News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
After graduating five starting seniors, Livingston Academy volleyball head coach Christie Jenkins is excited for the challenge of fielding such a young team in 2024.
Livingston’s season starts against Smith County August 20 and the Wildcats will be without more than half of last year’s starting lineup. This season’s starting lineup will feature two freshman, Marley Dishman and Bella Harris, Jenkins said getting her 9th grade starters prepared for the season has been a whole team effort.
“A lot of them played middle school volleyball, but middle school volleyball is so different than high school volleyball,” Jenkins said. “So, they’re having to learn to step into those roles and they’re afraid of making mistakes. So, it’s a lot of new things. Trying to be more encouraging to them, for them not to get down on themselves, you know. The whole team trying to do those things because we need them. You know, we need everyone to step up this season.”
Jenkins said it was an adventure having to rebuild her lineups and rotations and this is the first off-season in years she has had to rebuild to this degree. While there will be new faces in new places this year, Jenkins is relying on her lone senior, Mally Carwile, for extra coaching support.
“She has started since she was a freshman on back row,” Jenkins said. “This year she is having to fill some pretty big shoes, she’s our going to be our libero. Mally loves volleyball, I think she loves these kids, this team. And I’m excited to see her be the captain and kind of lead them where we need to be this year.”
A Livingston Academy and Cumberland University alum, Jenkins said she is teaching and coaching the way she was brought up by her coaches.
“We are definitely old school,” Jenkins said. “I try as a coach, as old as I am, to try to go to watch things, to see new drills to do and things like that. We don’t do a lot of fancy things, we’re just kind of basic right now.”
Jenkins said the better her team gets at hitting and communication, the more advanced the plays can get. She said she expects her team to compete this year, but the inexperience will hurt them to start the year.
With a summer of practice, camps, meals and movie trips, Jenkins said this years team loves each other and are able to bounce back.
“I’m excited for them,” Jenkins said. “Like I want to win, you know, every coach wants to win. But, I can’t wait to see the progress that they’re going to make. Because even in the three weeks where all we’ve done is practice, I can already see a huge difference, even in my incoming freshman.”
