Notorious D.I.G. surprised me. They hit the free agent market hard and picked up several new faces, including some barrel-chested men. The core of D.I.G. has remained constant for several years under the direction of their cheerful leader N’Deye. N’Deye may not be the best player on her team, but her leadership style of friendly perseverance shows that you don’t have to be the star player to be a successful leader. In recent seasons I’ve trashed D.I.G. for playing below what I felt to be their potential. They have a serious physical presence this year and I definitely expect them to be a contender.

The Independent Team/My Team Bad matchup surprised me a little. There was some good volleyball being played in that match, and although the Indys dropped all three games, don’t expect them to roll over in the coming weeks. MTB played well and really held control of the match throughout. I didn’t see the kind of talent and teamwork to come from behind on one of the league’s top teams, but they played exceptionally well while ahead. If they get a lead, I can see them shocking the top tier.

Formerly We Also Get It Up, now Served With Ice (my team this season) surprised me with the first no-show forfeit I’ve seen in a long time. My personal bias aside, let this be a lesson to you all. If you don’t show, you have 0 chance of winning. Also, you’ve robbed your opponent of a competitive match. We all like to win, but we’re in a recreational league because above all we love to play. I’d be derelict if I didn’t mention the no-show fine. We at iTZ want this to be a policy that never needs to be implemented. However, we must uphold our duty to the league as a whole. As League Manager I’d like to thank Omar and Beach Patrol for being gracious in an empty victory. They definitely have the sportsmanship and class to match their championship hardware. It also shows they are focused on one goal, repeating.

What didn’t surprise me? The play of We Always Get It Up. They played D.I.G., a veteran team, but they were never a factor. Circle the week you play them on your schedule, it’s the week you can get 3 hours sleep and start drinking tequila at 9am – and still win all three games.  I’m not surprised at all by Nuthin But Net’s 3-0 week either. They played Sand Kings and Queens, an entry-level team, but NBN has a history of taking care of bidness early in the season. Within this team there are a couple stories.

Miss Shayla is here y’all and she’s ready to play. I’ve been her teammate in the past and I’ve seen the lava stirring and boiling inside. On the outside she’s petite, southern-style soft spoken, clad modestly and doesn’t swear (weird, I know.) A picturesque mountain. But the volcano is about to erupt. I’ve seen her grow weary of losing. She used to border on being afraid of the ball when it came her way. Now? She wants the ball. She wants to win. On the other side of the coin, I’m not surprised that Michael still doesn’t have full confidence in his teammates. Yes, there are volleys where he touches the ball 6-7 times consecutively, and when in position he makes good plays. But I urge you Michael, your team will never make it from mid-pack to top-tier if you don’t adjust to the improving talent around you. Going for a ball when you aren’t in good position costs your team points. I want to see the top-tier of this league, become this league. I’m on your side brutha, have a little faith and the wins will start piling up.

The most competitive match of the day was between Hot & Spikey and Chi-Town Fusion, which didn’t surprise me, although it probably surprised the Fusion. They haven’t changed – at all. This is some good but more bad. They have physical talent abound, easily the most athletic team overall in the league. But, they have to be athletic because they play frenzied, not poised. They are former indoor champs, a more competitive and faster-paced league than the beach, where their spirited style served them well. But, the same energy they use to fly around the ball often spills over and causes in-fighting. Yes, Fusion took 2 of the 3 games, but I see it as the beginning of their demise. Hot & Spikey on the other hand, is on the rise and played better than their 2 losses would suggest. Spikey is stepping through the threshold from a n00b to veteran team, and it shows. They aren’t just trying to keep pace anymore, they are playing to win. They are in the bottom half of the league when it comes to athleticism, but because they are learning to minimize their mistakes and keep volleys going, it almost doesn’t matter. For example: Watching Beach Patrol play can get boring…why? They don’t typically fly around the court chasing their own ill-played balls, or get caught out of position by their opponent’s returns, thus they appear to not be playing hard. And yet, they win – often. Conversely, Chi-Town Fusion is a spectator’s dream. They’re vocal, well-conditioned, and exciting to watch. But many of their exciting plays are the result of miscommunication, bad passing, and poor positioning. They win, but are trending towards mid-pack rather than top-tier.

