By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SPRING GARDEN – Spring Garden volleyball coach Ricky Austin was worried he wouldn’t have enough jerseys to go around on Tuesday morning. The coaching staff distributed team uniforms for the season prior to practice, which Austin estimates at “40 or 41 (girls) in the program from (grades) 7-12.”

“We do have a lot of girls,” Austin said. “We didn’t have tryouts in junior high. I think we’ve got 19 junior high players.”

It turned out Austin had enough uniforms for the players.

“We’re excited to have this many,” he said. “Luckily we’re blessed to have a good coaching staff. We’ve got Madison (Sides), Ann (Welsh), Stephanie (Steward) and Darian (Austin). We can have a lot of girls in the program and they can all get coaching. They can all get opportunity. We’re very fortunate that our coaches allow that.”

The Lady Panthers’ volleyball track record just might have something to do with all the interest. They’ve been quite the familiar team at the state tournament in Birmingham the past few years, including a Final Four berth last year. Their season ended against three-time defending state champion Addison.

Austin feels it’s time for the Lady Panthers to take another step toward the school’s second state volleyball title and first since 2007, and it all starts with the offseason.

“Everybody wants to make the state tournament, but it’s not our expectation just to make it. We want to win,” Austin said. “I’ve heard these girls already through the summer and even before school got out last year throwing Addison’s name around, like they want to play them. They know what the work is for. They know who we’re preparing for. If you can get yourself in position where you think you can compete with Addison, you can compete with anybody.

“We’re kind of using Addison as the standard to set our standard. I think these girls have been around that. They played against them in junior high in some tournaments and played against them in JV in some tournaments. We actually took a set, maybe beat them a match with JV players. We started that process years back of getting that in their minds that this is the level you’ve got to play on to get through this. It’s starting to kind of sink in. You’re starting to hear it. If they hear it, then that means they believe it. If they believe it, then that means you’ve got a chance. That’s kind of where we are. We’re believing we can play with those kind of girls. Let’s just do the work and make sure we’re ready if we get to that point.”

Out of all the volleyball players Austin has in the program, only 11 are on varsity. Of those 11, nine return from last season’s 41-15 squad.

Junior Avery Steward returns at setter. Austin said Steward has “gotten stronger” in the offseason.

“She’s looking really good right now,” he said. “I’m real pleased with her progress from last year to this year.”

Junior Helena Ingram will back up Steward at setter if needed. Austin said Ingram will play the role of the Lady Panthers’ utility player.

“She’s a very good defensive player, a very good server. I might throw her in to serve. She’s really scrappy and a good defender. She’s going to be one who floats around in positions,” he said.

Helena Ingram’s twin sister Layla Ingram is one of the Lady Panthers’ top defenders. She played at libero last season.

The Lady Panthers’ outside hitters are junior Ace Austin and senior Libby Brown. Patrolling the right side is junior Maggie Jarrett and senior Allie Mobbs. Middle hitters are junior Olivia Law and senior Chloe Rule.

Senior Maggie Reedy and junior Kristen Lewis are also expected to be defensive specialists.

“This varsity bunch, they are ahead of where they were last year,” Austin said. “I don’t have to do as much summer coaching as far as the fundamentals. They’ve really got it and have really bought into it. They’ve been good at a young age of doing that kind of stuff.

“I can tell now it’s time to take it to a different level for them. I do think they’re a different kind of player. They’re a different kind of team this time.”

The Lady Panthers compete in Class 1A, Area 12 along with Cedar Bluff, Gaylesville, Coosa Christian and Jacksonville Christian. They open the season on Aug. 24 at home against Ranburne at 7 p.m.

2023 Spring Garden Volleyball Schedule

Aug. 24                 Ranburne                                         7 p.m.

Aug. 26                 at Faith Chr. Tournament             TBA

Aug. 29                 Cleburne County/Gaylesville      5 p.m.

Sept. 2                  at Supreme Courts Tournament  TBA

Sept. 5                  at Jacksonville Christian               6 p.m.

Sept. 7                  Coosa Christian/Donoho              5 p.m.

Sept. 12                Sand Rock/Cherokee County      5 p.m.

Sept. 14                at Gaylesville                                   5 p.m.

Sept. 16                at Donoho Tournament                TBA

Sept. 19                Cedar Bluff/Faith Christian         5 p.m.

Sept. 21                at Cherokee Co. w/ Jacksonville  6:30 p.m.

Sept. 23                at Supreme Courts Tournament  TBA

Sept. 26                at Pleasant Valley                            6 p.m.

Sept. 28                at Coosa Christian                           6 p.m.

Sept. 30                Cherokee County Tournament     TBA

Oct. 2                    Jacksonville Chr./Ranburne         5 p.m.

Oct. 3                    at Cedar Bluff                                    5:30 p.m.

Oct. 5                    at Cleburne Co. w/ Pleas. Valley   5 p.m.

Oct. 9                    Cherokee County                             6 p.m.

Oct. 12                  at Sand Rock w/ Westbrook          5:30 p.m.

Oct. 14                  at Supreme Courts Tournament   TBA