By Moses Leos III
With a mix of youth and experience in 2015, Hays High head volleyball coach Stephanie Coates believes her team can keep pace in a tough 14-6A field.
“For all intents and purposes, we’ll be a young squad, but we’ll be a team that can compete,” Coates said.
Six players return for Hays in 2015, led by senior Chloe Giberson and junior Mackenzie Coates. Joining them are juniors Hailee Morton, Ashley Slovak, Anais LaHue and sophomore Kaitlyn Krafka.
Coates, who led the team in kills last year, transitions into a setter position in 2015, but is expected to have an impact on offense. Giberson, along with Morton and Krafka, will assist on the front line, while Slovak and LaHue will patrol the back line.
While Coates does anticipate some growing pains with a young team, she also believes it will help build depth at some positions.
“That will keep the pressure on our kids to perform at their highest level,” Coates said. “That atmosphere will create what we need to be successful on Tuesday and Friday nights.”
But before the Lady Rebels take on a challenging 14-6A slate that includes 6A regional semifinalist Westlake, they must traverse an equally tough non-district slate.
That includes playing 5A state finalist Dripping Springs and Smithson Valley. For Coates, taking on a “super tough” non-district schedule helps shape the Lady Rebels for their district grind.
“It’s amazingly tough,” she said. “We’ll have to work hard to be competitive in that district. We’ll have a good shot this year.”