By the time the payoffs arrive, I predict a top 4 of the Beach Patrol, Notorious D.I.G., Nuthin But Net and one of the rising mid-pack teams, My Team Bad or Hot & Spikey. I see the Independent Team finishing mid-pack alongside Chi-Town Fusion, and the rest in the basement. A very important note, we have back-to-back weeks of double-header play this season. Fatigue slows the body and clouds the mind, leaving good habits and fitness to rely on for the win.

The illustration above is meant to represent the feeling some of us get when we think of joining a league as an indy player. Well, it’s false – a fallacy – a wretched untruth.

I have played on several indy teams in my time with iTZ and acceptance is not something you compromise when you join as an individual. As a matter of fact, indy teams socialize together often. The irony to this situation is pre-formed teams are usually built from a pre-existing social circle. The players know each other, but may not necessarily be social in general. On the other hand, indy teams are fundamentally full of social people, just in the fact they are willing to play on a team with new people. Another cool aspect of indy teams is the players are ‘big-picture’ types. They are there to have fun, break a sweat, and enjoy their time away from work and other responsibilities. It’s very rare that an indy team has infighting – it’s a guarantee with pre-formed teams. So in my opinion, joining a league as an individual is a great move if your intentions are holistic about recreational sports.

No different than any other situation or decision, there is a flip side. If you are confused about your role in the sports world, (you think a gross injustice has been done upon you – you are better than those scrubs on TV) then do NOT join an indy team. If your significant other demands that you be headed home on the first thing smokin after a game, indy teams are not for you. If you are a drill sergeant about attendance to practice or games, steer clear of an indy team. If you plan to hook up with a teammate on the creep – well, actually an indy team *may* work for that…but I digress.

In summary, joining a league as an indy player is a really great way to meet new people and improve your skills in your sport of choice. You probably won’t win the championship that year, but that may be a diamond in the rough in itself. If you’ve once been a decent player in your sport, but life has kept you off the field/court then an indy team is a great place to set your own personal agenda of performance, with minimal pressure from the team. On a personal level, indy teams help build team skills – not in a sports sense, in a life sense. Dispute resolution, crisis management, rewards systems…you won’t find an OB class any cheaper! You’ll win some games, have a great time, and who knows, if you stick together for a season or two, you can rise to become a contender for the trophy.

Nothing but Net, at only 1 game under .500 had a respectable season. They play with vigor and compete for every game. They play within themselves, and don’t make the game harder than it need be. They don’t play bump-set-spike typically, but you better be ready to volley. Most of their points are won by mistakes from their opposition. Given that they currently sit in the final playoff spot, pending the last week, that’s not bad at all. In my opinion, more teams should follow their lead and simply play the game their players can play.

