Varsity Volleyball Final

Volleyball Varsity Girls

Objectives of this activity were to become together as a team (learning team work) and aim at winning the tournament. And also developing volleyball skills were important. For individual, I focused on serve receive and digging line and angle hits. I set my goals that when I dig the ball, I have to be aggressive and call it, then give the ball to just in front of our setter.

In the games, I played outside. I tried to be calm every time and do the services constantly. Volleyball is a team sport. We needed lots of support the team ourselves especially when we start losing points badly. Enthusiastic and encouragement helps to be more positive during the game. I was encouraging the team whenever we lost the points. And also, I came to the practices everyday except when I had a track meet in Seychelles. The number of times I had attended was pretty good I think. In practice, I always tried to improve myself more, such as spikes and service.

For this season, I think our team confidence was very high enough to beat other team and we worked hard a lot to get there.  Our teamwork was the best. When we have player who is off her form, substitute could play very well instead of her and also when someone made a mistake, teammate and captains cheer up the team and brings more power to us.

I was in varsity from last year, but I was still freshman, so I couldn’t play in the game that much. However, this year, I became a regular member who is always playing in the game. Even in ISSEA team, I was just playing libero position. This was the big change and I think I actually improving my skills every game.

When I missed service, I feel very sad and mad at myself. I’ve noticed I need more stronger mental to be ready for pressure especially in the game. I can do well in the practice, but when I am playing in the game, I am more nervous and it makes my body stiff like stone. This is my problem that I have to solve next year.

Team sport is more passion able, exciting and fun. I’ve been playing volleyball and track and field at the same time this season. I thought our volleyball team is more comfortable for me because of our object, victory, seemed hard, but everyone in our team was facing toward it. I liked how our team can together strongly.

I was afraid of expressing myself and call for ball by using big voice last year, but this year, I could call for ball and cheer for our team. It helps me to be more comfortable in English situation. I want to use these teamwork skills and positive thinking for studying and doing services next year.

Varsity volleyball game@RVA

We, varsity volleyball team are winning all games so far. We had games against Rosslyn twice, West Nairobi twice and RVA once. We has been practicing since March for this tournament and we actually made a lot of progress. Especially our serve receive skills raised. This was the second game against RVA. 

RVA is very far away from ISK, so girls and boys team left there at 8:00 in the morning on Saturday. We were exciting before this game because we are now top of the tournament and this game will decide weather we are on final surely. 

Our start was very good and everyone had passion. However, in second game, we couldn't bring our full of energy and made a lot of mistakes. We lost second set, but in third and forth sets, our condition got better and of course we won against RVA. Lat year, we made to finals and played against RVA, but we lost it. 

This year, we didn't lose any games and are top of the tournament. We have a final on wednesday and we don't know who will be against us yet. We have two more practices. Our coach is leaving this year, so we really want to win this tournament and present victory to our coaches. GO LIONS!!!

Varsity Girls Volleyball Team 2012

SAGANA Trip (Service)

My IC trip was SAGANA. We did a lot of outside activities and also helped to make passage at the local school. We had to mix small rocks and sand first and after that mix with concrete, too. Carrying rocks and sand took so long time because the pile was pretty big and we had to carry them by a gin block every time. We were making it during the school day, so many students were staring at us while their brake. When we are mixing concrete, sand and rocks together, we also had to add water. Well was a bit far from mixing place, so we carried water many times by using buckets.

This activity was manual work. It was first time to help these kinds of making and mixing concrete. I’ve realized that many Kenyan local schools don’t have enough education equipment or buildings. The school we helped also didn’t have windows in the classroom. It is so sad that we cannot help all of them, but at least we could help them to make a proper passage in front of classroom. Our team work was very well and we could finish it quickly.  

Track and Field

Track and Field

I have been joining track and field from last year. Objectives as a team are to be stronger and get good results in the track meets. Especially in the second semester, we only had a track meet in Ethiopia and Seychelles, so basically we practiced for these big events.

Our practices were on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We trained with track coaches in ISK and also form outside. My events were 200m, discuss, shot put, long jump and 4X100m. Track is individual sport, so I had to fight against my self to break my record.

For splinting event, I trained arm and leg’s form especially elbow. Right form makes faster. I tried to change my running form and starting form. When I used start block, I cared about how gradually speed up from the start and how I can hold 100% of power until the end. For throwing event, I focused on how to move my legs when I finished throwing and how I can get power from footwork. It is difficult to change the habit of form.

In Seychelles, we became together as a team to support our teammates during the events. It was very hot in Seychelles, so it was very hard to do track events under the burning sky. Results were pretty good.

From track training, I think my endurance raised and it is good for other sports as well.

I want to continue Track and Field next year.

Seychelles Invitational Track meet 2012

At the hotel

ISK team on the newspaper!!! 

Opening Ceremony

200m Final

Art Sco. Final

Art Sco.

This was the first time to join Art Sco for me. Objectives were helping events for art or drama and also mural painting at the soda company in Kibera and school. I wanted use my creativity skills and learn how we can organize art events. During mural painting, we could become together as a group and learn teamwork.

Mostly our jobs were selling tickets for plays and designing and painting mural. In the beginning of the year, we painted walls of soda company in Kibera and theme was don’t be bad people who is like smoking, drinking alcohol, rape someone etc. We painted people who succeed and bad people each and put word in Kiswahili. For school mural, we designed it ourselves and painted. We also organized talent show in October. I thought it was very successful. We invited performers form other school and judges. Audience could enjoy it and performers were quite happy with this event.

For mural painting, it was difficult to continue drawing for several months because each time different people come to paint and someone has to explain instructions.

I’ve learned how to organize big event like talent show and how we can support theater events as well. Our jobs are not obvious to everyone but I like to be back people. 

MATUMAINI (Service)

I went to MATUMAINI for volunteer. MATUMAINI calls Save Children Center. They have about 20 orphans and also they are helping single mothers by giving them jobs that is making felt animals. Those felt animals are sold at giraffe center, some hotels and ISK PTO shop.

I stayed there for three days. I helped to make children's food, clean the floor, drawing water and making felt animals. When I have nothing to do, I played with children and thought Japanese folding paper. They were very meek and gentle children. In MATUMAINI, electricity was not stable, and when they take a bath, they have to draw water form the river and boil it themselves. I was surprised that they are independent. When they've reached age of 15, they have to go to high school and supported from MATUMAMINI for money, or go to technical school and get the job. So, I helped older children 's math and science homework as well. I am visiting that place once in a month.

ISSEA Volleyball

I was selected as a team of ISSEA volleyball. We practiced from August to November. Our team trained three or four times in a week and we played some games with other kenyan team just for practice in October. We won that games and got gold medal.

From November 1st to November 3rd, ISSEA Volleyball took place in Johannesburg. I stayed at the boarding house in American International School of Johannesburg. There are seven teams and we had a tournament in three days. As a result we had got 3rd place. It was not our goal, but we really enjoyed to play volleyball and I could learn how team sports work well. I think I gained my volleyball skills form those games and practices. It was great experience.

Departure

Third Place!!!

ISSEA Boys and Girls Volleyball Team 2011