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

[tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”JUNIOR VARSITY”]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]