Sitting Volleyball + Steve Parry

Have you heard of sitting volleyball before?  It's a Paralympic event and it's precisely that - playing volleyball while seated.  I was introduced to the sport last week, in one of our team meeting sessions. 

There are a few rules and regulations that are different from regular/standing volleyball, like the smaller playing area, lower net, and having part of your upper back to butt touching the floor when you're hitting the ball.

We had four members of the US team as guests.  They will be playing in a tournament to qualify for the Paralympics in 2012.  Most of them served were injured while serving in the armed forces.  Second person from the right is still on active duty.

US Team, the pros.

The team showed us a demo of how the game is played.  It is no less difficult or competitive or fast just because it's sitting!

 
All of us had the chance to try the game out.  It was a riot with volleyballs flying around the room with more than 160 people.  The first 2 groups to complete the drill got to play a set against the US team.  Fun!

Amateurs

Before the session on sitting volleball, we had the privilege of listening to an Olympian speak to the group about setting goals, staying committed, and exercising discipline everyday.  

Steve Parry in the house!  He won bronze 200m butterfly in the 2004 Athens Olympics, the same event where Michael Phelps won gold.  Two words - funny Brit.  And inspiring, too. 

 

What really struck me about successful athletes is they envision/play their events several times in their heads, programming how they would successfully win.  They do not just take care of the physical conditioning. Even non-athletes (office people!) can learn a thing or two from this discipline.

Steve Parry

It was a great Olympic-themed morning.=)