The Littlefield Lady Cats’ varsity volleyball team is off to a solid start into their first season under Head Coach Kaylee Edgemon.
The Lady Cats are 8-3 overall after Tuesday’s home win over the Estacado Lady Matadors.
This season Coach Edgemon is joined by Coach Keith Logan, Coach Mallie McGehee and Coach Jay Ragland.
“It’s been really good. I definitely think that the girls had to make an adjustment to the work that we were doing, but the coaches 1,000% bought in and knew what I expected,” she stated. “We all collectively decided that we were going to push these girls probably harder than they’ve ever been pushed, because at the end of the day we want to create not just good athletes, but good people. We’re teaching them how to work hard and build each other up, but I think all of the girls have bought in and by the end of the first week of two-a-days they were ready to go.”
She talked about how the coaching staff has come together this season, saying, “Coach Logan has been absolutely amazing. He has been walking me through how everything kind of works and making sure I’m staying on top of the things that I have to do. He has been amazing, I can not express how much I appreciate how much he’s helped me. Being able to come back together with Coach McGehee after playing together and then kind of going our separate ways after high school, has been amazing. Coach Ragland has been great as well, the girls love him, appreciate him and have a lot of respect for him.”
She added, “My junior high coaches, Jayde Elliott and Madison Davis, have been at as much as they can learning how things need to be done so that they can help our girls program in the junior high be ran the way it needs to be ran.”
The Lady Cats went to the Area round in the Class 3A Volleyball Play-offs last year, before falling to the Bushland Lady Falcons.
“Our seniors have a drive like no other and they lead our team well,” Coach Edgemon explained. “They want it, so every single day they’re holding someone accountable, whether they’re younger, the same age, the coaches, they’re holding everyone accountable.
The mentality of it is not OK to lose is in their brains; they do not want to lose, and whatever we have to do to make that happen we’re going to do.”
She added, “Getting fourth usually means you get Bushland earlyon, but now we’ve added a fifth team, so there is not a guaranteed path to the play-offs. We’re drilling that in their brains that we have to fight for every single point in every single game, every single practice, we’re fighting for everything.”
The Lady Cats have six seniors on this year’s team in Kennadi Hanlin, Julie Bownds, Amiah Elizondo, Kenzi Jordan, Taryn Golden and Kamryn Jimenez.
“ Kennadi Hanlin and Julie Bownds are seniors and our two captains. They’ve been awesome leaders for us,” she said. “Hanlin is playing all the way around for us, which is something she’s never done before, she has always been the Libero. It has been huge for us, she has stepped into a big role for us and has been performing amazing. Bownds is our middle and is a powerhouse, she really reminds me a lot of myself. She too is doing an awesome job for us.
She added, “Jordan is another senior, but has been injured to start the season, so that has kind of hurt us, because she has a presence on the floor with her size and energy. She brings a lot of energy. Jimenez is one of our back row players, she is kind of playing left back and middle back it just depends on the situation. Golden is playing right side and back and can put the ball away when she gets on top of it. She is also a good leader, she is quiet, but still does a great job leading. Elizondo also brings a lot of energy to our team and when she gets a hit everyone goes crazy.”
The two setters for the Lady Cats are junior, Bri Valdez, and sophomore, Bryndle Ray.
“They’re both younger, but they have stepped up to probably the biggest role on the team,” the coach explained. “ Coach McGehee made a point about our setters the other day, saying there is a reason there are only two of you. It’s a tough spot and Coach McGehee teaches them so well, I’ve given her complete control of our setters, because that is what she was great at and I trust her with that.”
Junior, Madison Brown, has taken over the role of Libero this year.
“She is doing a great job. She is kind of quiet, so we’re working on getting her to speak up a little bit, but she is doing a solid job for us,” Coach Edgemon said. “Cali Saldana is a junior and she is just an athlete. She is playing both back and front row for us and is doing a great job. Myli Hernandez is another junior for us and plays in the middle. She didn’t start out on varsity last season, but ended up up there and does a great job as a middle. This year she is a middle and middle blocker, and she is our other go-to hitter when Bownds is not in the game.”
Maggie McNeese is the loan freshman this season on the varsity.
“She is our lefty, and she has a big presence at the net,” she said. “She is going to be our big blocker and her serves are going to be huge. She is quiet, but she is starting to get more comfortable.”
Coach Edgemon talked about who their leaders are, saying, “Hanlin is definitely our leader on and off the floor.”
“Hanlin is the loudest in a good way, she brings the energy and keeps that energy up all match,” she stated. “She is one of our go to girls for energy and leadership and Bownds is our go-to hitter. I tell our setters you have to feed the beast, but we have great hitters across the board.”
She added, “ Defensively, “Brown is our Libero, so we want the ball touching her hands first at all times, but if they aren’t serving to her and are serving to Hanlin, Jimenez and Saldana, we’re still solid. Our defense is doing pretty well so far this season. Once we critique and fix a few small things I think we will be pretty unstoppable defensively.”
The coach talked about what she feels their strength is to this point of the season, saying, “I think our strength right now is the bond that these girls have. They are close knit, they’re there for each other and push each other. They’re good friends on and off the court; the bond that they have and the will that they want to sacrifice their bodies for each other is just crazy.”
She added, “I would say our weakness is that we’re a smaller team, you look at other teams and they have some 6’0”-plus girls, and Julie is our tallest girl at 5’10”5’11”. We’re not big in height, but McNeese has hands at the net, Jordan can get up, Golden is getting her hands up at the net, even Hanlin is getting her hands on some balls when she goes up to block.”
Coach Edgemon talked about their district schedule, saying, “I’m tired of the mentality of oh we’re scared of whoever we’re playing. Who cares who we’re playing, we’re going to play our best, we’re going to play our hardest and we’re going to win. I want the girls to go into every single game with the mentality of we’re about to shove it down your throat. We’re going to do it in a respectful way, in a good sportsmanship way, but we’re coming into every gym we enter and we’re going to beat you. I don’t care what name is on your jersey, those are my thoughts on district and we’re working on getting the girls to keep that mentality.”