One of my coaches once told my parents:

“Look, we aren’t comparing apples to apples here. We’re comparing apples to oranges.”

You know what that meant? It meant I wasn’t one of the good kids. I wasn’t strong, naturally athletic nor was I very big.

I wasn’t one of the apples.

I was an orange.

And oranges didn’t really have what it took to be good at volleyball. What wasn’t immediately clear that came into focus over time was that my coach was right.

I wasn’t one of the apples.

I was indeed an orange.

For all the oranges out there in a sea of apples.

Keep your head up.

Remember, the apples peak early.