It’s a long game.

In volleyball, you’re allowed a maximum of three touches before hitting it back over the net. Sometimes, to be sneaky, setters will dump the ball over on the second touch instead of setting up a hitter. It can be an easy point if it catches the other team off guard. I was playing against a team when their setter did this. I saw it coming, quickly backed off the net, and easily got to it. I felt clever but he noticed I saw it coming and soon after he used that to his advantage. He pretended to dump it over on the 2nd touch but then he didn’t. I backed off the net again but the ball didn’t come to me—instead, he set up the hitter who I would have been blocking, if I had been up at the net. So now this hitter had no blocker, which is a hitter’s dream come true. 

This is all just to say that it’s a long game. Volleyball and whatever game you’re playing. Pay attention. There’s plenty of time to improve. Plenty of time to win.