Practice for the Lady Cats’ volleyball team got underway with a two-a-day session Tuesday in the main gym at the high school. An early session focused on conditioning while a later session dealt with volleyball skills. A total of forty girls attended. Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Justin Maness, in his second year as Lady Cats coach, said the tryout sessions Tuesday and Wednesday are designed to be hard. Team assignments are expected to be made after Wednesday’s tryout session.
After a practice Thursday, the Lady Cats will host a scrimmage against Commerce and Cumby on Friday. The Lady Cats will also scrimmage several teams at Wills Point Saturday. They open the regular season at home next Tuesday (August 8) beginning at 3 p.m. against North Lamar and Sherman.
The Lady Cats have eight returning players off last year’s ten player squad. Coach Maness must replace net player Rita Hill and setter Tori Moore. Coach Maness said the setter is a key position like a football quarterback. He said he would be looking at a couple of players to replace Moore. Last year the Lady Cats set a new school record for wins going 30-12.
The Lady Cats were 9-3 in district play and finished second to Hallsville. The Lady Cats lost to Forney in a bi-district match. Coach Maness said he expected his second year to be smoother than his first since he now knows the volleyball girls much better. His assistant coaches again are Jerrod Hammack and David Carrillo.
Photo from 2016 season
