Backrow Digger!

Our youngest granddaughter, Klaire Michelle, recently completed her first volleyball camp in the nearby high school gym. She loved it! Klaire is a petite,yet athletic, nine-year-old who’s going into fourth grade. She, along with one hundred other campers, participated in a week of disciplined two-hour sessions that included instruction and hands-on (pun intended!) practice!

Hey Girl, Keep Diggin'!!

Both of our twin daughters played volleyball during their middle and high school years. They were short in statute, but gritty, daring, and highly competitive! They were our team’s best diggers long before the sport would designate specialists called Liberos, who excelled in backrow defense. Monique, their mother, continues to score for the Libero during high school volleyball games!

What makes a backrow specialist so valuable? They are agile, have quick hands, and are balanced on their feet. Diggers must get low enough to the floor to protect against the deadly hits of fierce tall hitters who love to “kill the ball” across the net with powerful and accurate swats of their arms and hands that translate into easy scores!

For years now, Klaire has been admiring and watching her mother, Melissa (who is her PE coach!), humble the toughest students (often boys!) with her fierce swats during dodgeball and volleyball class instruction. I think she has been dreaming of the day when she could follow her mom’s example and participate in similar competitive sports!

When asked what she hoped to get out of the camp experience, Klaire told her mom, “I want to learn how to dive on the floor! It looks like fun!” Go Klaire! She was referring to when the backrow digger lays out on the floor to “pancake” under the ball and pop it up with a flat hand bump. This defensive technique is artistry in motion and obviously takes some serious practice! It also helps to have some good knee pads! 😊

When I think of the role of a backrow digger, I think of “grunt work!” This expression may have its origin in the military, where a low-ranking soldier does the routine, grueling, and unglamorous physical work. Yet, these assignments are worn as a badge of honor and rite of passage by those in the trenches! Those individuals, doing the mundane and heavy lifting, are often overlooked, but as any organization knows, these folks are indispensable!

In a healthy marriage and family system, in addition to paid work assignments, there are many varied tasks that must be accomplished during a successful daily operation. These include meals that must be prepared, dishes to be washed, floors vacuumed and mopped, shopping to be done, bills to be paid, a yard to be mowed, bathrooms to be cleaned, kids to be shuttled here and there, and countless other duties that may be considered unglamorous. But each chore must be carried out by someone!

There is no place for feelings of being too important for the menial tasks. Each person must serve the other and the whole for there to be a happy and functioning family. Before the Apostle Paul instructed wives and husbands, he gave this overarching admonition, “And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21, NLT). Jesus gave the disciples an example of selfless service when he took the servant’s basin and towel and washed the disciples’ feet the night before His Passion. He then told them, “Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15). He was speaking of humble service! Later, He would give them this new commandment, “Love each other… Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35).

Volleyball is a team sport. (So is family life!) Each of the six persons on the floor (and those subs on the bench!) must “pull their weight” and do their assigned part for the team to be successful. Some days, it feels like a lot of mundane and unglamorous stuff without any appreciation coming your way. But remember, God is watching! He sees and knows! So, let’s keep digging for His glory!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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