VOLLEYBALL OUTREACH

St. Matthew’s host outreach volleyball for all ages. We cater to new players to the more advanced. We are looking for outside financial support for this very popular  and needed Outreach Ministry into the local community. Please contact the Church if you are interested in helping us. ALSO we challenge any team!

For over five years now, St. Matthew’s has had a volleyball outreach at the YMCA in Dayton.

Why Volleyball?

One of the great things about the sport of volleyball is that just about any athletic person can play: short, tall, young, old, thin or thick, which to me means that it’s an opportunity for adults and young people to get together, be active and have fun. The beauty of it is, it teaches social skills. I’ve heard it said that a team is only as good as its weakest player, which means that when we play the more experienced players encourage and guide the newer player to get better. Sometimes teams win against the odds. It’s often because though they’re not as powerful; they cooperate and encourage each other. A good player makes a weaker player better by letting them play their part, not by ignoring them. The team that starts making one of its players feel bad creates discord and rarely wins, no matter how good they think they are. It is a great lesson for life: people tend to improve when they are in a positive environment. Encouragement goes a long way and insults destroy confidence. I think we all experience this out on the court. And that’s what makes volleyball an excellent outreach. Good clean fun, adults and kids working together on the same teams, and lessons about life are wound all in the game.

Unfortunately the outreach is at risk. The YMCA has raised its fees and St. Matthew’s can no longer financially support the outreach. We are seeking other places to play and are considering using the Bledsoe County Middle School gym on Friday nights. For further information please contact Ellie or Jack Pickett at 423-775-9569 or pickettellie@yahoo.com.