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Serving up volleyball
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High hopes for Lady Tigers
By TIM KIRBY
tkirby@lakecityreporter.com
Cindy Jordan is the new volleyball coach at Columbia High and she takes over a team that is dead-set on a dramatic improvement.
The Lady Tigers struggled severely last year, but team members played almost the entire off-season as the Mighty Dolls AAU travel team and are prepared like never before.
"With the travel season, we did a lot of growing together," said Brooke Wilson, a senior outside hitter who has played volleyball four years - two at CHS. "We learned about being disciplined and, with a new coach, we want to be a team."
Junior Randi Wainwright is a middle hitter for the Lady Tigers and a third-year player for CHS.
"We're all going to come together better as a team," Wainwright said. "Almost everybody played AAU and we are used to playing together and that puts us one step ahead of the game.
"It kept our skills fresh and kept us in shape. We realized it is not a one-person game. It is a team sport and everybody has to come together to make it happen."
Jordan is trying to tap into that mentality. She has former Columbia players Tia Lang and Sarah Carrico helping with practices and there is no set division between varsity and junior varsity players.
"I tried to find other coaches who have been in the game," Jordan said. "They are bringing their experiences from playing and we all have a commitment and passion to see the program grow and improve.
"We are looking at the team as a whole and where the girls will best help out both teams."
Jordan is a 1998 CHS graduate, where she played softball - the sport she coached at Fort White High for four years. She has a background in science and math and teaches algebra. She has a nursing degree and would like to move into the health area.
"It is nice to be in purple and gold again," Jordan said. "I loved Fort White. The people are wonderful and you
couldn't ask for a nicer person than (athletic director) John Wilson. I live in Lake City and I wanted a full-time job in teaching and the opportunity presented itself."
With the travel team work, Columbia's players were ready for her.
"It allowed them to get out there and see what it takes," Jordan said. "It opened their eyes as to what they have to do to improve as a team. The girls are dedicated and have really worked hard. I tell them, just look at what we've got now and where we are going."
The travel season helped with individual skills, too, and put Wilson in a place she never considered playing.
"I had played all positions except hitter and I got a lot of work doing that," Wilson said. "Now, that's what I do best."
Wainwright benefited from travel ball, as well as hours digging out balls at home hit by her dad.
"It helped me get better on all skills," Wainwright said. "It rounded me out. Now, I am just as good on the back row and serving as I am on the front row."
Both players expect this to be the season that turned around Lady Tigers volleyball.
"I want to lead, to do my best and do whatever I can to make this season great," Wilson said.
"Our goal is to start out as a team," Wainwright said. "This is a fresh season and a brand new start. We want to lead into the season with a bang and end with a bang. We want to show other teams what they should have been facing last year."
With the Lady Tigers doing their part, Jordan is calling for support.
"One of the things the
boosters are trying to do is get students and the community more involved," Jordan said. "It shows the team there are people out there who care and gives them a motivation besides themselves and the team."
Columbia is in District 4-5A with Eastside, Forest, Gainesville, Lake Weir, Leesburg and Vanguard high schools. The Lady Tigers open the season Tuesday when Baker County High visits for a 6:30 p.m. game.
Lady Indians to be in the mix
By MARIO SARMENTO
msarmento@lakecityreporter.com
FORT WHITE - The Fort White High volleyball team is in a new district and has a year of experience under its belt. Now the Lady Indians are hoping a playoff berth is in the works.
"So far I think we look pretty good," Fort White coach Eric Larsen said. "I think right now we're much further in the game than we were last year. Two summer camps helped a lot and some voluntary workouts on Thursday during the summer helped a lot. We've already got our rotation set."
It was at one of those camps that Larsen was able to find a rotation that clicked, as opposed to the three weeks he spent at the beginning of last season trying to find the right combination of players.
One player who will be in a new role is Amanda Edenfield. The senior was Larsen's defensive player last year, but she did so well at setting during the summer camps that Larsen moved her to this crucial position. "She's one of my top three ballhandlers right now,"
Larsen said. "If I put her in as a defensive specialist, she's going to have a big 'X' painted on her. Teams won't hit her the ball. So as a setter, I'm assured she's going to touch the ball every second hit."
