In concrete terms, what does this ideology mean? Stronger players would win a lot of consecutive points simply by using their powerful overhand serves. The teammates of stronger players can pretty much sit down and have a rest. The game, in such cases, devolves to a single player playing - not 12. Serving to win a point on the serve is clearly absurd; it negates the social, collective, and cooperative nature of the game. Most of the stronger players now understand this absurd and unjust situation and now serve underhand. The quality of the game has in no way deteriorated, for these players still smash hard at the net, but the efforts of the other eleven players contribute to the scoring of points. More attention is now given to serving as a means of beginning a rally rather than in an effort to quickly decide a point. Players are now more regularly getting the service in the court thus showing more respect for the other 11 players.

In April 1974, on the advice of Patrick Hary, at that time technical director of the Quebec Volleyball Federation, I phoned a Montreal civil servant by the name of Verschelden in the Service des sports. I wanted him to help install volleyball courts in downtown Montreal.

Although 1974 was during the reign of Montreal's autocratic Mayor Jean Drapeau, Verschelden was very positive on the phone. He asked me one question: "Was the volleyball for adolescents or adults?" "For adults", I immediately replied. I was thinking of the volleyball affinity group I had been playing with over the previous two winters at a local community gym... "Good idea", Verschelden said. "Can we meet later today?" At 3 pm we met and he drove me around Jeanne Mance Park. At the southern extremity of the park was flat and barren unused space. "Let's install the courts here", he said. "I'll call you when everything is ready".

In May of that year, city workers began installing posts on the grounds. In late June, Verschelden phoned and asked me to pick up the nets and balls at his office. We started on the St. Jean-Baptiste weekend and have played volleyball there each summer since. We played that whole summer. We started out on Thursday evenings - moving our indoor game outdoors - and gradually expanded to seven days. Responsible players, like Terrence Regan and myself, would put up and take down the net each time. Everything is done on a voluntary basis; no one is paid.

Now we have four courts. The City permits us to store the nets and balls at an adjacent depot - to which many players have the keys - and so it is easier to install the nets. Women and men play together and the players vary in age from 18 to 70. We have had participants from over 110 countries. On some summer Sundays up to l00 people have come to play and people have to wait their turn to play as all four courts are in use. Everyone, regardless of whether their side wins or loses, must vacate the court after playing two successive games, for one turn, so that everyone has equal time on the courts.

Of course, there are problems. For a while we had the regular visit of Libyan airmen studying English at Montreal's Concordia University. They were very macho. They would only play with those who they thought were good players and they never passed the ball to women. I reacted with a poem, which I circulated. The Libyan airmen continued to play but the ambience on the courts subtly changed for the better.

I'm not a particularly good volleyball player. Although I virtually always get my serve in, and pass quite well, my relative shortness prevents me from spiking and blocking very well at the net. But good, cooperative volleyball cures my deepest depression and I return from the court high. My mind floats on air for several hours after the last ball has been passed.

Sometimes in a game, truly 6 or even 12 hearts beat as one. When the spirit is good and the convivial ideology mentioned above is in play, volleyball is a wonderful, even magical, thing. Long rallies concentrate and coordinate the spirit of cooperation. Good volleyball is like tantric sex: positioning, love, mutual respect, and cooperation fuse in a sacred interplay as the ball criss-crosses the net, is touched by all participants in an ever-changing graceful rhythmic harmony of souls.

Volleyball is particularly appropriate for people after retirement. This is particularly the case outdoors as the natural atmosphere of grass and trees contribute to a more relaxed and laid back ambiance. But it is best conceived as a social contract; an experiment and experience in human cooperation. We will have the time and leisure to partake in it. I assure you it is easy and seductive and volleyball, so conceived, grows on you as you explore its infinite possibilities the more you play. Volleyball can become a new metaphor for cooperation. All that you need is the will to begin and the effort to obtain the outdoor court(s). May cooperative volleyball grow in the parks, minds, and hearts of Canada.

© Robert Silverman 2000