By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
GAYLESVILLE – When Kaylee Brannon was hired to take over the Gaylesville volleyball team, she didn’t know what to expect. She came in thinking she was “going to have to be really hard on them.”
She quickly found out that wasn’t going to be the case.
“Day one, they were like ‘We want to win’,” Brannon said. “I’m like ‘Okay, I can do that, but you’re going to have to do what I tell you.’ They have so much fun out here. There’s no drama. They cut up, but they will also absolutely hammer a ball at each other. They want to be better. They don’t complain. They just want to get better.”
Brannon said the Lady Trojans have been “very responsive” to what she’s trying to teach.
“I didn’t expect to have complete buy-in because I’m new,” she said. “They’ve had several coaches in the past, but the first day I tried to run through as many drills as I could think of just so they would know what to do. We could teach for a couple of days, then just get into it. They were super responsive. I was impressed with what they knew already. I didn’t have to start where I thought I was going to have to start. They just need the little, tiny things. That’s still what we’re working with, the little, tiny things. We’ve got to get better on those.”
One of those little things is mental toughness.
“The times we’ve lost (during the summer) it’s been because we are freaking out because it’s somebody’s name on their jersey,” Brannon said. “When we played Sand Rock we absolutely freaked out. We played White Plains and freaked out. We saw this giant tall girl and just shut down. They know it’s a process, the mental aspect of the game, not cowering to people we think are better than us. When we were at Supreme Courts (in Guntersville) we lost to Woodville. They out-defended us. They didn’t hit very hard, but it was impossible to get a ball down on them. We got frustrated and kind of gave up. That was something we weren’t happy with.”
Another thing that has been a point of emphasis during the summer for Brannon and the Lady Trojans is defense. Brannon said the team has never really done much work on transitioning, moving and reading the hitter. Through several camps, Brannon said they’ve gotten better with that aspect of the game.
Comprising the Lady Trojan varsity lineup is four seniors, two juniors and two eighth graders. Setter Emma Givens, left side Jayden Dobbins, middle hitter Sydney Smith, and back row player Gabi West are the Lady Trojans’ four seniors.
“Emma is arguably our best passer. She’s an absolute necessity as a setter,” Brannon said. “She’s got great hands and great leadership abilities.
“Jayden has come a long way. When we first started practicing, I was sure that I was not going to be able to play her back row. Now I can’t imagine not playing her back row. She really stepped up at camp and had some really big moments.
“Sydney’s hitting is not the strongest, but her blocking is essential. Her timing is perfect. She gets a touch on every single ball. She reads the ball well. She can handle the net. She’s a great passer, great server, great all the way around. She’s an essential player.
“Gabi plays back row, has great arms, and reads the ball well. She’s extremely positive, probably the most positive person on our team. She has a great attitude.”
The two Lady Trojan juniors are middle hitter Aubrie Peek and right side Alyssa Calvert.
“When we were at camp, I said this kid (Peek) is not playing back row, but now she’s a great back row player. She’s bought in. She realized her team needs her,” Brannon said of Peek.
“Alyssa has really found her home. I can put her anywhere on the front row and she’s going to be able to put the ball down. Almost every time she touches the ball it’s going to go down. Nobody can get to it. She’s very quick and vocal.”
The Lady Trojans also have two younger players in eighth graders Lydia Reynolds and Chloe Collins.
“Lydia is a left side hitter, but she plays all the way around. She went from playing junior high last year to right on varsity my first day. She’s essential. She’s so talented. She’s going to be a beast. I foresee scholarships in her future.
“Right now, Chloe is playing mostly with JV to get her reps in, but she’s 100 percent a varsity player. If any of the girls got hurt, I feel comfortable throwing her right in. I’m not totally sure of her role. She’s got good hands and could be setting. She’s got a good swing and could be hitting. She’s got a lot of options.”
Gaylesville competes in Class 1A, Area 12 along with Spring Garden, Cedar Bluff, Coosa Christian and Jacksonville Christian. The Lady Trojans open the season on Thursday afternoon at Brindlee Mountain with Susan Moore.
“I’m very anxious,” Brannon said. “I know how they perform in a game, but it’s different when it comes to the season. I am anxious to see how we rise to the occasion. We know we’re underdogs. That’s not an insult me saying that. It’s just how it is. Everything we’re doing, we’re strategizing and getting our skills in while we’re doing that. I am excited to see how they finish, how they handle adversity.”
2023 Gaylesville Volleyball Schedule
Aug. 24 at Brindlee Mtn. w/ Susan Moore 4 p.m.
Aug. 29 at Spring Garden w/ Cleburne County 5 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Jacksonville Christian 5 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Cold Springs Tournament TBA
Sept. 5 at Chattooga (Ga.) w/ Woodland TBA
Sept. 7 at Cedar Bluff 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Hanceville Tournament TBA
Sept. 12 Jacksonville Christian/Chattooga 4 p.m.
Sept. 14 Spring Garden 4 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Faith Christian 5 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Coosa Christian TBA
Sept. 21 at Saks TBA
Sept. 26 Coosa Christian/Collinsville 4 p.m.
Sept. 28 Cedar Bluff/Brindlee Mountain 4 p.m.
Sept. 30 at Cherokee Co. Tournament (SG) TBA
Oct. 3 at Asbury w/ St. Bernard TBA
Oct. 5 Saks 5 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Glencoe Tournament TBA
Oct. 10 at Gaston TBA