I don’t think I’ve felt this way since back in sophomore year of high school (way back in 2005) when my coach (Fernando Rodriguez) asked me to tryout for the libero position at Empire Volleyball. I remember being cut from the team. I was neither a libero or an experienced volleyball player so I can understand how that decision was justified, but I am not sure what happened here. I was ranked as a BB/A player. The rankings go as follows: Open, AA, A, BB, B. Here were the ranking for men who tried out (for all positions):
| Level | Player count |
|---|---|
| Open | 16 |
| AA | 18 |
| A | 26 |
| BB | 23 |
| B | 6 |
I was ranked BB/A. This ranking came along with the following quote:
The results are out! Please find your number below and recommended postion(s)/Level(s). The positons and levels are in order from left to right based on our observations and prior knowledge to tryouts on 12/8 at Saint Peters University.
This means I was ranked as a BB player first and then a potential A player. The rankings were supposedly made by individuals who had “never seen us play” (in order to keep things fair). Yet the spreadsheet providing the ranks states “… and prior knowledge to tryouts … ” I have never been so confused as to how my level of play has been ranked so poorly. I just wish I could know how these rankings were made. Let’s give me the upper hand and assume I was in the middle of all the BB and A players. This would put me 76.5 out of 89 players. Or stated slightly differently; 86% of all the men who tried out were better at playing their position than I was. As we were told, “If you are trying out for outside/right for open and we feel you are better as a setter in A then that is were we will put you”.
At least I can comfortably say I am a strong level B player now.
