By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SPRING GARDEN – Succeeding a legendary coach like Ricky Austin would be an overwhelming task for anyone, but new Spring Garden volleyball coach Madison Bates is comfortable in that role.

Austin gave Bates his blessing as his successor when he took the Jacksonville State women’s basketball position back in late March. It also helps that Bates played for Austin and she coached the current Lady Panther varsity team when they were on junior varsity.

“That brings me some comfort, knowing I’ve already been the head coach of this group before, just at a different level,” Bates said. “So far everything has been going really good, honestly better than I thought it would go. It’s this group of kids. They’re fun. They’ve got good energy and they love volleyball. If you have those three things then they’re pretty easy to coach.”

And it also helps that Spring Garden has a lot of players returning from last season’s young 14-20 squad that reached the North Super Regional in Hoover.

Lacie Jo McMurray is the team’s lone senior. She will be a defensive specialist for the Lady Panthers.

The bulk of the Lady Panther varsity roster consists of eight juniors, led by outside hitter Aubrey Kelley. Kelley, a returning All-Cherokee County Volleyball selection, posted 191 kills and had 137 assists last season.

Addie Word is a middle hitter. Lleyton Carroll and Anna Mae Griggs are Spring Garden’s setters. Gracie Simpson, Addie Smith and Bella Garmon are defensive specialists. Hayden Parris will play on the right side.

Rounding out the Lady Panther varsity roster is sophomore middle hitter Carmen Truss, freshman outside hitter Kylie Bates and eighth grade outside hitter Maya Jennings.

“They were basically a brand-new varsity team last year,” Bates said. “It’s different being in a varsity atmosphere. The speed of the game is a lot quicker. Your hitters are swinging at you harder. It’s just a lot different, but last year was a good year for them. We say they’re older this year but they’re still young because we’ve got so many juniors.”

But just because Spring Garden is still young in spots doesn’t mean Bates is going to take it easy on them. The Lady Panthers open the 2026 season at home against Class 3A Cleburne County on Thursday, Aug. 20. They compete in Class 1A, Area 15 along with Cedar Bluff, Appalachian and Gaylesville.

“I think this team has great potential,” Bates said. “We’ve had some pretty good practices. These girls are always like ‘Can we stay longer?’ That’s what you want to hear as a coach.”

Speaking of coaches, Bates also has a comfort zone there as well with assistants Stephanie Steward and Jordan Sides.

Sides returns to Spring Garden after being at Cleburne County the past eight years. She also played for Austin and is Bates’ sister.

Bates will be relying on Steward and Sides a little extra come October. That’s because she’s due to give birth the week of the area tournament.

“We’ve got some plans in place as far as what we want to do if I go into labor during practice or a game, whenever that time comes,” Bates said. “I’m very fortunate to have two great assistant coaches. Coach Steward has been here a long time, and she’s dealt with stuff like this before. She’s also known the girls for a long time too, so I have no doubt in my mind when that time comes they’re in great hands.”