The Nationals experience started when we got in the car and
set out for the ten hour car ride. When we arrived in Indianapolis and walked
into our hotel, we immediately saw 6-foot volleyball players walking around.
The nerves started kicking in when we walked into the convention center and
passed ongoing games of girls smashing balls to the ten-foot line. Our team can
admit, we were nervous about the level of competition. Our first game began
with the exchange of little gifts such as bracelets and Chapstick®.
This was
very kind of all the teams. After that, our first Nationals game started.
It was extremely fast-paced volleyball and the level of play
was very high. Our team had a slow start, mainly because we were star struck at
the intensity of National-level volleyball. By the end of the tournament,
however, we were able to compete strongly against other teams.
The officials at Nationals were extremely kind. After every
game, we shook their hands as they told us “good game.”
The food in Indianapolis was very good. My favorite
restaurant was Champs. After dinner, our team would search for ice cream and we
came across this super cool frozen yogurt shop that we went to a few times. Roaming the city of Indianapolis with the team was super fun
and an experience to remember. To frozen yogurt and all around the city, we
really enjoyed using electronic scooters to get everywhere. The 2019 USAV GJNC was the greatest competition we have ever
faced, and it really prepared us for our volleyball careers ahead of us. Our
team is so thankful we had the opportunity to attend with our amazing coaches
leading us and encouraging us throughout the entire trip.