Hot and Spikey is a fun team to watch. They have some accomplished players on their squad, mixed in with some novices. You’ll see basic volleys, but don’t get lulled to sleep – they have a set + spike tandem that can electrify the gym. They sit at 1 game above .500 with one week to go. They draw a tough match against the #1 team this week, but they are only 1 game out of second place. While this doesn’t change who they play, it can definitely give them momentum going into the #2 vs #3 matchup. They could be #3 stinging from losses, or #2 flying high on wins. This week is big for them.
I made a statement above that more teams should “play the game their players can play.” The assumption I’m sure, was that lower-to-mid tier teams shouldn’t try to do cross-court passes or spike from the backcourt. But in the case of Chi-town Fusion, I feel they don’t play the game their players are capable of playing. This is an extremely athletic team, and they often use every ounce of it, just to get the third ball over. Instead of playing like chaos wrapped in elastic, a mass of confusion that snaps back into place at the last moment, this team should be methodically dissecting opponents. Their roles should be more clearly defined by now, this is a former champion team and they know each other well. They are in 2nd place by 1 game, only 3 games above .500. I think they’re better than that. But, I was fooled by another team this season. Maybe Chi-town isn’t what I think. Maybe they are just the best of the rest, without putting any pressure on the #1 spot.
Da Heavy Hitters are atop the standings, and have held control of the league pretty much from the beginning. Many familiar faces mean poise during the games. Lots of talent, lots of athleticism, and experience to boot, it’s not a surprise they are #1. What’s their secret? Crisp, accurate passing. I’ve seen this team win entire games with their players taking only a step or two in any direction. They don’t expend themselves chasing their own balls around the court. If you want to score against this team, you better score yourself; they won’t give you many points. The majority of their players are a vBall triple-threat. That is they are comfortable and effective digging, passing, or attacking. If they can do it all, how can they be beat? It’s an often repeated cliché, but their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. Because they excel at moving the ball and not their players, they can get caught by surprise if the pace of the game is torrid. Poise can become complacency, confidence can become arrogance. They have a team of athletes that can run, jump and dive. But they get spoiled sometimes by not having to play their best game to win. Then you have the intangible. The indoor title has eluded this team several times before. When the title was on the line, they have faltered in one way or another. I’m not predicting a fall from grace but Da Heavy Hitters have been here before, leading the standings all season long, and they have gone home without the hardware. What’s it gonna be this time guys?…

I am as sad as anyone to see another beach season, (and summertime in Chicago) behind me. But, I look forward to Fall indoor vBall just as much as I hate to see the summer go. Beach vBall is fun in the sun, being social on the sand. In the midst of that is some good vBall being played as well. But, indoor is a different story…

The sound of the waves and wind is gone, traded for the squeak of rubber soles and the boom of the ball hitting the floor. The endless blue skies are traded for sturdy iron rafters that should be avoided at all costs. The imperfect, forgiving net on the beach, known to sway in the breeze and develop a sag for later games has been demoted…fired if you will. Its replacement taut, perfect, and unforgiving. The ambient sounds of kids and adults playing in the lake gone, replaced by shouts of approval, and disapproval from teammates waiting to rotate in. On top of all, the playing surface is the biggest adjustment. The sand is like that one aunt or uncle at family gatherings…you know the one. You would rather be with your Honey, or playing Madden, or any number of things. But try as you might, you couldn’t get out of attending. Scornful, you plod about until you see that aunt or uncle. They know just what to say: cracking a joke, handing you a drink, whatever it takes to get you start having a good time. Before it’s over you had a great time. The sand mocks us all, regardless of physical prowess. It cushions our falls and moderates the pace of all games. Its talent for making the games fun for all, unmistakable.

Enter the hardwood.

Cushion? Forget it. The hardwood has a definite bias for the quick and agile, holding fast for those that dare press their joints and muscles to the limit. If mobility is your weakness, the hardwood throws it in your face. There is only one way to get this surface on your side: play hard and fast. It rewards sharp changes of direction and dogged sprints. Like to play above the net? The hardwood will help you up, but you’re on your own coming down…

The indoor league this year isn’t the biggest, but I believe that means only the cream of the crop dared join. There is only one Indy team, but don’t be fooled, many of them have indoor and outdoor iTZ experience. Gone is the juggernaut We Run This. Present are 6 teams, willing, hungry, and able. Week 1 saw a fantastic match between former champs Chi-Town fusion and upstart Hot and Spikey. Chi-Town weathered the storm, but they did not expect to be tested so early. Former beach champion Da Heavy Hitters also suffered a blemish in Week 1 at the hands of Notorious D.I.G. In recent seasons D.I.G. has had a fall from grace, so to speak. But they have some free agent additions this year that seem promising, namely a hard serving little spitfire that made her presence felt in Week 2. Keep your eye on them…when attendance isn’t an issue. The Indy team took some lumps in the first two weeks as well, but as I mentioned before, if they can get some chemistry, they have talent. Nothing But Net is slowly becoming a formidable team, building valuable experience by playing in both indoor and beach seasons. I see one flaw: they are mostly female, but their male player has the tendency to hog the ball. If he can learn to trust his teammates, this team will be very dangerous. Da Heavy Hitters have many familiar faces, but a couple new ones, namely a strapping tower of a man that hovers above the net to deliver laser-like spikes. Like most hitters however, if he can be forced to play defense and chase balls, the spring in those legs will diminish as the game goes on.

