Why Do Volleyball Players Celebrate After Every Point?

Volleyball is unpredictable. The momentum of a match can change because of one impressive kill or an unfortunate miscommunication. But there is one thing fans can always count on when watching volleyball: the teams' celebrations after every point. 

Win or lose, every point is met with huddles and high fives. 

Encouragement is consistent, and junior libero Mya Bolton has experienced this firsthand. 

Bolton transferred to Belmont last December from Michigan State and instantly felt the warmth and support of her new teammates. 

"They didn't really treat me as a friend; they treated me as family immediately. They took me under their wing, and they knew that we could do something special as a team," Bolton said. 

Their team bond is noticeable in the crowd. You can tell how much they care about one another just by watching them play and cheer each other on. 

Perhaps what sets this team apart and makes them so enthusiastic to celebrate is the foundation of their team: Mudita

Belmont head coach Fritz Rosenberg chose mudita as the team's word for the year and while it's rooted in the same belief, the players have different definitions for it. 

Bolton defines mudita as "unexplainable joy for each other." 

Sophomore setter Jordan Czajkowski and fifth year right-side hitter Brenna Kauffeld define it as "celebrating other people" and "being as excited for somebody else as you would be if you did their accomplishment," respectively. 

Through each of these players' experiences with mudita, Rosenberg is laying a strong groundwork for the team. 

"So we've adopted it this season and the girls have really enjoyed talking about it. We talk about it every day after practice, and I think it's led to a very cohesive team this year," Rosenberg said. "They're genuinely happy for each other. It doesn't matter who is having the success, but that we're all partaking in it." 

In their five-second huddle after each point, these women are definitely partaking in each other's joy. 

Czajkowski laughed when asked what she usually says first in a huddle: "I just scream!" 

After screaming, though, she said their huddle serves as "a reset." 

"I think it's also a chance to kind of slow things down for a second," Kauffeld said. "One thing that we've been trying to focus on this season is, as our coach says, we need to have a plan for whatever we're gonna do." 

Rosenberg echoed the sentiments of his players. 

He also noted how volleyball is different from other sports in the way they slow down. 

"Well, it's a unique sport in that we have a pause 48 times potentially a set, so I don't know 150 to 200 times a match, we have a pause in action," Rosenberg said. "And so you try to use that time to stay positive, take a breath, and reset, make any adjustments if you need to." 

Bolton emphasized that the huddle serves as both a time for hyping each other up and strategizing. 

"We're starting to find the balance of celebrating and then flipping our mindset to the next point and how can we defeat this team?" Bolton said. 

The team is constantly making sure their focus is on how the next point can be even better than the last. 

"I try not to let the previous point really change anything, because the next point is the most important point," Rosenberg said. "That's the only thing that matters in our world." 

The players know the importance of not getting too caught up in their celebration. 

They actively make sure they're prepared to fight for the next point. 

Instead, their celebrations for one another fuel them to be even better. 

This desire to maintain strength and readiness puts pressure on these women, however, they know that the pressure is a privilege. 

"It's such a privilege to have this opportunity to compete for your college," Bolton said. "I wear so much pride with the college on my chest." 

As Kauffeld's time on Belmont's volleyball team comes to an end after this season, she's looking back on how grateful she is to have had the opportunity to play here. 

"There's been plenty of difficulties that I've experienced, but I'm extremely grateful for all of it, and just all the things that I feel like it's allowed me to experience has shaped me into who I am as a person," Kauffeld said. "I'm just extremely grateful that this was a part of God's plan for me in my life." 

While being a student-athlete has shaped Kauffeld, the team's chemistry and dynamic off the court have been equally influential. 

"Team culture has been a big goal for us," Bolton said. "There's no separation on the team. Everybody's very inclusive and we're very good about celebrating each other off the court too." 

Rosenberg loves getting to watch these women grow in their relationships with one another just as much as they grow in their technical skills as players on the court. 

"College sports in general are hard, but it makes it so much better and worth it when you have such a good team surrounding you," Kauffeld said.