The Phil Campbell Bobcats are entering the second year of their volleyball program. Learning a new sport is not easy. Coach Amy Moss, who started the program from scratch this past year, can attest to that – and so can her players.

“Even with volleyball coaching experience, starting a program from scratch last year was a daunting task,” said Moss. “The girls quickly learned there’s more to volleyball than throwing six players on the court and rotating. They are still learning.

“To say they’ve worked hard is an understatement. To say I’m proud of them is an even bigger understatement. From where they were this time last year until now is amazing.”

Moss said with a year under their belts and a new area, the biggest obstacle facing her players is confidence and consistency.

“We push them extremely hard, but we love them hard too,” said Moss, of herself and her assistant Alissa Pinkard. “We have to be more consistent. We do some really good things, but we need to do those things on a more consistent basis. That takes time and confidence.”

Moss and Pinkard put their teams through a tough offseason program to get them better but also to get them to understand that volleyball is serious sport for serious athletes, and it requires hard work.

“We took about two and half weeks off at the end of last year and began working again,” Moss explained. “We went through winter and spring workouts designed to get the girls stronger and quicker. We had ‘Workday Wednesdays,’ where we focused on skills and drills taking advantage of the new AHSAA two-hour a week practice rule.

“It’s not ‘coach speak’ to say they’ve worked hard. They have.”

Phil Campbell returns Lydia Garrison, Madison Branch, Allie Herring, Alexis Stewart, Kaylie Motes from this past year’s varsity team. The Bobcats add newcomers Britney Coffman, Bradley McDaniel, Mia Ambrosio and Raegen Miser.

Phil Campbell will play in a Class 3A area with Colbert Heights and Colbert County.

SCHEDULE

Aug. 18 Tharptown/Russellville, Home

Aug. 20 Florence–Central Tournament, Away

Aug. 22 East Lawrence, Home

Aug. 23 Cherokee, Away

Aug. 25 Red Bay/Itawamba, Away

Sept. 1 Tharptown/Cherokee, Away

Sept. 6 Colbert Heights*/Covenant, Away

Sept. 8 Belgreen/Red Bay, Home

Sept. 10 Belgreen Tournament, Away

Sept. 13 Cherokee/Belgreen, Home

Sept. 15 Central/Rogers, Away

Sept. 17 Colbert Heights Tournament, Away

Sept. 19 East Lawrence/Clements, Away

Sept. 20 Itawamba/Hackleburg, Home

Sept. 24 Vinemont Tournament, Away

Sept. 26 Russellville/Brewer, Away

Sept. 27 Colbert County*/Phillips, Home

Sept. 29 Colbert Heights,* Home

Oct. 1 Franklin County Tournament, Home

Oct. 4 Russellville, Away

Oct. 6 Colbert County,* Away

ROSTER

1 — Lydia Garrison

4 — Britney Coffman

5 — Allie Herring

14 — Madison Branch

19 — Raegen Misner

21 — Bradley McDaniel

23 — Kaylie Motes

24 — Mia Ambrosio

42 — Alexis Stewart