Edenfield said she is feeling the pressure from playing such an important position.
"Besides the fact that I've never done it, you have to have good hands," she said.
Another move Larsen made was shifting Chelsea Jossi from the middle to the right side opposite the setter.
"I think that's going to be the biggest move of the year," Larsen said. "Because she's going to go up against the team's No. 1 hitters on the outside, and she's been throwing up some real good blocks in practice."
Co-captain Kali Hunter will be the No.1 middle hitter after doing some setting and hitting last year, and freshman Charlette Demko will fill the other middle position. "She may be in a year or two
probably the first true middle this school has had," Larsen said of Demko. "She's got the athletic ability, she gets up. She's got a good approach. She's pretty sound fundamentally."
Demko has only played
volleyball for two years, but she is ready to embrace her role.
"I'm ready to do whatever I have to in this position, but I think I'm going to learn a lot from Coach Larsen," she said.
Senior co-captain Megan Wilson will again be in her familiar position on the left side. "She's going to be solid," Larsen said. "No ifs, ands or buts about it."
Jessica Moyer and Stacy Sistrunk will share the other outside hitter position. "Right now they're about equal," Larsen said. "What one may lack in attacking power at the net, they make up for in defensive presence in the backcourt. So I'm going to play them off one another to start the season and see how that works."
Junior Katie Deem will also work in as a defensive player, with substitutes Sarah Walker playing middle and Kaylee Hampson sharing time with Jossi.
The new district will feature state powerhouse P.K. Yonge School, Williston High, Chiefland High, Dixie County High and Newberry High.
"I'd be surprised if they won't be one of the last four teams left playing for the state title this year," Larsen said of P.K. Yonge. "They're head and shoulders above the rest of the district."
Besides P.K. Yonge, the other schools will be breaking in new coaches.
"I'm hoping a new coaching thing, maybe a little disorganization on their part will help us," Larsen said.
One of the teams Larsen doesn't know about is Madison County High, which the Indians added to the schedule since they share the same football district. "If they're anything like the
football team, we may be in for a long night," Larsen joked.
Fort White opens against Trenton High at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Chiefland High. "They went undefeated in the regular season last year, so that'll give us a good gauge of where we're at," Larsen said. It will be one of three meetings the Indians will have with Trenton this year. Chiefland plays Dixie County in the other game, with the winners facing off in a final game on Thursday. The losers play the same day.
The end of the season will mark the end of an era as well, as Larsen will step down from his position as the head
volleyball coach.
"This is definitely it," Larsen said. "But I've got a lot of things cooking right now. Pretty much everyone knows this is it. I'm trying to get it where the cupboard's not bare."
Larsen has arguably been the most successful varsity coach in school history. Entering 2005, he has a 60-60 overall record, three playoff appearances and two district titles. No other Indians coach has that many district titles or postseason berths to his credit.
"That's what I'm going to try to take pride in," Larsen said. "If we can keep that up over six years - a winning record and make a fourth playoff appearance - that'll be a good note to go out on."
Larsen added he'll miss the kids the most, and he decided to coach this last year to see Wilson through her senior season.
"When you've got the kids for 3-4 years, that's pretty tough," he said.
The time spent together has brought Wilson and Larsen closer together.
"We became friends I guess," she said. "The ups and downs, ins and outs, part of a team."
Junior varsity coach Brenda Hunter added that Larsen's leaving will create a void.
"We'll miss his expertise," she said. "Since he's been here so long the girls here know what to expect from him. That's going to be something different when a new coach comes in."
As for the junior varsity, Hunter will be rebuilding with two returning starters from last year's squad.
"But the two starters that are back are my setter and my outside hitter that are really good leaders on the team," Hunter said. "I feel pretty good. Right now I'm putting the rest of them in the right positions and trying to figure out who plays where."
Jennifer Strawson is the
setter and Paige Bussey is the outside hitter Hunter will be relying on.
"I feel really good about their spirit, their desire to learn, they really want to have fun," Hunter said. "And I feel in this new district that we can be competitive."
Wilson may have summed up the feeling for both teams heading into the season when she said, "We have good attitudes this year and we have a lot of talent, so we should be able to bring it on."
