The Genesis of that which is Friday Night Volleyball

In the beginning there was only memory of Volleyball.

It was a time of which much has been forgotten. It was a time when those who are wise now were but babes, youthful and rash. Then upon the fertile hills of Wooster there came Choo, He of the Mighty Smash and Fraga, the One Who Clones. They had come from the eastern-most and the western-most parts of the great land that surrounded all that was Wooster. Together they forged a reality from the memories and the people of Wooster and created that which is known as Friday Night Volleyball.

Choo and Fraga gathered around themselves disciples, people of great import such as Morgan, he who levitates, Lantis, he who serves from odd places, Holly, the fair maiden with the mighty serve, and Meulia, she of many tongues. Together the two and their disciples forged a mighty union from Friday Night Volleyball and from which was borne the Temple of the Net. But few of the many who resided in Wooster would listen and many shunned the two and their disciples. And so it came about that He Who Clones began to preach in a loud and shakey voice of the glories of volleyball and beg others to share in the worship of the holy trinity; the roundball, the net, and the beer that cometh after and unites.

Thus was borne the Gospel of the Announcements. During this time it was difficult for the worshippers numbered few and were much put-upon by the evils of scheduling. This was as it was before the coming of Diane, seeress of events to come. It shall be known forevermore as the Time of Three on Three, for that is how they worshipped then before the Great Arrival of the Many and Varied Disciples.

And lo, through the wisdom of the force that maketh a roundball roll, success began to rain down upon the followers of the the trinity. New disciples gathered round to learn of the wonders of the volleyball and that which cometh after. And those who were disciples became wise and powerful; leaders in their own right who grew to stand beside Choo, He of the Mighty Smash and Fraga, He Who Clones. And it came to pass that the announcements were required no more and thus began the time of plenty, when new disciples came as old ones passed on. This time shall be known forevermore as the time of the Great Arrival of the Many and Varied Disciples.

And of the Many and Varied Disciples many wondrous stories can be told. For there is Clement, he of the long shadow and creator of the loud laugh; Malmon-Berg, deliverer of the linear balls; Chuck, he of the flat hand; and the great steadiness that is Wayne, he who is as calm and restful as the Great Plains of the land that surrounds Wooster. But these tales will follow in duetime in this book, which is the story of Friday Night Volleyball.

In this time of the Great Arrival of the Many and Varied Disciples, much was good and the people were happy. But it came to pass that not all manner of worship was truly proper. Nay, often that which was foul and that which was not foul were mixed as if of the same mother. All manner of play was thought blessed by the trinity for did they not originate from the followers of the trinity? But in the hearts of many there was doubt that all manner of action could be blessed, for did not the force that maketh the roundball roll also bestow judgment onto those who worship at the Temple of the Net? Could not these mere mortal worshippers judge in error?

And it came to pass that a manner of judgment came onto the worshipers. New disciples from afar came onto the worshippers and they knew what was foul and what was not; what was land bounded and what was not to be played. And so it came to pass that Wellington, she of the lofty balls and Dotson, he of the twisty balls came unto the worshipers of Friday Night of Volleyball. They sang a song of discipline and knowledge that caused the shells of ignorance to be cast down from the eyes of those who worshipped the roundball, the net that divides and the beer that cometh after and unites. And it was a great shaming that came upon those who saw that some things were foul and some were not and that they were mixed as if of the same mother.

And so came the time of the great revelations. The followers looked upon each other and were shamed by the mixing of the foul with the not foul, the bounded with the unbounded land. Blessed were they that saw wisdom in following the new commandments as set forth by the one known as ‘Usvba’ who was before and will be after Friday Night Volleyball but who is everchanging. And so a new light shown upon the followers who worshipped at the Temple of the Net. And this light laid out the 10 commandments from which we gain wisdom and keep the foul from mixing with the not foul. These commandments are here inscribed:

Thou shalt not cause a ball to land outside the boundaries that surround the Temple of the Net for this is foul and excessive.

Thou shall not dirty the net with unwashed hands for this is foul and unclean

Thou shall not lay hand too long upon the roundball as it journeys for this is foul and misguided

Thou shall not commit thy foot to lay in thy neighbors land for that is foul and hurtful

Thou shall not covet the ball for more than three touches before giving it to thy neighbor for that is foul and greedy

Thou shall not worship other sports on Friday for this is foul and diminishing to the brethren that worship along side you

Thou shall not cause the ball to touch the sacred net when in service of the Church for this foul and blasphemous

Thou shall not disturb the ball while in thy neighbor's land for that is foul and unneighborly

Thou shall not let the ball touch thy body beneath they belly for that is foul and shameful

Thou shall not step on the bounded land before thy service is complete for that is foul and hurried

And so it came to pass that worship was now guided by the word of Usvba, who was before and will be after Friday Night Volleyball but who is everchanging. And those who would worship the roundball at the Temple of the Net and who seek wisdom from the beer that cometh after and unites rejoiced.

In the pages that follow are the journeys of the Many and Varied Disciples as they sought perfect enlightenment from the roundball, the net and the beer that cometh after and unites. We will learn of the parting of Choo, He of the Mighty Smash, and the time of exile in the Land of Gault. Many legends are also included that teach us how the Temple of the Net guides us as we make our way in the world.

All say “Usvba guides and we follow. May the roundball forever roll, the net forever divide and the beer that unites always cometh after (whistle).”