Week 3 should see less attendance issues as the teams get adjusted to the new season. Expect some great action and be sure to bring your cameras to capture it all. Also, there have been some edits to the rules, so be sure to familiarize yourself before taking the court.

It’s time to get down to business…With a ten-team league this year, the playoffs aren’t guaranteed. The top eight teams play on, the bottom two get put out to pasture, relegated to spectators…trying to keep their tears from falling in their drinks.

Last week saw 4 out of 5 matches won by 3-0 sweeps, a sign that the cream is rising. Two matches in particular: Danger Zone vs We Always Get It Up, and Sets in the City vs Nothin But Net, were very definitive in the standings. With 3-0 sweeps, Danger Zone and Sets in the City moved ahead of their rivals in the standings. Sets in the City improved to 4^th overall, which is big in an 8-team seeding. However, Danger Zone’s match sweep could potentially carry much more weight. Previously in the basement of the league and in danger of elimination, they…*ahem* we now sit in a tie for the final playoff position.

One week in the regular season remains. The top of the standings looks very familiar with the reigning beach champs, Da Heavy Hitters at the point, Beach Patrol in 2^nd, and Chi-Town fusion in 3^rd. Don’t read too much into the order however. On any Saturday morning, either of these teams could leave you scratching your head wondering how you only scored 5 points in a game to 21. Personally, I’m the most afraid of Chi-Town. They dropped 2 out of 3 games last week and my guess is, they plan to extract their pound of flesh from their next vict…I mean opponent.

The next week’s weather is due to be very mild and overcast. This will allow all the teams to perform at a maximum level, aside of average conditioning. This means all out, nothing-hits-the-sand action! If you’re planning to attend the games as a fan, bring a football, ball & glove, or soccer ball, there’s plenty of beach to play on and with clouds in the forecast, your tan won’t get any work.

This is the best 1^st half of a beach vBall season I can recall, despite my team, Danger Zone getting off to a slow start. (Don’t sleep on us!) The league is robust this year, boasting 10 teams. This means many familiar faces, and the pleasure of meeting many new ones. The vBall sidelines are extremely social, if you are reading this and aren’t a member of the league, I encourage you to join us as a spectator. The action this year is amazing.

I’ve mentioned this in previous newsletters, but it’s worth repeating. Just a few seasons ago this was a league that had only two teams competing for the trophy, and four or so others just battling to stay out of the basement. Chi-Town Fusion was the first to crack this mold, and now there are all kinds of talented teams seeping through onto the premiere stage. A look at the standings tells the story right away. The reigning beach champs, Da Heavy Hitters sit atop the standings, which itself is not surprising. But, they are not undefeated as they have been at mid-season many times before. As a matter of fact, they are only one game ahead of Beach Patrol. This team has many faces from "You Got Served," a contending team in recent seasons. Not surprising they are doing well, but 10 – 2 is pretty damn good. Then you have Chi-Town Fusion tied with Nothin But Net at 9 – 3. This team (Nothing But Net) is a big surprise in my opinion. Although most of the players have been around the league, both on the beach and indoor, I don’t think many would have expected them to be tied for the third-best record. On the other side of the surprise coin is Notorious D.I.G. This team has been together for several seasons, and in all seriousness, have the talent to contend for a trophy. Why they are below .500 is a mystery to me. That being said, I’m in no hurry to play them. Despite a sub-par record, they have good team chemistry, height (which we know can’t be taught) and they play for fun. At any time they could go on a streak, leaving ribbons and shards of their opponents behind. And they’d do it laughing with great sportsmanship.

