For the remainder of the set we played side-out volleyball and found ourselves down 14-10. This didn’t deter either of us from continuing to fight. We stole the next two points. When we were down 14-12, I took a risk and signalled to my partner that I was cross blocking. We served the Russian blocker and I blocked him. Then I went to the line and missed my serve. I learned that playing it safe is never an option. I have to take risks if I want to succeed. I felt like I let my partner down because I started my team off with a 4-0 deficit and then missed my serve when we had the momentum at the end of the game. This especially hurt because every loser from the third round of qualification made it into the main draw except for us. I still feel responsible for that loss but I learned a valuable lesson.

U24 Provincials – Semi-finals – Palmer/Palmer vs. Simone/Burlacu – August 2nd-3rd, 2014

The scores were 17-21, 18-21. We went after the defender on the other team. This was effective for the most part. My partner was served the entire match. Each set was really close until the very end when the other team pulled away. After the match, my partner and I realized that we didn’t have the variation that we had talked about in out pre-match game plan. We played the same defence every point and served the other team very easily. I learned that defensive variation as well as serving outside the opponent’s body are very valuable tools to use in a match. Because my partner was being served every point, I got annoyed when he wasn’t able to side-out. I was upset with mistakes he made when I could have been supporting him and making sure that I communicated with him as much as possible. I do not believe that I called any time outs. This would have been useful close to the end of the game when I lost my focus and stopped communicating with my partner.

U24 Provincials – Bronze Game – Palmer/Palmer vs. Kopp/Hoey – August 2nd-3rd, 2014

The scores were 21-12, 24-22. After a disappointing loss in the semi-finals, my partner and I were both determined to make the most of the situation. We served tough and added in the defensive variation that we lacked in the previous match. The opponents were tired and sloppy in the first set but came back strong in the second set. My partner and I were down 20-18 in the second set. We both decided that we would “get in the car” and fight for every point. I was not focused on the score and did not feel any pressure. Rather I focused on the responsibilities that I had to take care of at the net. We came back and tied it up at 20-20. We exchanged points with our opponents multiple times. We had match point up 22-21 and my partner got a perfect hand-dig. I gave him a decent set but he was blocked. After such a great dig, I expected him to put away the match right then and there. I should have covered him and preserved the rally but instead I stood straight up and watched. We sided-out the next point and my partner went to serve when we were up 23-22. He jump-served and hit the back line. In hind-sight, I remember standing at the net and praying that he would just end the game right then and there. He did, so it worked out ok. However, if the other team had passed the ball and attacked, I would not have been as prepared as if I had expected to play defence.

Cobourg Adult – Semi-finals – Palmer/Palmer vs. Simone/Keith – July 12th, 2014

The scores were 19-21, 19-21. The opponents served my partner for almost all of the match but started serving me at the end of each set. I had only been setting my partner the entire set, and I was not prepared for when the opponents started serving me. It felt overwhelming passing and attacking and I should have called a timeout to regroup. Instead of being aggressive on serve receive I started to shy away from the ball because I wanted my partner to pass. This led to several aces from our opponents. I learned that I need to stay sharp the entire match so that I am mentally prepared when I get served.

Cobourg 24U – Semi-finals – Palmer/Palmer vs. Kopp/Ireland – July 6th, 2014

The scores were 21-9, 21-15. In this game my partner and I played similar to how we played at Nationals in 2013. We didn’t hesitate or think, we just did. We took each point one at a time. We focused on siding-out by communicating and keeping our attacking varied between hard-driven hits and strategically placed shots. When we had the serve, we fought especially hard to steal points. I never gave up on rallies and supported my partner at all times. I took risks in every aspect of my game and it greatly paid off. I peeled with confidence and took nothing for granted. The focus of my game was on each individual rally. I felt no pressure to perform and did not look ahead or think about the end of the match.

Cobourg 24U – Finals – Palmer/Palmer vs. Towe/MacNeil – July 6th, 2014

The scores were 21-10, 21-19. In this game my partner and I carried our momentum from the semi-finals. I knew that our opponents were tough, but I had no difficulties staying calm and relaxed. During the match I trusted the game plan with absolute confidence. I took care of what I had to do and I trusted my partner to take care of the rest. In the second set, there were a few moments when the other team was jump-serving seam. They were serving into the wind, and I felt uncomfortable receiving under these conditions. To deal with the pressure I was hesitant and moved away from the serve hoping that my partner would take it. The jump serve was not consistent so eventually we got the point. However, we lost valuable points in between. I am gradually learning to relax and be aggressive even in uncomfortable situations.

Grand Slam Qualifier – 2nd Round – Palmer/Palmer vs. MacNeil/Richards – June 28th, 2014

The scores were 16-21, 17-21. I was really excited to play this game because my partner and I had never beaten our opponents head-to-head. My partner was served almost the entire match. The odd time that I was served, I took extreme risk and sided-out immediately because I was determined to win. The games were close until the very end when the other team pulled away. After the game, I was really upset with my partner because I didn’t want to lose to this team again. I thought that I had done my job well. After a while to process this game however, I realized that there were so many things that I could have done to help my partner. I could have hit a two ball or called a time out when he was too overwhelmed to do so. The other team’s partnership was a lot stronger than ours in that game, and that was why they won. I was focused on redeeming our past experiences with this team when I should have been focusing on supporting my partner and playing the game one point at a time.

24U Toronto – Quarter-finals – Palmer/Palmer vs. May/Kocur – June 1st, 2014

The scores were 21-19, 22-20. We hadn’t won all of our pool play games so we ran into the first seed this early on in the tournament. My partner and I were determined to fight for this win. We didn’t give up on anything and focused on each individual rally. Several times in the match, the refs made strange net violation calls in the other teams favour. I was able to put it behind me right away and focus on the next point. It even made me want to beat our opponents even more. At the end of each set when the scores were close, I was not affected by the pressure. Instead, I played the final points just like I did any other point in the match. Both my partner and I took risks and supported each other in taking those risks.

24U Toronto – Semi-finals – Palmer/ Palmer vs. MacNeil/Albert

The scores were 21-17, 20-22, 15-17. We just came off a big playoff win against the tournament’s number one seed. We played no different in this game. Each point we battled and we supported each other immensely. The defining moment of this match came at the end of the third set. My partner and I were up 14-12. The other team was able to tie it up 14-14 because we stopped communicating and felt the pressure of match point. My team was able to side-out the next point. With match point once again, my partner jump serves and the other team shanked the pass at the back line. The resultant free ball came over the net to me. I passed the ball, my partner set me, the other team peeled, I swung hard and the other team dug the ball back over the net. I had another opportunity to finish off the match with another free ball but was unable to do so. After that other team had all the momentum and stole the next two points. The worst mistake I made was feeling like I won before the match was over. As soon as our opponents shanked that spin serve, I relaxed. I felt the relief of winning the point before the point was even over.