By Chris Parker
Ava volleyball finished 14-14-3 in the first season with Bailey Loge as head coach.
Year one was a learning experience for Loge.
“The most important things I learned in my first season as a head varsity coach were the value of what it means to be a coach, to prioritize relationships over results, and to seek help from others,” Loge said. “I have a stronger appreciation for the game, greater respect for former mentors/educators, and a deeper gratitude for everyone that chooses coaching as their career-it is a sacrifice, but one that is very rewarding and worth every challenge. It seems these girls bring more joy and perspective into my day to day life than I can for them. I have a lot to learn and I will continue to gain knowledge from other coaches and lean on my support system.”
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Seniors Baylan Alexander (outside hitter) and Addison Croston (defensive specialist) will be team leaders this year. Alexander was an honorable mention all-conference selection last year who had 170 kills. Croston contributed 98 digs.
“Their dedication to this game and their team is the kind that will lead us far; each having the personality to do so in their own way,” Loge said. “Their selflessness, encouraging attitude, positive mindset and experience will play a big role in what we do both off and on the court.”
Hannah Evans (senior middle hitter), Lauren Hall (senior outside hitter), Sam Keyes (senior defensive specialist) and Lauren King (senior opposite) also return for Ava. Evans, who had 28 blocks last year, is a force on the front row. Hall, who had 109 kills last year, will also contribute to the defensive effort. Keyes brings energy and quickness. King is strong in the serving game.
Ava moved softball to the spring, which opens up a new pool of athletes to the volleyball team. Lexie Gastineau (junior setter), Kaelyn Stillings (junior defensive specialist) and a handful of other newcomers will impact varsity after playing softball in the past. Mallory Melton (sophomore opposite) will move up from junior varsity.
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“Diversity will be our biggest strength this year. We have players that can now specialize in specific positions which will allow us to be stronger than before in multiple areas,” Loge said. “Confidence and communication will be areas we need to improve on to be successful as well as speeding up our play. A quicker style of offense will be crucial to our success when we compete against more experienced teams.”
Ava will play in a jamboree on Aug. 26 with Blue Eye, Conway and the host Lady Trojans. The Bears open the regular season on Aug. 31 at Springfield Catholic.
“This team has a lot of potential and I expect them to continue to grow, learn and improve throughout the season,” Loge said. “I will hold them accountable to be a better person, teammate, and player than the day before and to be playing the best volleyball they are capable of by post-season.”
