The 2019 volleyball season in the area should be an exciting one. Every team will be mixing a strong returning core with talented incoming players either making their varsity debuts or stepping into an expanded role from last season. Lincoln County, led by most tenured coach in the area Samantha Torres, looks to repeat as 45th District Champions. Casey County coach Victor Black hopes to continue the improvements shown from his first year with the Lady Rebels, while Burgin’s Rick Stewart hopes to turn the program’s fortunes around in his second year. Garrard County’s Hannah Johnson hopes that she can turn the Lady Lions around in her first season.

While every team has its own personal goals, the goals for every team remain the same: winning the district, region, and state titles.

BOYLE COUNTY

Coach: Andrea Craig (Fifth year as BCHS head coach

2018 Record: 11-19

Returning key factors: a strong senior leadership/influence and fantastic junior support.

Newcomer key factors: bring energy & eagerness for learning which is exciting.

Strength: Leadership

Weakness: Young team

Team goals: Team unity, on and off the court, seeing humbleness and integrity in players

Expectations for 2019: Overall eager to see how this team grows and challenges themselves to be better as players, a team, and most importantly people

BURGIN

Coach: Rick Stewart (Second year as head coach, four years as an assistant prior)

2018 Record: 1-20

Returning core: Hannah Stewart, Lara Burke, and Miracle Spencer.

New impact players:Brianna Sewell and Britney Yates

Team goal: “Our motto this year will be DESIRE > IDEA.  Everyone loves the idea of doing everything well, but if we don’t apply the work then we don’t grow, or get better.”

Expectations for 2019: “This season will be all about keeping our motor running throughout the game. In all aspects playing team volleyball. Last year we had 16 girls play. Of those girls only 4 had played before.”

CASEY COUNTY

Coach: Victor Black (Second year at CCHS, 11th overall coaching volleyball)

2018 Record: 18-15

Returning core: Kailey Piatt, Tarah Durham, Mylee Poore, Meredith Lee

New impact players: Reagan Black, Rael Gertler, Miley Cape, Chloe Dunn, and Sophia Lynn

Strengths: “Experience and a desire to play hard. Some of these girls have played since 5th grade. They hustle and have the bruises to prove it.”

Weaknesses: Passing, lack of height, and effort

Team goals: “We’d like to get to double digits in the win column, defend our gold division title at the McCreary Central Invitational, improve our defense with our passing, and be positive as a team and as individuals. We see so many teams bicker and fuss at each other. We want our girls and team to be encouraging. It makes the game more fun to play.”

Expectations for 2019: Key departures from last seasons team combined with new contributors could lead to a tough start to the year. “Throw in a very good schedule as far as competition goes, in some ways it’s tougher than last season. So when you add all that up it’s gonna be hard to top last year in 2019. But what’s fun as a coach is to take a team and develop them into competitors and watch them battle and grow from the experience. We’re a team that’s growing.”

DANVILLE

Coach: Margaret Myers (Fourth year at Danville)

2018 Record: 9-15

Returning core: Brianna Johnson, Delaney Dennis, Keeley McKnight, Faith Breitenbach

New impact players: Large group, still needing to figure out where they slot in.

Strengths: Variety and level of difficulty of the offense. Incorporating a lot of different sets and plays. Big at the net.

Weaknesses: Confidence. Youth.

Team goal: “Proving that we are a contender in the 45th.” Class A Regional Tournament. Exit the gym after every game and practice as better players than they went in.

Expectations in 2019: “I expect a lot from this team and they know that.”

GARRARD COUNTY

Coach: Hannah Johnson (First year at GCHS)

2018 Record: 9-20

Returning core: “We have some strong varsity players returning this year, and several returning that are now seniors.”

New impact players: “We have some very talented Freshman this year that I was able to coach last year as middle schoolers.”

Strengths: Strong playing abilities in several positions, and our communication as a team is improving significantly with each practice.

Weaknesses: Adapting to a new coach and new system.

Team goals: Our top goal this year is gaining confidence on the floor.

LINCOLN COUNTY

Coach: Samantha Torres (Fifth year as LCHS head coach. Three years as assistant)

2018 Record: 23-8

Returning Core: Peyton Griffin, Kasie Mullens, Alyssa Salyers

New Impact Players: Sarah Beth Grimes, Kaylie Cotter, Emery Bertram, Kaylynn Smith, Shelby Mills

Strengths: “Pretty scrappy.” Aggressive. Don’t like to lose. Good individually.

Weaknesses: Team chemistry.

Team Goals: Win the Rockcastle Tournament. See progression individually. Reaching their potential.

Expectations in 2019: Repeat as district champions.

MERCER COUNTY

Coach: Lynn Flach (Fourth yearat Mercer County)

2018 Record: 7-19

Returning Core: Jaclyn Devine, Hanna Blevins, Brinkley Prewitt, Zoey Yeast, Kaelynn Jones, Maddie Nichols

New Impact Players: Salena Cox, Haven Six

Strengths: Team chemistry. All very solid with their skills. Very supportive of each other. Playing together since middle school.

Weaknesses: Too hard on themselves.

Team goals: More girls make all-region team. Play through mistakes, don’t let it take them out of the game. More communication on the court.

Expectations for 2019: “Winning 80 percent of our games, I think, is a realistic goal.” Compete in a tough 46th District.