At mid-season, the top five teams are .500 or better, the bottom five below .500. A poetic distribution indeed. Another departure from a few seasons ago will be the elimination of two teams when the playoffs start. No more limping through the entire regular season with a guaranteed playoff berth…these next few weeks will make or break some dreams. But all is not lost yet! There’s plenty of volleyball left to play. The schedule has many of the mid-pack and lower-seed teams playing each other in the coming weeks, which can drastically shake things up. I’m excited to see, (and play) the next few weeks!

–TreoBenny

A few items on the agenda this week:

1. ALL leagues are back to their regular schedules this week. Hope you enjoyed your week off.

2. For all of those that were unaware that Tennis was not happening last week we apologize for that over-site. It was announced at the first session of tennis but some of you were not at that session. We ARE having class this week at 39th and Cottage Grove.

Also, we have only had ONE session of tennis so we are excepting late registrants until THIS Thursday at 5:00 p.m. Email me to let me know if you would still like to sign up.

3. Flag football Summer starts this weekend. Registration deadline is THIS Wednesday at midnight. The cost is $650 a team and $70 per individual.

If your team is not coming back but you still want to participate…LET US KNOW…we will find a team for you to play on!!!

Rules updates, schedules and other pertinent info will be available on Thursday after registration closes.

Congrats to our Spring league champions….DYNASTY!!! They pulled out a hard fought victory vs. a VERY game Generals squad.

Also we would like to apologize to anyone that misread the last newsletter. There was some wording in there that could have been misconstrued as threatening to a player and if anyone took offense we apologize.

Last note: the newsletter and all-star game are added benefits of the league and are supposed to be FUN. If these things continue to be a source of contention rather then sheer enjoyment we will eliminate them to reduce any confusion and frustration for our participants.

4. Our next White Sox Outing is July 17th and game time is 7:11 p..m.
Tix for this game are $42 dollars each. These are box seats this time, some of THE best in the house. We have already sold 30 tickets so act FAST if you would like to attend.

5. Basketball registration is swiftly approaching (August 1st), so get your teams together and get that money in NOW! $700 a team and $80 per individual.

All schedules are posted on our website at www.officialinthezone.com. If you have not already done so please join our fan page on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/inthezonechicago to get the latest and swiftest updates.

See you guys in the zone this week!

Brian Foster
iTZ

Offense (Ladies) – Amber (Quiet Storm), Jeanine (Generals) Aaron (Dynasty), Denise (Panthers),

Ladies (Defense) – Tiffany (Panthers), Saran (Dynasty), Joan (Quiet Storm),

QB’s – Donnie (Panthers) and Ashley (Dynasty)

Guys (Offense) – Cliff (Panthers), Magic (Dynasty), Vernard(Generals), Danny( Panthers), Astin (Dynasty)

Guys (Defense) – Brian (Panther), TK (Panthers), Phokiss (Generals), Durell (Dynasty), Brandon (Dynasty)

Coach – Thom (Quiet Storm)

West Squad – Arsenal, Onyx, TDG, Aftermath and Reckless Abandon

Ladies (Offense) – Samantha (TDG), Deb (Onyx), Chariya (Arsenal), Laura(Arsenal)

Ladies (Defense)- Peachy (TDG), Erin (Arsenal), Rose (Reckless), Diamond (TDG)

QB’s – John (Arsenal), Thriller (TDG)

Guys (Offense) – Daryl (Reckless), Alvin (Arsenal), Javon(Onyx), Felix (TDG), Roc (Reckless)
Guys (Defense) -  Corey (TDG), Derrick (TDG), Randall (Onyx), Ricky (Arsenal-Injured), George (Aftermath), Xavier (Aftermath)

Coach – Aston (TDG)

Congrats to all who were selected!!! Captains, please be sure to alert your players they have been selected and to please show up and impress us with their skills!

There will be a few rule changes to spice up the game this year. The count will be shrunk to 3 thousand instead of 5 thousand…..there will be NO zone defenses allowed, all man to man…1 point conversion’s can be returned for one point…and a first down is every THREE cones instead of every TWO….You are the best of the best right???? Prove it!!!