Social Volleyball

Every Wednesday I have the opportunity to play social volleyball at the local international high school in town. This school, which receives students that can pay top dollar fees, has been able to construct a large expansive campus with multiple buildings to aid in giving students an education similar to one they could receive in the UK. Among the buildings is a gymnasium built next to their outdoor soccer pitch and tennis courts where we play volleyball. Perhaps the only indoor gym I have ever set foot in here in Africa, it certainly feels foreign. With wooden floors and a full size basketball court, this high prized facility stands erected by walls constructed of two thirds of the way up with brick and the top third with metal bars, allowing sunlight and ventilated air into the mostly indoor room. Lights hang from the ceiling sufficiently lighting the space and the rafters expand across the ceiling just high enough to avoid any interference with balls… most of the time :).

I have played volleyball inside here before when the rain has bucketed. Inside the aluminum roofed shelter the sound of pounding rain is deafening. You can forget trying to hear anyone yelling or even screaming -It’s that loud! You watch the ball bumped, set, and spiked but you never hear it's normal sound. Only the rain crashing above as loud as a thousand gunshots hitting the metal roof all at once can be discerned, it is truly remarkable.

The group that seems to return every week to play on a regular basis consists of expatriate foreigners who have come to Malawi for various reasons. Teachers from the international school, volunteers from various local NGO’s, international businessmen, and even a private guitar craftsman comprise our Wednesday evening social volleyball club. Among the regular attendees are those from the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Chile, France, and the U.S. Connected by our mutual love for the sport whether it be competitive or social, we are sure to have an experience that is exciting, amusing, and rewarding.  

This last week, however, we transformed our Wednesday evening social game into a legitimate competition against a team of medical professionals from the local prestigious College of Medicine in town. Their team arrived early, still dressed from work, but took this particular match seriously. Bragging rights were up for grabs! Comprised fully of Malawian born and raised medical professionals, their team took the fun meaningless competition to the next level. Volleyball etiquette was a fundamental part of their game. They even held mid-match team huddles during timeouts. Their actions showed a sense of seriousness, much to the lack of what we were used to. Their self appointed coach provided further mentorship from the sidelines. 

When the first whistle blew and the first serve was set the intensity swirled into the arena out of nowhere. Cries for help and shouts of assistance went back and forth as the ball ping ponged back and forth. Quick thinking was vital if it meant throwing off the other teams’ expectations. Balls hurled from spiked hands while bodies dove to recover and back and forth it went. It seemed the side with the advantage would be the team to overpower the other or make the play that proved impossible to return. Both teams fought consistently for four stressful matches but it in the end, it was our team that came away victorious having won the best of five.

Wednesday volleyball may not always result in rewarding gratification but the exercise and friendships make it worth it in the middle of a week riddled with monotony. I love my Wednesday evening social volleyball.