Confidence in Community…
When we started Mighty Oak at the beginning of 2021, we were still in the midst of the pandemic. We all wore face masks, knowing each other by half of our faces. As the pandemic slowed we all became comfortable going maskless once again, revealing ourselves to each other once again. For most of our students it was a relief, they couldn’t get their masks off quick enough. However, there were a few that kept their mask, not for virus protection but as a form of hiding.
Most of those who continued wearing masks were our older group of girls. Sometimes they would take them off to eat something at lunch, but others refused to budge even then, refusing to eat lunch in order to not shed their masks. All through last school year, the masks stayed on. Then, volleyball practices began last year.
MOA Lady Lions in the middle of a Rally
In volleyball practices, the masks began to slowly disappear. At first, they fought to keep the masks, pulling them under their noses to breathe better while practicing, picking them back up if they fell off. Eventually though, the masks fell and they didn’t go down to pick them back up. I’m not sure whether it was the girls only environment, or the inability to keep the masks on while jumping around and hitting the ball. Whatever it may have been, it helped them get comfortable without their masks. This year, the girls all returned to cclasses, but the masks didn’t.
It has been amazing to see this group of girls become more and more confident. Volleyball has only been a small part of this transformation as the girls have become more open with our whole school community, getting support and encouragement from other parents and staff within our community. While the confidence has definitely increased, we still get to see it continue to grow each day.
The Middle of an MOA Serve
If you have been keeping up with Mighty Oak recently, you have seen that volleyball practices have returned and the girls have been preparing for their first game. The first game was this past Monday. All day, our girls were unable to focus in class, a nervous excitement, an anxiety persisted in them. They all kept saying that they were going to lose, that they were going to get crushed and embarrassed, and the first set, that is exactly what happened. But then it switched.
After losing the first set 21-6, the girls didn’t hang their heads and let it tear down the confidence that they had begun to gain; instead, they got fired up. They came back strong, edging out a win in the second set by a few points. A crowd from Portland had traveled to the game, cheering them on, Portland residents who didn’t even have kids on the team, but who wanted to support neighbors and family friends. Two sets of bleachers were filled with Portland neighbors cheering on our Lady Lions. With this crowd cheering them on, they rolled to victory, dominating the third set and getting their first victory. Their excitement was amazing to watch, to feel the energy that they couldn’t contain, jumping around and screaming indescribable noises that I never knew middle school girls could produce, from pure excitement and happiness. We are thrilled to see our girls continue to get better at volleyball with more practices and game experience. However, even more than seeing them get better at volleyball, we are ready to see their confidence continue to grow and the positive effects it will have as it rolls into the community.
Ethan
Fish Fry SPECIAL Today 11am-7pm!!!
Come try out some hickory-smoked Baby Back Ribs, here for a limited time. Get a Half Rack for $7
Karaoke Next Friday 5:00-7:00 PM!!!
Come belt out some tunes with us next Friday as we have Karaoke at the Fish Fry from 5-7
If you are interested in volunteering or to find out more information about supplies needed please email: info@lovecityinc.org or call (502) 272-078.