Crystal Clear

Allow me to clarify a few things. First of all, and probably the cause of the most panic in my friends and family, my last blog was written on April 1st, better known as April Fool's Day. I did not actually hurt my wrist, I was just having a little bit of fun. I didn't realize so many people were reading already. I'm flattered, and thank you all for your sympathy, but fortunately I am not currently in need of it. Knock on wood.

A second clarification, I was asked by my coach, Lennard Krapp, to clear up something I said in a previous post. Jessi and I were not calling audibles on our practice schedule BECAUSE Lennard was in Ottawa, we would have made the same changes had he been here. Even when Lennard isn't around there are still qualified coaches at the scheduled practices, namely, National team assistant head coach, Angie Shen, and Volleyball Canada technical director, Rob Dyba. I meant no disrespect to them, but at this point in our training schedule, we aren't looking for skill based practices, we need more game related practices, which have been scheduled on our own time. Hopefully that takes care of that.

The third and final clarification: Toronto's weather. Though it doesn't need me to clear it up, it seems to have done so on it's own. The last few days, the temperature has jumped to over 20. We even managed to get a training session outside at Ashbridges Bay, one of Lake Ontario's beaches. Now not only are Maverick and I no longer the only ones who've played outside, we're also no longer the only ones to get sunburns. There were a few very red-faced volleyball players by the end of the session, Mav and I not being among them. We're just the cool guys with wicked tans.
By the end of the summer, with all the travel and outdoor exposure, and as long as we don't get skin cancer (again, knock on wood), we should all be bronzed Gods. Or, as Lennard likes to call us, tourists.

I've decided that since there seems to be a few more people reading now, and since I'm sure there is more that people want to know about me and my journey (There seems to be a never-ending amount of questions from my family at least), that my blog will from this point forward have an all request Saturday. At any point during the week, please feel free to comment on posts, email questions to me at bsaxto@gmail.com, even send me facebook comments and messages, and every Saturday I will respond to everything to the best of my ability. This weekend, I cleared things up in response to people's reactions. Next week I hope to respond to direct questions and comments, because this blog isn't just for me, it's for anyone and everyone who wants to be a part of the journey.

Cheers,

Ben Jammin