A TRUE WIN:

September 1994

Diary of Vermont’s Gay Games Volleyball Team

Bob Bolyard

BURLINGTON -- As for our record of
play, we won eight games and lost
fourteen.

On our second day, we started out losing
two games to a team from Hawaii, but
their margin of victory was slim. We
then played a team from Cologne,
Germany, and won both games of that
match. We were next to play a team from
the Netherlands, but since they did not
show up at the appropriate time, they
forfeited, and two more games were
added to our win column. Our last
scheduled match was with a very good
team from Los Angeles, and we lost both
games.

As we were leaving the court, the
officials told us that the team from the
Netherlands had just arrived. There had
been a mix—up in playing times and
directions to the gym, and they asked us if
we would sacrifice our forfeited wins and
play the Dutch team. Our five wins had
us feeling pretty good about ourselves,
and to chance having two of them taken
away was something to think about. Two
of the other teams they were supposed to
play had already left the gym, so if we did
not play them, they would only get to
play one match for the day. Not much net
time for traveling so far. So, being the
fair—minded Vermonters we are, we
agreed. We played two close games — and
we won both of them. Not only did we
feel good for earning the two wins, but
the Dutch team was so appreciative for us
playing them that they gave each of us
pins promoting the 1998 Gay Games to
be held in Amsterdam as well as a banner
from Holland. We had made friends.

On the third night, there was a volleyball
party at the huge dance bar, Club USA.
This was where we were to find out how
we placed in the qualifying tournament

‘ and who we would play next. When the

announcement was made, we discovered
we were seeded number five, meaning we
were just five matches away from medal
contention. We were ecstatic. Then the
director of the volleyball competition said
he had some special thank—yous to make.
The first two were to volunteers. The
third was to the team from Burlington,
who he said showed the true meaning of
the Games by giving up two wins to
allow the team from the Netherlands to
play. Out of 165 teams and over 1,300
players, the team from Vermont was
singled out.

Our first match in the qualifying round
was with a team from New Mexico. We
knew right away they did not take the
game too seriously and were there to
enjoy themselves, win or lose. We beat
them both games. A member of their
team gave each of us a handmade string
bracelet with a pewter salamander on it,
and they cheered us on the rest of the
day. Our second match was with a team
from Buffalo that took the game very
seriously. We squeaked out a victory the
first game, but the second one went back
and forth with them coming out on top.
We then lost the third game and were
moved down to the losers bracket. One
more loss and we would be out of the
competition. However, if we won the next
two games, we would get at least the
Bronze. The Delft Blue Boys of Holland
were our next opponents. They had a
slight height advantage and looked
quicker, but we felt we had strength on
our side. It was a great game until it
ended, and they won.

Although we came home without
winning a gold, silver or bronze medal,
we have no shame in the way we
represented ourselves and Vennont. In
years to come, it would not be the wins
and losses remembered, but rather
memories of being among gay men and
lesbians from all over the world and
being a part of the largest athletic and
cultural event of any kind in history. V

ANT

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