So last night I saw something that one would normally only see at a rowdy soccer match. During the men's match, prior to ours, there was a controversial call by the linesman that lead to him being hit with a water bottle from the stands. This lead to the tossing of at least 4 more water bottles, fans on their feet yelling profanities and a good 10 minute delay in the match. Although this happened a couple weeks ago in another men's match, the Pro Liga committee had taken precautions to try and prevent this in the future. They were selling water in plastic bags(!!) as well as having stern meetings with the captains and teams to ask them not to question calls made by the officials. Well the 'bag-o-water' only lasted one weekend after that and, well it's difficult to keep cool with some of the reffing around here. There was a moment last night where I was a little scared for my life as the fans got rowdy, but then I remembered (see Feb19 blog): "Never be scared and love your life". These Indonesians sure are loud and rowdy, but they're just big softies deep down and really wouldn't get vicious. So yeah, that was exciting!!
Our game, wish it could compare, was an anticlimactic 4 set win. Our team is playing well and with the debut of "Team China" we are only that much stronger. The thing I've noticed about the teams here is that every one has their foreigner(s) but in matches, they really just cancel eachother out. This leads to the old adage: May the best team win. Imagine that! Volleyball is different over here. The only thing that is emphasized is hitting, and the more straight down, the better! Ask any foreigner how their body is holding up and they'll definitely whine about their shoulder. All we ever do, and this goes for every team, men and women, is HIT HIT HIT, and this against no block. I do have to hand it to my coach though, he is starting to incorporate more and more team-play into practices and I think this is the real reason our team is winning. As I spent the last week training on the B side, hitting against our starters, I've taken a new challenge on; and that is to not get frustrated at the defense (or complete lack-there-of) on my side of the court and actually try and teach them a thing or two about how rallies are extended in the rest of the world. I put myself in a position where the ball is most likely going to hit me if I don't dig it, they prefer to stand about a meter behind that spot, and flamboyantly flail as the ball hits the ground in front of them so as to give off the illusion that that ball was just hit too hard to dig! Frustration has led to finding humour in all this, believe me.
I also took it upon myself to take some stats on the teams that we will most likely meet in playoffs. I think I blew them away as our stats have so far been limited to those seen in the above photo (columns for missed serves, receptions, blocks, attacks and defence)!! I'm trying really hard right now not to make further comments on that!
Don't get me wrong, I am having a blast. Just trying to figure out if being on the bench of a winning team is better than being the only fish on a losing team. But as I think about it and my brain starts to hurt, my thoughts are interrupted by.......BALI, BALI, BALI!
It is what it is.....
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