FALL SPORTS PREVIEW 2013: Llano volleyball
TEAM: Llano High School volleyball
HEAD COACH: John Black
DISTRICT: 8-3A
2012 RESULT: 19-22 overall and 6-4 in district
RETURNERS: Amanda Morgan, Claire Williams, Cierra Caffey, Cheyenne Swenson, Lacey Redden
NEWCOMERS: Autumn Sanderson, Courtney Faircloth, Averee Abney, Samantha Lawrence
OUTLOOK: The Lady Jackets captured their second bi-district championship in program history in 2012. The team returns a large group of veterans but lost two key members, Jessica Wunderlich and Cierra Jordan, to graduation.
New head coach Black, who is entering his 15th season as a head coach, takes the reins after stints at Crane, Boling and Salado high schools.
“(The players) have a lot of good volleyball knowledge,” he said. “You can tell a lot of them have played a lot of volleyball.”
Black said he believes a key to success is a coach’s ability to develop rapport with players beyond court time because athletes will give more than what they think they can.
“That’s a big part,” he said. “You want the girls to bond with you.”
Last season, Liberty Hill won the district championship and Gatesville was the runner-up with Llano finishing third. And just like Llano, Burnet and Brownwood welcome new head coaches.
“It’s a tough district,” Black said. “You expect to win, it’s one of those things in a program that you have going every year. You expect to go to the playoffs every year. You know what it takes to get there. I expect them to be there, and they expect to be there.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com
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The 2013 Llano High School Lady Jackets junior varsity volleyball team. Courtesy photo[/tab] [tab title=”FRESHMEN”]
The 2013 Llano High School Lady Jackets freshmen volleyball team. Courtesy photo[/tab] [/tabs]