First Tourney With The New Family - Part 1

With the start of the boys club volleyball season not too long ago, now we're into the first tournament. It was the 2-day league qualifier. Since our Bay to Bay 16-white team is brand, spanking new, we're unseeded. Thus, earning us the distinction of being at the bottom of the 15/16 & under category, at 30th. Arch rival MVVC has a similar team, but they're at 29th. Why that is so, I honestly do not know. As one of the dads said, there is nowhere to go but up.

McClellan Convention Center

For us in the 15/16 division, we found ourselves in lovely Sacramento, at the McClellan Convention Center, for this 2-day tourney. As early as 3 weeks back, I already booked an overnight stay at nearby Lion's Gate Hotel, in order for us to take advantage of the special group rate offered through NCVA. The others in the team weren't as lucky, as accommodations ran out quickly.

The night before, we had turned in quite early, knowing that we had to take a very early trip up north. Our call-in time was 7:30am on Saturday, so we had planned on leaving no later than 5:45. By the time we hit the road, it was almost 6. We were cutting it close. There was a threat of rain in the morning, which would slow down of trip. Fortunately, there wasn't any and we got there just in time.

The order of the day was ref-play-play-ref-play-off. There were 4 teams in our pool, including us. Our first match was against Kamikaze 16-1. We won the first set 27-29, but lost the next 2. For our first official match as a team, I thought we did fairly well, considering that we only had practiced 3 times, no to mention the customary first day jitters. Given more time together, we can beat this team anytime.

Our second match was against one of the strongest teams in the division - Clovis 16-1. They beat us very convincingly in straight sets, 2-0. Then, we officiated. This gave the boys an opportunity to rest, relax, and grab a bite to eat if they wished. They alternated between resting and officiating. I ran out and got Jake his lunch. On our way to McClellan, I saw a Quiznos, and this was what I got him -- an 11-inch roast beef sandiwch, with cheese, mustard, and lettuce on an Italian roll.

When I got back, it was time for their third match against Club Kazi 16-1. From watching their earlier matches, I was confident we would win against them. And we did, in straight sets. Now, we were off. This meant a longer break. Time for the boys to eat. Meanwhile, the wife and I did the same. As we got out, it was pouring. But we were both hungry and there was no way we were waiting for the rain to stop. I braved the rain, got the car, and drove up to pick up the wife. We had lunch at a taqueria called, El Parian. We had eaten there once before during last year's tournament. From lunch, we decided to check in to the hotel, so we could avoid everyone else who would be doing the same once the day's matches ended.

Buca di Beppo in Roseville, CA

We came back in time for the next match against BAVC 16-2. Like Kamikaze, this team was beatable, too. We just had one too many errors and missed out on a few opportunities. We lost in straight sets as well. We officiated again, before we had our final match for the day. This was against the #29 seed. You guessed it -- MVVC 16-3. Clearly, our boys were far better, and we won 2-0. At least, we know we're no longer at the bottom. By then, it was almost 6pm.

One of the dads made arrangements for a group dinner at Buca di Beppo in Roseville, which was a 20-minute drive north from McClellan. The parents were seated in a booth, while the boys were nearby on a long table. There was more than enough food, and everyone seemed to had a wonderful time. We had invited both coaches, but they both declined. One of the moms was nice enough to offer us three a ride to/from dinner, since we all stayed at the same hotel.

Day 2 of the league qualifier coming up...........

Note:  Author wishes to acknowledge Lion's Gate Hotel and Buca di Beppo for the use of the photographs in this post.