My Daughter's Volleyball Team to State Championships

[Case]

Time for a proud Dad moment.

I don't generally talk much about my family here, but we're entering one of those family transition periods. My oldest daughter, Elizabeth, is a senior in high school, and has been playing volleyball since the fourth grade. At all of five foot two, her varsity career is winding down (plus, she just wants to do something different in college.)

I've been watching her play since the fourth grade, so I had a little lump in my throat last night, when her high school (Homestead High, in Cupertino, CA), won the Division 1 Northern California Regional championships. This means they're taking a trip this Saturday to UC Irvine to play in the state championships. They're odds there aren't good, as they'll be playing La Costa Canyon, which is ranked number two in the country.

Homestead had a great team this year, including Katherine Fischer, a phenomenal outside hitter and probably one of the top five high school players in the country.

At any rate, I've got pictures (http://www.flickr.com/casehouse)if anyone cares. Elizabeth is the libero wearing number 5.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

Congrats. Volleyball was the big sport at my tiny school, so I've always had a love/hate relationship with it. State finals are a big achievement. Maybe a Cinderella story?

Troy

[Alan Au]

Congratulations! Yikes, she's a senior already?

- Alan

[Jason McMaster]

Awesome Loyd! Give her a big high five from me

[Bill Dungsroman]

That's really cool, Loyd. Keep us posted should they win!

[Case]

Yeah, it doesn't seem all that long ago, she was 11, and doing flying headshots with the sniper rifle in Unreal Tournament ;-)

Congratulations! Yikes, she's a senior already?

- Alan

[Skipper]

Congrats to you and your daughter! Nice action pics, do you mind if I ask what kind of camera you are using?

[Wholly Schmidt]

I can't believe this thread hasn't been all Rimbo'd up yet. I don't want to jinx it, but I applaud you all. Congrats Case!

[Ed Solomon]

I can't believe this thread hasn't been all Rimbo'd up yet. I don't want to jinx it, but I applaud you all. Congrats Case!

That's what I was thinking. You're a brave man, Case, I don't think Rimbo limits himself just to pole vaulters.

And congratulations on your daughter.

[Adree]

http://oculosis.com/maraby/tmp/pedobear.png

[Skipper]

Holy Pedobear giant. That should come with a scroll warning Adree.

[Tyjenks]

Very cool Loyd. My daughter has played soccer for a mere 2 years at the age of 7. I am proud of her when she simply kicks the ball or another girl.

I can't imagine how proud I will be when she starts nearing some of the accomplishments such as your daughter has. As a father of two daughters, I congratulate you and sorta dread the day when I start getting the "lumps" as [cliche alert] it goes by so fast.

[Case]

Nikon D300, alternating between a Nikon 24-70 f2.8 and a Nikon 70-200VR; all shots were at ISO3200, f2.8-4, 1/400th or 1/500th second shutter speed. I did use Noiseware noise reduction software to take out some of the high ISO noise.

Congrats to you and your daughter! Nice action pics, do you mind if I ask what kind of camera you are using?

[Xaroc]

Awesome news Loyd! Homestead Highschool volleyball rules!!!

[Skipper]

The pics are amazing in that there is little to any blur in any of the shots. Very nice work bud. It's as if the ball is hanging in mid-air in nearly every shot you have.

[Case]

I should also add that I'm using an MB-10 battery pack, which allows me to shoot at 8 frames a second. I typically shoot 300-400 shots per match, and get maybe 20-40 good ones!

The pics are amazing in that there is little to any blur in any of the shots. Very nice work bud. It's as if the ball is hanging in mid-air in nearly every shot you have.

[z22]

Good luck to her. Looks like she's a setter?

[Bullhajj]

She'll remember that all her life. High fives all around.

[Ryan A]

Good luck to her. Looks like she's a setter?

I don't think that's typically what the Libero does... she's more likely a backline defensive specialist.

[Pogo]

Cool, congratulations.

I liked the volleyball players at my high school and at my college. Maybe it was just coincidence, but it seemed to me that volleyball players have less of an air of smugness around them than the football/cheerleading crowd. I always knew more cool peeps in volleyball than in any other sport, although the basketball players were always a close second.

[Rimbo]

Congrats, Case!

I had never heard of a "Libero" until just now. Sounds like a nice little addition to the sport.



(pun unintentional)

[Hanzii]

Cool pics. I allready have the 300mm for my 20D, now I just need my girls to excel at sports

Congratulations to your daughter and you. Before becoming a father I had no real idea how much joy somebody elses accomplishments could bring, but with kids you get that feeling all the time (right now it's our 1st grader reading like a 4th grader)

[Case]

Correct. The Libero is a defensive specialist, plays back row only, but is a free sub-in for up to two front row players when they rotate back. Until last year, all Liberos could do was defense, but they're now allowed to serve as well.

My daughter is utterly fearless, diving for balls in ways that make me wince whenever I see her do it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/3078785573_b9544ca56c.jpg?v=0

I don't think that's typically what the Libero does... she's more likely a backline defensive specialist.

[Ben Sones]

Congrats, Loyd! Good luck to her in the championships!

I miss volleyball. My friends and I put together an intramural team back in high school, but I don't think I've played more than once or twice since then. :(

[dfs]

grats dude

[Not One Of Us]

...and Duke Nukem Forever is still not out.

[Mr_PeaCH]

Heh. La Costa Canyon, huh? That's all we ever hear about down here. Good luck and I hope your girls crush 'em!

[Case]

Alas, no Cinderella story. Homestead lost in 3 games, although they hung tough in all of them.

La Costa Canyon had four girls over six feet tall, one at 6' 2" and another 6' 4".

Oh, and my daughter, at 5 foot not quite 2, was the shortest player in the entire tournament (Division 1 - 5.) ;-)

Still, it was the best year ever for her school's varsity volleyball team, so she goes out with some good memories.

[Tyjenks]

Wow, I bet that was great fun. I check those tall girls' pee if I were you.

Great accomplishment. Good for her and your family.

[Anders Hallin]

Wow, I bet that was great fun. I check those tall girls' pee if I were you.
That's unnecessary, Tyjenks. Women have their growth spurts before 15, so it's no surprise that they're fully grown at that point.

[Tyjenks]

That's unnecessary, Tyjenks. Women have their growth spurts before 15, so it's no surprise that they're fully grown at that point.
I don't remember having that many 6 foot tall girls in my high school. I am not sure we had one. Probably just a larger population from which to pick, but damn that is a lot of tall girls.