Volleyball League Practice Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: primarily those who signed up to participate in the Void’s new volleyball league, but anyone and everyone is welcome!
What: volleyball practice for the new Void volleyball league
Where: the underground gymnasium
When: early December
Content Warnings: none yet, but will update if necessary!


((ooc: this log is gonna be used for a few practice sessions, as well as a practice game and other such things! Iwaizumi will be sharing his knowledge with everyone and acting as a coach of sorts until the practice game, so feel free to use the TLs to interact with him, or make your own TLs under the sections to start your own threads with your teammates or others participating! also, if you are not a player but want to be in the audience or are playing another role, feel free to make TLs reflecting that! everyone is welcome (walk/ins included!) If you have questions or want to plot, feel free to add me on Plurk at pantheraliam))

Comments

Walk-ins Welcome!

[bluecastleace]

[There’s been a sign up sheet for the makeshift volleyball league hanging up at Heavenly Blanc for the last month or so, and maybe you thought to sign up while visiting the place. Then again, maybe you just come upon the group practicing while passing the gym or coming in for a work out! If you take a closer look at the group, you may see someone you recognize, or maybe you just notice the spiky-haired kid in the high school volleyball uniform trying to control what he can of the small circus. Feel free to approach him and ask what exactly is going on, or maybe say hi to a friend you see practicing.]

[bluecastleace]

[Said spiky-haired teenager in the volleyball uniform is currently standing by the door and attempting to account for everyone who’d signed up. If he hasn’t seen you before, he’ll introduce himself, maybe ask for your name so he can check the list, or maybe just ask if you’re interested.]

You lookin’ to play today? There are gym uniforms over there if you need ‘em. Suit up and we’ll get started.

sup

[hightouch]

[All things considered, it wouldn't surprise anyone who knows Shouyou that he'd pop into existence right inside the world's only gym. Completely normal for Shouyou to be there, of all places--you know, if you completely ignored the world hopping aspect of it.

Part of him wonders if this is a dream. It doesn't make sense for him to be standing in the giant stadium, warming up for the first match, blink, and then find himself somewhere new altogether. His confusion's probably the only reason he isn't freaking out yet, and the familiar slam of a volleyball hitting the gym floor draws him over to the game that's just wrapping up.

Just as well, when he's already drawing looks with the bright orange uniform he has on. That isn't what has his attention, though. One of the guys on the court looks really familiar, and when Shouyou walks closer, he finally realizes why.]

Aaaaaaahhh! [He cries out, nearly dropping his bag when he points at Iwaizumi.] I know you! You're Seijoh's ace!

Time for a complete mental breakdown

[bluecastleace]

Huh?

[The final slam that Shoyo heard was indeed coming none other than Seijoh’s ace, and the last point of the game at that - scarcely does he have time to celebrate though before he hears a jarring shout, followed quickly by the words “I know you”, and then (more importantly - much more importantly) “Seijoh”. It’s enough to make Iwaizumi whip around with eyes wide and searching, an almost desperate look in his eyes when what should he spy but Karasuno’s puny Number 10 with the orange hair.

[He feels almost as though his heart stops in that moment, and for a few seconds all he can do is stand there stammering for lost words.]

Y-you—- Hey! [Next he’s running over (no casual jogging here), which would probably be embarrassing were he in his right mind, but he’s not. He stops just short of mowing the poor kid over, and once he stops he’s entirely unsure of what to say - honestly, his first instinct is to hug the little freak until he pops, but that would be super uncool and weird, right?]

Y-you, you’re—- you’re here, you—- Karasuno—- [God, he sounds like an idiot right now. He shakes his head out, tries to get a lucid thought to pass through his head.]

You...You just showed up? You’re from Karasuno, right?

[A quick glance around the gym, and Iwaizumi can confirm that yes, he’s still in the Void. With the game and now this, he’d almost believe he wasn’t. Alas...]

Hey, don’t freak out, okay? I can...I’ll try to explain what’s going on—-

Hey, do you have anyone with you?

General Practicing

[bluecastleace]

[All sorts of practicing will be taking place during this first meet-up of the new Void Volleyball League. Iwaizumi demonstrates how to bump, set, and serve properly, and offers continuous drills of these important skills. Of course, whenever you’re dealing with the ball, there’s the possibility it might go flying in the wrong direction. Then again, you may just find yourself doing something right and getting a congratulatory slap on the back from your makeshift coach.

[When you’re not practicing actual volleyball moves, Coach Iwaizumi will be (strongly, if not somewhat forcefully) encouraging you to run suicides or practice “flying laps” where you practice running and diving to the ground so you can slide across it - important for practicing digs, you know! It really can be kind of fun. Then again, it can also be kind of exhausting, especially when there’s someone hollering at motivating you to keep going.

[Of course, any and all athletic training is valuable when you are getting ready for that big practice game, so you may find Iwaizumi or your teammates encouraging you to try some of the new workout equipment - treadmills, bikes, free weights, even the punching bag.

[Feel free to utilize any of these measures to practice toward your best playing, either with each other, or Iwaizumi as he directs.]

