The Types of Volleyball Players

In volleyball, being a team is important. Your teammates are your friends, well, most of them. We have all dealt with someone who is bossy, constantly tells everyone around what to do as if they took the coach’s place. This person makes people anxious and angry at the same time, and it is the last two emotions anyone wants to feel at once. Also, there is a leader, someone open-minded that makes sure everyone is involved. A crybaby is a sensitive person who is easily affected by criticism and people who are hard on them. The exhibitionist is someone who loves to show off, and it’s not just their skills they like to show.

The Bosses really grinds my gears. They are constantly trying to be leaders, but they sound beyond irritating. These people are always in denial and do not think they are causing problems. It’s like dealing with Angelica Pickles, and I have hated that girl since I was 5. If we are down by 20 points, the last thing anyone wants to hear is, “Come on guyyss!” in a nasally, whiny voice. Playing with this person is really annoying.

The Leader, however, is the person most players aspire to be. These people make your time, not just as an athlete, but as a person, worth every second.

They set an example and try to help everyone out. If we are down by 20 points, the leader gives advice and encouragement with a firm voice. They are like Oprah Winfrey yelling, “You get encouragement! You get encouragement! Everybody gets encouragement!” My eyes always sparkle with adoration. I hope one day I can be a leader and set an example.

I was guilty of being a crybaby when I first started playing high-level volleyball. The Crybabies have not developed a thick skin. Therefore they are sensitive. If these people are being pushed to their limits, they break because they are not strong enough mentally. It gets annoying because if there is an intense situation occurring during a game, the Crybabies get on their emotional rollercoaster. Although sometimes it’s okay to feel bad for them, they will mature sooner or later.

The confidence these people have blows my mind. In volleyball, we wear spandex shorts, and some people are not comfortable wearing them at first. The Exhibitionists normally like to show off. If you watch volleyball, some girls have their butts showing out of their spandex, whether they know it or not.

Showing off skillfully is also another way they present their “dominance”. On the one hand, some Exhibitionists have a good work ethic and like showing off what they have earned. On the other hand, the rest mainly likes to look good, and their work ethic is not the best. Think of it like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast and Superman. Everything Gaston does is talking and flexing his muscles for the period he is alive. Superman has a nice body, but he stays humble and helps people.

These types do not only apply to volleyball but other sports. It could also apply to every other person as well. You can divide people into categories, but at the end of the day, we are all the same. The Bosses can still be friends, and they can learn not to be so pushy. The Leaders, my god, are perfect just the way they are and I hope they will never change. The Crybabies still need time to grow, so they require the guidance of their peers, and that is ok. The Exhibitionists have good and bad sides, and both sides need to learn not to be so cocky sometimes; pride gets the best out of all of us sometimes. We are all connected and can relate to some of these stereotypes in some way. So when it comes down to it, we will be laughing so hard while talking about the experiences we have had with the people we have communicated with.