How Volleyball Helps My Politics...

By TOMMY HOLGATE

Good golly-ball . . . being part of a team, working together towards a common goal, feels good

Of a Monday night in recent times, I would visit the local Chesterfield Leisure Centre to partake in boxercise followed by circuits, for cardio-calorie-burning good times.
But I miss the days when my calories would be burnt off in PE, the playground, and in the garden [almost always with a football].
I recall one glorious four-week period around the age of 14 when we played voleyball at school, and I had a great time. While typically fulfilling a full back role on the pitch for the school team, I loved going in goal for penalty shoot-outs and at break times etc.
And, at cricket, while terrible with a bat and capable of bowling a ball into a neighbouring field, I relished the wicket keeper role due to the 'diving for the ball' nature of the task.
So when I began seeing volleyball nets erected in the main hall after training each week, I decided to join in.
A few things strike one upon trying this sport.
It really hurts your forearms when you dig it. And I don't mean dig it like in a groove sense [although that does bring about forearm fatigue when wrist-rolling for instance].
The volleyball dig is one of three main shots. It is the one you would normally reply to a serve with, and involves squatting down slightly with you arms held out in front of you, palms upward, hands together ready to hoist the ball back up.
Then comes the set.
This is where a player - usually next to the net - pushes the ball up high into the air, ready for the spike, which is the third of the core techniques.
The spike is essentially the smash from upon high.
Patience is required in order to build the attack, using skills that can only be honed through repetition.
I have struggled with impatience in my time, and this can pose problems in all areas, including politics.
When one wants to achieve all that is on the cards right now, then a sense of 'I've not yet achieved everything I've envisaged and thus I am failing' can creep in.
With volleyball, I am forced to patiently focus, apply and build as part of a team.
These traits are transferable and can be applied to the long term work I do with The Peace Party.
I'm saying all this and I've been to two training sessions.
A take home message I suppose could be: Love volleyball, love life.

I've heard people say: 

"It's highly unlikely that you'll get a bloke doing volleyball-specific training exercises on that bit of grass outside the Houses of Parliament for love nor money."

But maybe one day we could. With a little bit of either.

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