Bazinga!

People say there is no "i" in team and I hadn't been until last year...

I had never been on an organized sports team ever. I am not athletic or competitive. I always tried my best to not participate in gym. You might be wondering what kind of sport would accept a player like me? 

DODGEBALL! 

A friend mentioned she played dodgeball a few nights and week and how she thought I might like it. She was aware of my unathleticness and I think their team was so good they had to even it out with "players" of my level. At first, the sheltered me said:

"Nooo. Sheltered Christa... that would blow your mind." 

But I told Sheltered Christa to shut up and joined.

I started playing on a team called Bazinga. I have to say I thought dodgeball was a simple, fun recreational activity. Especially playing in a women's league. Oh no. These ballers take the game very serioso. There are also many athletic players who's skills are too superior for this league.

I quickly realized: I suck at throwing the ball. Also I can't catch. Most the time when I threw the ball someone caught it and I rarely caught the ball. Maybe once. My skills are laughable.  

Anyway, the first few times I "played"  I stood on the court watching what rules not to break. I think I broke all of them before the season was over. My first game I barely touched the ball and I did more dodging than catching or throwing. 

I can confidently say today that I can dodge a wrench. 

(and yes...I have seen the movie Dodgeball)

I remember in one game, a girl whipped the ball in my direction and I unathletically allowed it to hit me square in the face. That ball hurts. I think that was the point when I really learned how to dodge and not to misjudge the person throwing the ball. 

We won most of our games (I think we lost once) and we made it to the championships (yes there are championships for dodgeball). It was more than I could have ever dreamed of- the first time joining an organized sport and we made it to the championship?! What's even better is that:

WE FREAKIN WON. 

I was on the winning team. We won. We got a trophy- that we spent the evening with. Drinking with, eating with, taking pictures with, singing karaoke with....I guess that's what winners do.

Parents you should put you child on a team. Doesn't matter what kind of team, doesn't matter if they suck but you really should. Especially seeing the outcome here...

I learned a lot about what being on a team really means:

 winning is everything and losers suck!