Kasey Estes is a junior captain on the NYU women's volleyball team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 9-13-08
I’m on the bus heading home from our first away tourney. The USC-Ohio State football game is on the satellite TVs in the background, and half the team is sleeping, while the others are diligently doing some homework.
This weekend, overall, was a success. Yes, we experienced our first loss of the season. But, we also had some amazing wins.
New Paltz was our most intense game. We won in five sets, and in the middle of a seemingly doomed third game we managed to go on a 10 point run, changing the momentum and ultimately leading to victory. It was incredible to watch the team’s dynamic change as each player, on and off the court, did everything in their power to encourage teammates around them, and the result was EPIC.
This was also the beginning to our new line of bench cheers. For example, every time Kendyl Dunn, our vicious middle, got a kill, half the team would bend over to form a “piano” while the remaining girls pantomimed playing Beethoven’s famous song, as everyone screamed “DUNN DUNN DUNN DUNN.”
We’re returning to Rochester next weekend (for the RIT Invitational), and although we are dreading the six-hour bus ride, we are looking forward to adding more wins to our 8-1 record. Hopefully, all the freshmen will remember their jerseys this time and not leave the water bottles on the bus.
Elizabeth Dick is a sophomore captain on the NYU women's volleyball team. Periodically throughout the season, she will share her thoughts in this space.
Written 9-9-09
This weekend marked the volleyball team’s annual season opener, the Labor Day Invitational. We set out with the intentions of winning, and as a team we delivered.
Not one match, let alone game, was dropped throughout the entire weekend. The only technical difficulty of the tournament circulated around the warm up CD. However, the first controversial mix was quickly remastered by our team music gurus, “Quasi” (Christal Dolan) and “Moto (Julia Rickert).”
My favorite aspect of the tournament was being able to see the immense depth we have as a team despite our young ages. Every girl was given an opportunity to perform, and it is now crystal clear that we share the same winning mentality.
Wrapping up the joyful weekend was the all-athletes BBQ on the rooftop of Coles. Water balloon fights, great food, and ever better company left the girls on a high. Some could even say “slap happy!”
Next weekend we travel to Rochester to take part in the Nazareth College Golden Flyer Invitational. Two huge matches against New Paltz and Fredonia will determine just how tough we really are as a team.
Written 9/3/09
As preseason comes to an end, it is nerve-wracking to realize that the culmination of all our hard work will be judged at our first tournament. That being said, the team is looking solid! Everyone has continued to
work exceptionally hard, and every day obvious improvements are being made.
Over the past week-and-a-half the girls have proven their commitment to NYU volleyball, and each has assumed a vital role in the family. I cannot wait for the freshmen to experience the thrill of their first collegiate win.
There is no question that physically and mentally we are ready for competition. But, one vital element of our preparation has not yet been created - the 2009 warm-up mix-cd. Now this may sound like a frivolous, unimportant detail. But, let me stress that a good mix tape can be a team's saving grace, especially for early morning games. For example, this weekend our first game is at 10 am, meaning we'll have to be at Coles by eight, meaning that the girls will most likely be getting up no later than seven.
It is extremely difficult to go from an REM state of mind to an I-MUST-DOMINATE state of mind on a moment’s notice. This is where the mix-cd comes in to play. Hearing your favorite song blasting over the loudspeakers as you start to warm-up significantly simplifies the transition. The only difficulty is agreeing on what these songs should be. Arguments have already emerged over the presence of Miley Cyrus, Spice Girls and Eiffel 65 on the playlist.
Make sure you show up early this weekend to experience the end result, which will no doubt be spectacular.
Written 8/30/09
“Day 7 is when the dead arm hits,” our head coach Ed Caesar had said.
Those words proved to be true. Today marked the eighth day of preseason and the women’s varsity volleyball team has endured the heat of Coles in August, daily doubles and aching muscles. Although our bodies may not be entirely intact, our attitudes and drive towards a common goal have been maintained.
We may be young with only one senior and three juniors are on the team, but I expect a great deal of success from this year’s group.
Every one of us has something different to offer. Whether its a comedic one-liner making practice that much more bearable or a stern voice urging us to push through a drill, each girl is a necessary piece of the puzzle.
Our second team dinner, hosted by (junior) Julia Rickert, further confirmed our cohesive nature as we conversed over a delicious feast prepared by the one and only (sophomore) Christal Dolan.
One week remains until our season-opening tournament. We all feel excitement and anxiety, as preseason comes to a close and the doors are opened up to an eventful year.
Written 8/25/09
Monday morning marked the first official practice of preseason, and it was hot in the Coles Center. I was completely drenched halfway through and I wasn't even participating (note: Kasey is currently sidelined with an injury).
We are going through 2-3 shirts each practice. Yet, after every dive, a distinct 4-6 foot sweat mark is left on the floor, igniting a mad dash for a towel to sop up the mess. We ended Monday morning's practice with a scrimmage, which was a high-energy and high-anxiety event as each girl is trying to prove herself and secure a spot on the roster.
The freshmen are learning their place early. They have the court set up and ready to go 15 minutes before the beginning of our practices and are very responsive to the returning players' barks of "take the antennas down" or "bring out the boxes". I can sense their nervousness, which is understandable under the watchful eye of Coach (Ed) Caesar. Currently, there are 21 girls trying out and he will be shaving the number down as the week progresses.
Sunday night was our annual team pasta dinner. Kolby (Warren) and Mina (Baban) were kind enough to offer to host/cook for the girls at their giant Gramercy Green dorm. The freshmen provided wonderful entertainment by singing/rapping their favorite warm-up songs while the team devoured a huge ice-cream cake in record time!
