Mo Fo Sandbaggers

Sandbagging refers to a competitor who misrepresents his skill level in order to gain easy victories over less-skilled opponents. With that definition out of the way I will break out into story, song or dance, whichever you prefer to call this ditty of a story.

This weekend a group of us carted our canopies and volleyballs off to Pottstown, PA for the toughest grass tournament on the east coast the Pottstown Rumble.

The weather was perfect and the competition - fierce as always. On Saturday the group finished by all of us making it to playoffs, which was totally awesome. The majority of us range from solid BB to not so solid A players. Knowing the stiff competition that we would encounter we played it safe and chose to stick to what we knew best which is BB.

We all faired out well. E & W taking 2nd place in Women’s BB; myself and A finishing in the top 5th-8th which with my shoulder issues is remarkable. E & W knocked us out – we tried to give them a good game but I puckered out not to mention my serve receive was less than on mark that game.

Two of our male friends took first place on their net, now mind you the one male (C) hasn’t played volleyball in about four years and (T) plays a solid BB+ /A level.

While playing their last game they destroyed the other team, who in turn didn’t take it well accusing C & T of, yep you guessed it, sandbagging. Calling them Mo Fo (you can fill in the rest of the lettering) Sandbaggers and they signed up for BB division and if you’re passing and hitting the ball that well you should be in A or AA.

As they finished up C took the score sheet up to the tally table to get set up for playoffs (there were 16 nets in their division.) The poor sports follow him complaining to the rules and rec committee about how C & T were sandbaggers.

C explains how he hasn’t played volleyball in four years and has only played doubles a few times. The poor sport says but your buddy is solid A or AA he can pass and hit. Duh, you idiot, that is what volleyball is – especially doubles...the rules and rec committee told him it was too late they should have questioned it earlier and lucky for them they don’t play them in playoffs first round.

I had to laugh at this as playoffs began. T & C were down 10-6 crawling back to a 12-10 win to make second round which left them in the dust losing 9-11. Now, if they had been sandbagging they would have crushed every team in their way.

I have learned when playing at all skill levels you take the good with the bad. I’m out there to yes, win, however there are days that you got it and days that you just do not. I just wish I had more days when I have it.