By TIM KIRBY
tkirby@lakecityreporter.com
Cindy Jordan is the new volleyball coach at Columbia High and she takes over a team that is dead-set on a dramatic improvement.
The Lady Tigers struggled severely last year, but team members played almost the entire off-season as the Mighty Dolls AAU travel team and are prepared like never before.
"With the travel season, we did a lot of growing together," said Brooke Wilson, a senior outside hitter who has played volleyball four years - two at CHS. "We learned about being disciplined and, with a new coach, we want to be a team."
Junior Randi Wainwright is a middle hitter for the Lady Tigers and a third-year player for CHS.
"We're all going to come together better as a team," Wainwright said. "Almost everybody played AAU and we are used to playing together and that puts us one step ahead of the game.
"It kept our skills fresh and kept us in shape. We realized it is not a one-person game. It is a team sport and everybody has to come together to make it happen."
Jordan is trying to tap into that mentality. She has former Columbia players Tia Lang and Sarah Carrico helping with practices and there is no set division between varsity and junior varsity players.
"I tried to find other coaches who have been in the game," Jordan said. "They are bringing their experiences from playing and we all have a commitment and passion to see the program grow and improve.
"We are looking at the team as a whole and where the girls will best help out both teams."
Jordan is a 1998 CHS graduate, where she played softball - the sport she coached at Fort White High for four years. She has a background in science and math and teaches algebra. She has a nursing degree and would like to move into the health area.
"It is nice to be in purple and gold again," Jordan said. "I loved Fort White. The people are wonderful and you
couldn't ask for a nicer person than (athletic director) John Wilson. I live in Lake City and I wanted a full-time job in teaching and the opportunity presented itself."
With the travel team work, Columbia's players were ready for her.
"It allowed them to get out there and see what it takes," Jordan said. "It opened their eyes as to what they have to do to improve as a team. The girls are dedicated and have really worked hard. I tell them, just look at what we've got now and where we are going."
The travel season helped with individual skills, too, and put Wilson in a place she never considered playing.
"I had played all positions except hitter and I got a lot of work doing that," Wilson said. "Now, that's what I do best."
Wainwright benefited from travel ball, as well as hours digging out balls at home hit by her dad.
"It helped me get better on all skills," Wainwright said. "It rounded me out. Now, I am just as good on the back row and serving as I am on the front row."
Both players expect this to be the season that turned around Lady Tigers volleyball.
"I want to lead, to do my best and do whatever I can to make this season great," Wilson said.
"Our goal is to start out as a team," Wainwright said. "This is a fresh season and a brand new start. We want to lead into the season with a bang and end with a bang. We want to show other teams what they should have been facing last year."
With the Lady Tigers doing their part, Jordan is calling for support.
"One of the things the
boosters are trying to do is get students and the community more involved," Jordan said. "It shows the team there are people out there who care and gives them a motivation besides themselves and the team."
Columbia is in District 4-5A with Eastside, Forest, Gainesville, Lake Weir, Leesburg and Vanguard high schools. The Lady Tigers open the season Tuesday when Baker County High visits for a 6:30 p.m. game.
Lady Indians to be in the mix
By MARIO SARMENTO
msarmento@lakecityreporter.com
FORT WHITE - The Fort White High volleyball team is in a new district and has a year of experience under its belt. Now the Lady Indians are hoping a playoff berth is in the works.
"So far I think we look pretty good," Fort White coach Eric Larsen said. "I think right now we're much further in the game than we were last year. Two summer camps helped a lot and some voluntary workouts on Thursday during the summer helped a lot. We've already got our rotation set."
It was at one of those camps that Larsen was able to find a rotation that clicked, as opposed to the three weeks he spent at the beginning of last season trying to find the right combination of players.
One player who will be in a new role is Amanda Edenfield. The senior was Larsen's defensive player last year, but she did so well at setting during the summer camps that Larsen moved her to this crucial position. "She's one of my top three ballhandlers right now,"
Larsen said. "If I put her in as a defensive specialist, she's going to have a big 'X' painted on her. Teams won't hit her the ball. So as a setter, I'm assured she's going to touch the ball every second hit."
