A spike to remember

After college I played volleyball in an advanced indoor league for adults. Think NCAA Division level 1 players a few years out of school. It was very competitive and intense. I played on a 6-man team for men and on a 6-man coed team. It is with the coed team that this story lies.

At one particular tournament here in Southern California we would run into practically professional level players of all kinds. Former USC and UCLA players were regular participants. One team seemed to be right off the campus on summer break.

In one pivotal game, my slipshod team of wannabes went head to head against one of these behemoths. On that team was a giant of a player, about 6 foot 8, who could spike the ball straight down and back up to the roof.

Somewhere mid game, that giant leaped up directly in front of me to spike an unblocked ball. Me being the solid defender that I am, I stood my ground, braced my arms, and prayed to live through the spike.

Of course I mis-timed the spike and was out of position, so when the ball was struck in my direction it traveled just under my arms, struck the floor in between my out-spread legs, and shot back upward like a missile making direct and solid impact on my balls.

A wave of pain and embarrassment overwhelmed me and dropped me to the ground. I can still remember the "ohh's", "ahhs", and "ouches" of the people around me. Half or more of those spectators were the girls on my team, the other team, and scads of female spectators.

Never before had I been struck in the balls with such an audience in attendance. With encouragement from members of my team (all the girls by the way), I was able to get up and walk off the court to nurse my aching testicles. While hunched over in the bleaches I took notice of all the whispers, giggles, and pointing that was occurring among the girls around the gymnasium.

Later that afternoon a few of them came up to me to see "how my balls were doing". It made for some interesting conversations.

Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing even if I could.

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