Dallas — It’s obvious that a club sport is not the same as a Division I sport.
It gets less attention, more scrutiny and no money.
And despite all of this, many club sports do very well.
It̢۪s always been a habit of mine to follow club sports for a reason many are too ignorant to see.
The athletes are down to earth and deserve everything they̢۪ve achieved because they have worked for it.
Not saying other teams don̢۪t work to get where they are, but their work doesn̢۪t usually include paying dues and travel expenses or negotiating for a place to practice.
The atmosphere at the volleyball nationals at the Dallas Convention Center was very busy with a lot of club teams competing.
The set up was not ideal as balls were flying from one court onto another and whistles blowing every second.
How anybody could keep their concentration is beyond me. The crazy atmosphere didn̢۪t seem to have a huge effect on people̢۪s concentration, which was pretty easy to see.
When any team was fired up, you could see it in their faces and in the way they played.
Take, for example, Fresno State̢۪s game against Michigan State.
The Bulldogs lost to Colorado earlier in the day and when they stepped onto the court to play Michigan, the fire was in their eyes.
The intensity of their kills and power behind every shot demonstrated how important it was to win the game.
After that game, it was time to find out if the Bulldogs would in fact be first in the pool still going into Saturday.
The game that would determine that fate was an intense match of cheers and celebration as Buffalo beat Colorado, 2-1.
More exciting was the fan “section.â€Â Fresno State’s team, along with a few Buffalo fans, watched from the side, cheering every time Buffalo got one point closer to beating Colorado.
When they sealed the deal, the reaction off the court was more intense than the one on it.
They tried to tell me it was good sportsmanship, but I think the main reason was so Fresno State would keep the No. 4 overall rank.
The No. 4 ̢۪Dogs deserved that rank, too. In fact, the lady I spoke to knew of Fresno State and told me that she was happy her son was playing in Division II. Apparently, playing Fresno State is like a death wish to her.
The turnout to Saturday̢۪s matches was another indication of just how a reputation is building for Fresno State. Not just the people watching, but what they say.
The Sacramento State men̢۪s team said they were pulling for the Bulldogs to win it.
And although Fresno State men̢۪s volleyball might not be well know and popular in the Division I world, they̢۪ve earned the respect at the club level.
At Saturday̢۪s game against Illinois to determine who would be playing for the national title, it was Fresno State̢۪s turn to have the support from the competition.
Illinois had its fans and the Bulldogs had most of the teams from California on their side.
It was exciting to see all the teams watching and cheering on the ’Dogs — almost like a bonding experience.
Especially after UC Davis, Long Beach State, UCLA, Cal and San Diego State were all eliminated in the first and second rounds.
And even though Fresno State didn̢۪t make it to the championship game, they still garnered respect.
After all, finishing with a No. 3 ranking in the nation isn̢۪t too shabby.
That may not mean much to the average person, but it speaks volumes in club. And once you̢۪ve experienced it first hand, you realize it̢۪s a world all its own.