[bluecastleace]

[Whether you’re practicing moves, doing flying laps or suicides, or building up your strength and stamina in the work out area, you might catch Coach Iwaizumi behind you with some encouraging words (or mild harassment).]

Alright, now go in for another one! You’re doing great, but you’ve got a long way to go. You want to win that practice game, don’t you? Don’t give in now!

[begetblue]

[ Hmmm. Is that how coaches were supposed to act? Turing had never attended a sports game before, and broadcast versions definitely weren't under the umbrella of educational television that Hayden had let them watch. Well, when in Rome! Though they were probably nowhere near Rome, but...oh, never mind. ]

Do your best!

[ Was a li'l robot's cheers enough of a motivating factor? Hopefully it was! ]

[bazooker]

[Meanwhile, here Haru was, having no idea how to play volleyball. As she tried to hit the ball, all she could do was give a sigh of frustration. She was struggling to get the ball over the net and it made her wonder just how of practice she was.

It was different compared to fighting in the Metaverse but it didn't stop her from feeling disappointed.]

This...was not what I was expecting. [She said to herself before giving yet another sigh]

[obsessiveness]

[ yeaaaaah, izumi's going to steer clear of those workout equipment; the last thing he needs is building muscle. he'd like to remain a pretty twink, thank you very much.

so he'll practice serving by himself, smacking the ball against the wall. thanks to his experience with tennis despite being in the club for one year, he's got a pretty good rhythm going... until he has to stop and examine his reddened forearms. ]

Shit... Why'd they have to hurt this much, huh?

[bluecastleace]

It definitely takes some getting used to.

[Says Iwaizumi as he repeatedly sets a ball to himself, bouncing it off his fingertips again and again - he looks pretty focused despite the rather casual tone he’s speaking in.]

Give it a week or two, you’ll build up a tolerance.

[realway]

[ ahsoka is here and ready to learn. she absorbs a lot of information given to her by the makeshift coach, takes the drills, and does well with getting the basics down quickly. her previous athletic training pays off here!

except... one problem... ]

Spike!

[ she screams with abandon as she races for the net, jumps in the air, and slams the volleyball down as it comes over to her side.

the good news is she is coordinated enough to not smack anyone in the face, though any other unfortunate bounces that injure are fair game.

the bad news is she keeps doing this multiple times, smiling proudly.

as the old sith saying goes: volleyball is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be... unnatural. ]

[bluecastleace]

[Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but...]

You know, that’s not actually a spike you’re doing when you say that.

Not a proper one anyway. You’re really just blocking.

[He is the makeshift coach. He’d be remiss not to say something, right? However...]

I could show you how to do a real one though. [He grins, and it’s not not a mischievous look.] That is kind of my thing.

Post-Practice Game

[bluecastleace]

[None of the established teams (Team Iwaizumi, Team Akechi, and Team Ahsoka as it stands right now) have enough players to actually start playing real games, but Iwaizumi definitely wanted to run a practice game to get everyone started. Given that, the entire group was divided into two teams of six:

[Team 1:
Iwaizumi
Ren
Ann
Add
Haru
Kimihiro

Team 2:
Akechi
Ahsoka
Raihan
Blue
Parsee
Yoshizawa

[Everyone’s practicing seems to have paid off greatly, and with Iwaizumi taking care to make sure all rules were strictly followed, it was a close game of three sets. Team 2 managed to take the first set, was beaten by Team 1 in the second, and then narrowly beaten again by Team 1 in the third.

[The chat after the game may have you sulking, gloating, comforting, congratulating, or frankly not giving a shit either way. Feel free to do all that and more here!]

[kimihiros]

(he promised mugetsu he'd try. it's something to do other than to meditate, tend to the shrine, eat and drink sake. he was good at sports, and his body remembers, albeit his talent lied on soccer, not volleyball. the match is over, he's back in his pristine changshan and mugetsu is also back to snuggling against his cheek.

kimihiro was trying to sneak out before he had more interaction he wasn't sure how to deal with, but the fatigue caught up to him much faster than he expected. kimihiro doesn't make it past the door, so there's a mage taking a nap against a wall somewhere. oops.)

[bluecastleace]

[Whoops. Looks like one of his players is down for the count. Iwaizumi nudges him with a sneakered foot, laughing a little as he does so.]

Woah, buddy. You overdo it a bit out there or what?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Although Kaiba liked to keep himself physically fit, he wasn't really into this whole team sports scene. Team anything really. That being said, the participants had been making so much racket that he eventually deigned to show up to see what all the commotion was about. Then he couldn't help smarting off after the winning team was decided]

The correct team won.. [The one with his girlfriend Ann on it] .. and Blue continues to forever remain a loser.

[If he'd had his preference he would have shuffled the teams around further to group everyone he despised into one, and the people he tolerated onto another... but whatever. Not his circus, not his monkeys.]

[bluecastleace]

[It wouldn’t be good sportsmanship to gloat after a won game, and if Iwaizumi’s coach were here, he’s probably kick his ass if he did (if Iwaizumi’s teammates were here, he himself would definitely kick their asses if they did), but there’s nothing wrong with being excited. If you see him looking like he’s glowing after the final point, it’s mostly due to the fact that he got to play at all, let alone win with a makeshift team of newbies.

