I have to admit, I wasn't super pumped about playing our National Championships this week. That will sound strange to some I'm sure, but if I'm being honest, I would have rather taken a break from volleyball for the one week that I was at home, and maybe go camping with the family.

But, as I discovered throughout the weekend, there still is something very special about playing on home soil (or sand), in front of friends, family, coaches, and sponsors, that made playing the National Championships quite enjoyable. We play so many events in foreign countries, we sometimes forget what it's like to play on familiar ground, with our supporters right there on the sidelines, cheering for every play. It is part of what makes this sport such a joy to play - the intimacy and interaction with the crowd, which is sometimes lost at the international events where spectators are the "official" distance away from the court, and seemingly less familiar with the athletes.

But playing those matches on the Sunday, with so many recognizable faces in the crowd - a bunch of spectating volleyball junkies cheering on their favorite playing volleyball junkies - made it much more worthwhile than I expected.

Thanks to all who made it down to Ashbridge's Bay to watch the matches. I hope you got your fix. I sure did.