If there is a will, there is a way. Building for volleyball.

Posted on 17/07/2012 by Drewmanity

Objective. Dig holes, lay out the land for a outdoor Volleyball court. Utilize recycled materials to create Volleyball posts. Let the kids help.

Here I’ve posted a few in the process pictures of Adam and I working on creating the two posts to put into the ground for the volleyball net to hang on. We needed to create holes deep enough but not too wide so he gave me his machete to dig with. Standard volleyball net posts for men are about 2.5 meters or 8 feet, international womens volleyball Height is around 7 feet. So this will work out great.

I felt that for the kids and playing outdoor on a uneven playing field it would be better for them to learn on something a little lower. So we created it to be around 7 feet so that girls could enjoy also.

making the volleyball net posts, and digging holes.

Eating in Germany interview with enjoyinghealthyfoods.com

Posted on 21/05/2012 by Drewmanity

It isn’t easy to acclimate entirely in a country that you just moved to and be expected to perform your best physically however when you job depends on it, and it depends on your optimal health, fitness, and volleyball performance then it sure is important to figure it out. Not only to eat right but to enjoy your life. As you may have been reading on my blog I have been playing volleyball in Germany this year our region is in the north west actually called Lower Saxony or as the spoken language says Niedersachsen. I must admit the foods and the lifestyle are a bit different than what I have been used to, so early on in September I made it a priority to not only eat healthy but to eat to be happy. Reading labels for nutritional facts is the hardest part of shopping.

A woman friend I know from the states, Lindsey who I actually went to high school with and still remain in contact with runs an eating healthy website that has some amazing recipes and tips for enjoying and eating healthy. She has created a little question and answer session that may bring some light to the questions some might have about foods in Germany. What do athletes eat? What do I eat? How are the foods different? I can say that all athletes are different, and some guys eat whatever they want, but for me I made it a point to try and eat for energy. Some questions she asked include

Since moving to Germany, how has your diet changed?
Are the foods (produce, meats, etc) that you are used to harder to find?
How was your diet before traveling to Germany?
What kind of foods did you eat?
How did your diet change once traveling to Germany?
What has been the hardest thing about eating healthy in Germany???

Read my answers, the article can be found at this link. http://enjoyinghealthyfoods.com/2012/05/21/2195/

Saying thanks and goodbye

Posted on 15/05/2012 by Drewmanity

My FiVB dream season has come to an end with extra icing on the cake! It’s been a ride with this team as FC Schüttorf 09 volleyball rises to the top.

Team FC09 in a final slide, giving thanks to the fans!

Winning the league championship in the 2011-2012 season our team advances into the Second Premier League, (2. Bundesliga) in Germany. At age 30 and my first year playing any international volleyball I am grateful for being able to play this year. It was indeed a battle training on and off the volleyball court growing as an athlete. I believed that this could happen…. but wow! Now it is over. We accomplished our goals this season, we did our jobs, had fun, worked hard as a team but mostly we believed. This hasn’t happened in many years for this program so it’s a great reward to help this team and the community. It paid to work my butt off, eat healthy, ice the knees, BELIEVE in myself, all to be a part of this moment in time.

It’s moments like this in life that I see why I pushed so hard mentally and physically through the dark valleys where it would have been easy to quit. Thank you to my family and friends and mentors around the world.

“If you believe it you can achieve it”

Leaving the game of volleyball to travel around the world

Posted on 10/05/2012 by Drewmanity

I’ve decided to retire from playing any competitive volleyball after this season in Germany and to spend the next year traveling around the world. I had to make some choices about my physical health and future and I have decided that life is here for the experiences. Volleyball has been amazing but now is the time to see other cultures and adventures around the world.