Head in The Game

By Renee Tay

It was a Friday afternoon and there wasn't a soul in sight moments before the tournament. Mid afternoon, the buses began rocking up; all the new faces stormed the school. 

The hype was about to begin. As the crowd pulled up, people could feel the aura building up from within. As the Dalat team took their places on the court, the whistle blew and the crowd erupted. Giants were pounding balls across the net as their opponents fought to stay on top of the game. 

While the Eagles were crushing their opponents, the Junior Class was selling lots of fun things. Funnel cakes, drinks and yummy snacks were bought by everyone. “Please come and support our store!!” said Anna Chand (11). 

No matter how nervous the players seemed, they kept their heads in the game. Players were diving left and right, eager not to let any ball touch the ground. As the play ended on the first day, all the athletes were gassed but left with their heads held high, eager to come back the next day and smoke the competition. 

The next day the players came back energized and ready to fight for the champion spot. Players came back with a fresh set of jerseys and a new goal set for the day. Crowds were filling the gym as athletes were warming up. As the referee blew the whistle, crowds erupted yet again, supporting their team. 

The final day was full of exciting and breathtaking plays, all the teams played their hardest and put it all out on the court. Cheers filled the room as the plays went on, despite winning or losing the point, the players could always count on their supporters to bring their mood up. 

The fight for 3rd hit hard. The thought of getting last on home ground wasn’t in the agenda for the Dalat Eagles. Despite losing the chance of 1st and 2nd, letting the bronze slip away would be detrimental. Everyone was watching, the gym was packed with nervous fans. With the pressure fully on the players, they knew they couldn’t let anybody down. The whistle sounded and the game was on the way. The players fought for every single point, one by one. 

As the referee blew the whistle, the audience roared yet again, supporting their team. Soon, it was down to match point. The Dalat Eagles were about to bring it home. The whistle blew one last time, as Peter Hsu (12) served it over.  The ball went over the net and onto the hands of the opponents, as the ball went to the setter, ready for it to be set to the hitter. In a blink of an eye, the ball was on the ground and the Dalat Eagles secured their place for 3rd place. 

The closing ceremony was the final event on the weekend's schedule. Although everyone was tired and worn out from either playing or cheering, the school pride was still evident. Mr. Jarrett Ulmer announced the placements of the teams and there was a hearty round of applause for the hard working athletes.