Going from covering Iola High volleyball Tuesday to then Allen Community College on Wednesday felt like moving from Texas to Canada.
They speak the same language, and to those from outside North America, they may be indistinguishable. The college crowd was loud because they followed the flow of the game — from left to right and from right to left.
From a viewer’s standpoint, local high school volleyball does not, after many mouthfuls of green eggs and ham, I don’t like it.
For viewers, volleyball flows from left to right, each action adding momentum to the next. One team serves the ball. The other team digs up the serve and passes to the setter— volleyball’s quarterback, who distributes to a hitter to spike it. There are a few trick plays designed to throw off the other team’s rhythm, but this is overall the flow of volleyball.
High school volleyball, at least using the Kansas triangular system, does not have a flow for viewers. They see only a fraction of what happens because there are two games being played simultaneously, forcing viewers to look at primarily the players’ backsides. If lucky, they’ll catch a play at the net.
It’s an ugly way to watch a beautiful game.
I understand the reasoning for triangulars. If area schools switched to duels the season would take longer and games may not end until 9 p.m. on a weeknight. Tuesday, after covering Iola, I got home at 7 p.m.
However, by making volleyball more convenient, it undermines the fan experience.
Some venues feel too mechanized, like the crowd is cattle shoved through the shoots and onto the trailer. Maybe instead of stuffing everything into one gymnasium, area organizers should use middle school and elementary school gyms — spread it out.
The junior varsity football team I played for did not touch the varsity field until the final game of the season and when we did it felt special, like we earned it. Organizers can only dedicate so much time and effort into improving the fan experience, I get it, but there must be a middle ground.
