Greene County started a volleyball program last year under the direction of Sharda Massey. She was given full control of the program from former-athletic- director-turned-principal Eddie Hood.
Now, as the Lady Tigers enter year two under Massey, they are in a better place.
“Going into this season, I am glad to see that the players are being consistent and sticking with the program,” Massey said. “Volleyball was new to the school district last year and many girls showed up to play. This year, there were also quite a few girls at tryouts, and we were able to choose 20 players. This is a variation of JV and varsity players.”
Hood told the Lake Oconee News that nearly 40 girls showed up for tryouts last May.
Massey and her coaching staff spent the summer teaching the fundamentals of the game. The team learned the basics and got to scrimmage a few times during the summer.
“We were able to really teach the players the game, scrimmage and bond as a team,” Massey said. “The girls really are enjoying the game and they are dedicated and hardworking. We are definitely seeing major improvement with each practice.”
Greene County is still learning and maturing as a young team during its second season. Massey has seen her players make great strides on the court since tryouts.
“We are still working on the development of our players. The more we practice and run drills we continue to see their growth,” Massey said. “We have many players that are returning from last season, but that was their first year playing. We also have a few girls that are playing for the first time. All of the girls are working to get better in each area of the game. We are definitely proud of the progress they have made so far, and we are looking forward to their progress throughout the season.”
Greene County will play a full schedule this season. The Lady Tigers started their 2022 campaign a few weeks ago at Aquinas High School and recently hosted the Lady Fightin’ Irish. They then faced off against Lake Oconee Academy twice last week.
Massey was excited to see her girls play in the Tigers Den for the first time.
“Last year we were unable to host games, although we still had a lot of support. We are able to host games this year and we are looking for a great turnout from students and the community,” Massey said. “The community has welcomed the new sport and has offered to do several things for the players this season. So, we are looking forward to working with different businesses and personnel throughout the community.”
Greene County is currently sitting at 0-4 on the season, but the Lady Tigers have been competitive in each match. Their best match came against Aquinas at home two weeks ago.
Massey hopes to get in the win column; however, that’s not the most important thing. Her ambition to see her players succeed - in any way possible - is her main objective.
“My expectation for this program this year is for my girls to feel successful. That may come in many different ways, but I want them to be able to see how their hard work has paid off in different aspects of the game,” Massey said. “Some of them will become better players athletically, some of them will become better leaders, and some of them will become better teammates. My hope is that each member of the team finds something to feel successful about this season. Our motto this season is ‘All Out, All Game, All Season.’ That is what I expect to see from each and every one of our players. I want them to give all they have in every game, all season long.”
The Lady Tigers are set to face Social Circle in a home-and-home matchup this week.