[Don’t be surprised if you’re a teammate and get a congratulatory slap on the back from the beaming ace. More so, don’t be surprised if you’re an opponent getting some encouraging words. Everyone put in their best effort and gave him one hell of a game, and that’s all he could ever ask for considering the circumstances.]

Great playing out there, man. That practice really paid off, huh?

[He’s grinning - maybe even laughing - as he says it.]

ota!

[rotomphone]

[ though he has little volleyball experience besides pick-up games in Hullbury on warmer summer days, Raihan certainly looks the part of a player - he's taken off his trademark hoodie for once, revealing the full extent of the Hammerlocke Gym uniform. its sporty nature can't be denied, and that in itself is giving him some movtivation! it's always important to look the part, after all.

considering team 2's collective lack of experience (including his own), winning the first set was actually a bit of a surprise. he'd like to give himself a little bit of credit for being a good blocker thanks to just straight up being 6'5", but it was most definitely a team effort - he's quite enthusiastic about encouraging everyone on a job well done, though their job is far from over.

unfortunately, the momentum doesn't quite keep up. hard as they try, the tie is broken by team 1 and leaves their win short-lived. as per his post-loss ritual, Raihan makes sure to take a selfie after the latter two games have concluded - even outside of a Pokémon battle, it's good to remember that sting of defeat. ]

We started out strong, but a loss is a loss. As long as I looked good, I won't complain!

[ he's a little pouty for a little while, but it just as quickly turns back into a smile as the teams begin to mingle. if you're a member of team 1, Raihan will be offering his hand to you for a proper, sportsmanlike shake. ]

Good game! I can recognize good team synergy when I see it, and you guys definitely had the stuff.

SNACKS

[forethinking]

(Hours after this, Ren would disappear and he wouldn't be back for almost two weeks. Blissfully unaware right now, he did manage to put together quite enough for hungry athletes.

The table includes: three cakes from the church, soda and bottled juice he took from the market, sports drinks from the school, as well as their pre-packaged meals. Last, but not least, it includes his curry, to be taken with the coffee contained in several bottles. Enjoy!)

the ren thread

[forethinking]

(Ren's very competitive and the fact that there's a certain someone on the rival team made the victory taste sweeter. He's quiet, as he usually is, but does he need to say anything? He has a smile on his face that just gives away how pleased he is with himself, the cocky, arrogant bastard.

Catch him sip on his coffee, people-watching for now.)

[bluecastleace]

[You can catch Iwa standing by the snack table after practically every practice, encouraging every one to eat up.]

Hey, it’s important to get your strength back up after a practice like that. There’s more coming, so eat up, would ya?

spectation

[forceofnature]

[After being granted permission to voice any and all comments that pass through her mind, Viridi has spent the entirety of the practice match screaming through a megaphone. A paper megaphone colored with a crayon that does nothing to amplify her voice.

Fortunately, her shrill voice doesn't need amplification, anyway. Her contributions have been invaluable.]

Defense! Where's that defense! Get your hands out of your pants; you're abusing the wrong ball!

You call that a spike?! I've seen sharper spikes on a rosebush! A dead rosebush!

Foul! Foul! That ball was so far over the line you could feel it passing by from Mount Silver!

REF! Who's the ref?! I'm making you an appointment for a proctologist; you seem to have a chronic case of head up your ass!

[There is a significant possibility that more than one person is ready to commit pedicide by the time half an hour has passed. Her abuse is heaped on most players pretty evenly, though the observant might note that Iwaizumi and Ahsoka are spared the worst.]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi is fond of Virdi, and though he can’t help but find some of he heckling to be pretty funny, eventually a sudden shout or two causes him to miss a couple of shots, which eventually leads to him calling a brief time out and heading over in her direction.]

Enjoying the game, huh? [Said not without sarcasm. He probably should have never taught her the rules.] If I told you the yelling was making it hard to play, you’d probably see that as a good thing, right?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[With Viridi's range she didn't exactly need a genuine megaphone anyway, she was still coming across loud and clear. As obnoxious as all her exclamations were, Kaiba couldn't help being marginally amused by them because let's face it- the game itself was a bit of a bore. The only thing keeping him here was the potential for either Blue or Iwaizumi to take direct strikes to their respective faces. Okay, there might have been another reason he wasn't owning up to.

Ann Takamaki. COUGH.

Kaiba sat back in his seat, arms folded across his chest as he surveyed the proceedings. It wasn't difficult to follow, and he had the jist of the rules from before arriving in this place, the nuances he was picking up on the fly. Still, he could get in a little heckling himself, but he left the lion's share of it to her.]

If I'd paid for a ticket, I'd be demanding a refund.

[forwearemany]

(They don't know this person, and have been largely uninterested in engaging--they are only watching because this match includes multiple friends--but eventually, after enough insults have been thrown at their buddies, they decide to speak up.)

Query: Is verbal harassment of players typical of this sport?