By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
In her countless battles against Willard volleyball teams over the past two decades, Kailey Bridges has always been impressed by the “competitive culture” instilled by longtime coach Jamalee Hancock.
“None of her teams ever went out onto the court expecting anything less than a win,” Bridges said.
And with good reason.
Hancock led Willard to 604 victories in the past 22 seasons, amassing 11 district plaques, seven conference championships, four Final Four appearances and the 2020 state title along the way.
Now that Hancock has stepped away from coaching, Bridges hopes to carry on those traditions.
“I love that coach Hancock’s programs created a standard of excellence over the years and I look forward to trying to continue to build on that success in years to come,” Bridges said.
Willard’s new coach has experienced plenty of success in her own volleyball career.
Bridges was an all-conference and all-district high school player for archrival Logan-Rogersville, then spent four seasons as the head coach at Marshfield and two more at Branson.
She led the Pirates to a school-record 29 wins in 2019, but resigned from the dual coaching/teaching position in 2020 to help run a family business she and her husband acquired. Bridges remained active in the local club volleyball scene while looking for a varsity coaching opportunity that didn’t include teaching duties, so she could stay involved with that business.
The opportunity presented itself when Hancock resigned from coaching, but stayed with the Willard School District as a health teacher. Bridges was announced as her successor in May.
“My goals for the Willard volleyball program are to continue to compete at a high level in the (Central Ozark Conference) and re-establish a solid youth program in the area,” Bridges said. “Players that love the game will work harder and compete tougher, so it is important that our staff works hard to instill that passion for the sport and competition in younger ages.”
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Willard’s varsity team will feature plenty of youth this season, as only one returning player played in more than half the club’s matches last season. The 2021 team had seven seniors and finished 27-4-1, as Logan-Rogersville snapped Willard’s run of seven straight district titles.
The loss pushed Hancock’s career record to 604-148-40. She is one of just 13 volleyball coaches with at least 600 career wins in the state, according to the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association.
Hancock’s final senior class accounted for 94 percent of Willard’s total digs, 85 percent of the team’s kills, all 233 of the team’s aces and all but 10 of its assists.
Combined, the departures represent the largest offseason shakeup Willard has seen in decades.
“This team will definitely be labeled as an underdog in most competitions this season since they have very limited varsity experience as a group,” Bridges said. “As they grow this fall and make adjustments, I think they will end up surprising some opponents.”
Senior Ryleigh Fowler is Willard’s most experienced returner. She finished fourth on the team with 70 kills and also contributed 70 digs and 18 blocks.
Seniors Ella Sims, Taylor Dixon and Emily Lemons and junior Madison Magee all saw limited varsity action last year, but should play much more prominent roles for the Tigers this fall.
“Many of them will be playing in different positions than in the past, but I think all of them will contribute in some way,” Bridges said.
Several newcomers are also in the mix for varsity playing time as the Tigers look to replace all-state selections Paige Durham and Kindall Smithson, fellow postseason honorees Grace Hancock, Paige Gayer, Lael Brandon and Abbie Skaggs and graduated classmate Rory O’Connor.
Bridges said junior libero/defensive specialist Ava Parry has been one of Willard’s “most consistent backrow players” over the summer, while classmate Lily Clark has impressed in attacking roles. Taylor Roweton (outside hitter) and Abby Morris (setter) could also see varsity action as freshmen.
“For the most part, we are all figuring each other out and growing each day,” Bridges said. “One of the biggest areas for growth will be confidence, since most of the players never saw a significant role in a varsity jersey until now.”
The coach added that how the players respond to those roles – and the responsibilities that come with them – is her biggest unanswered question.
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“Most of them have never needed to be in a leadership role in the program, so we are still waiting to see who steps into those roles longterm and provides the stability needed for success this season,” Bridges said.
The Tigers will host an August 23 jamboree involving Reeds Spring, Springfield Catholic and El Dorado Springs. They begin the regular season when Marshfield comes to town one week later.
While Bridges is excited for the start of the season, her coaching debut may be delayed.
“We have a baby due on August 19, so chances are that I will be MIA during a portion of the early season,” Bridges said. “I have been working with the girls all summer trying to establish our program’s expectations for the fall and have been working with my assistants to get everything prepared for my hopefully short absence so I am hoping it is an easy transition for them.”
Should Bridges miss any time, she said that assistant coaches Allison Van Veen and Kennedy Atkinson will be in charge of the team. Both are Willard volleyball alumni.
“I feel like coach Hancock and I have very similar expectations for our teams, so I hope the community’s expectations do not change either,” Bridges said. “Though the program is definitely in a rebuilding phase, I think fans should still expect the program to come to every match ready to compete.”