Edenfield said she is feeling the pressure from playing such an important position.
"Besides the fact that I've never done it, you have to have good hands," she said.
Another move Larsen made was shifting Chelsea Jossi from the middle to the right side opposite the setter.
"I think that's going to be the biggest move of the year," Larsen said. "Because she's going to go up against the team's No. 1 hitters on the outside, and she's been throwing up some real good blocks in practice."
Co-captain Kali Hunter will be the No.1 middle hitter after doing some setting and hitting last year, and freshman Charlette Demko will fill the other middle position. "She may be in a year or two
probably the first true middle this school has had," Larsen said of Demko. "She's got the athletic ability, she gets up. She's got a good approach. She's pretty sound fundamentally."
Demko has only played
volleyball for two years, but she is ready to embrace her role.
"I'm ready to do whatever I have to in this position, but I think I'm going to learn a lot from Coach Larsen," she said.
Senior co-captain Megan Wilson will again be in her familiar position on the left side. "She's going to be solid," Larsen said. "No ifs, ands or buts about it."
Jessica Moyer and Stacy Sistrunk will share the other outside hitter position. "Right now they're about equal," Larsen said. "What one may lack in attacking power at the net, they make up for in defensive presence in the backcourt. So I'm going to play them off one another to start the season and see how that works."
Junior Katie Deem will also work in as a defensive player, with substitutes Sarah Walker playing middle and Kaylee Hampson sharing time with Jossi.
The new district will feature state powerhouse P.K. Yonge School, Williston High, Chiefland High, Dixie County High and Newberry High.
"I'd be surprised if they won't be one of the last four teams left playing for the state title this year," Larsen said of P.K. Yonge. "They're head and shoulders above the rest of the district."
Besides P.K. Yonge, the other schools will be breaking in new coaches.
"I'm hoping a new coaching thing, maybe a little disorganization on their part will help us," Larsen said.
One of the teams Larsen doesn't know about is Madison County High, which the Indians added to the schedule since they share the same football district. "If they're anything like the
football team, we may be in for a long night," Larsen joked.
Fort White opens against Trenton High at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Chiefland High. "They went undefeated in the regular season last year, so that'll give us a good gauge of where we're at," Larsen said. It will be one of three meetings the Indians will have with Trenton this year. Chiefland plays Dixie County in the other game, with the winners facing off in a final game on Thursday. The losers play the same day.
The end of the season will mark the end of an era as well, as Larsen will step down from his position as the head
volleyball coach.
"This is definitely it," Larsen said. "But I've got a lot of things cooking right now. Pretty much everyone knows this is it. I'm trying to get it where the cupboard's not bare."
Larsen has arguably been the most successful varsity coach in school history. Entering 2005, he has a 60-60 overall record, three playoff appearances and two district titles. No other Indians coach has that many district titles or postseason berths to his credit.
"That's what I'm going to try to take pride in," Larsen said. "If we can keep that up over six years - a winning record and make a fourth playoff appearance - that'll be a good note to go out on."
Larsen added he'll miss the kids the most, and he decided to coach this last year to see Wilson through her senior season.
"When you've got the kids for 3-4 years, that's pretty tough," he said.
The time spent together has brought Wilson and Larsen closer together.
"We became friends I guess," she said. "The ups and downs, ins and outs, part of a team."
Junior varsity coach Brenda Hunter added that Larsen's leaving will create a void.
"We'll miss his expertise," she said. "Since he's been here so long the girls here know what to expect from him. That's going to be something different when a new coach comes in."
As for the junior varsity, Hunter will be rebuilding with two returning starters from last year's squad.
"But the two starters that are back are my setter and my outside hitter that are really good leaders on the team," Hunter said. "I feel pretty good. Right now I'm putting the rest of them in the right positions and trying to figure out who plays where."
Jennifer Strawson is the
setter and Paige Bussey is the outside hitter Hunter will be relying on.
"I feel really good about their spirit, their desire to learn, they really want to have fun," Hunter said. "And I feel in this new district that we can be competitive."
Wilson may have summed up the feeling for both teams heading into the season when she said, "We have good attitudes this year and we have a lot of talent, so we should be able to bring it on."
