News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
After a 2023 campaign that saw Monterey High School Volleyball go winless in 12 outings, first year head coach Todd Daugherty steps into the role looking to get back to basics.
Daugherty is a Crossville native who fell in love with the game during his time at the University of Tennessee. He said he played volleyball everyday. Now as a coach, Daugherty said he only wants to coach passionate players that want to win.
“My coaching philosophy is centered around having a team of players who love playing volleyball,” Daugherty said. “It has to start there. So what that looks like from a coaching perspective and a philosophy perspective is fostering an environment and a team culture that invites people to want to play volleyball because they love it instead of some kind of obligation.”
With a summer of practices under his belt, Daugherty said he has not had a practice where players are not showing up early and staying late for extra reps. The work he’s seen his team put in during the off season has Daugherty convinced his team is ready to compete for titles.
“Our goal is going after district,” Daugherty said. “I have a lot of respect for the teams in this district, but at the same time I know who our players are. I know how much experience the seven seniors on this team have. I also know that we are competitive and gritty and I have 100% confidence that we are going to be in competition for first place in this district.”
Before he arrived in Monterey, Daugherty spent seven seasons at Stone Memorial as a volunteer assistant coach and eventually was the middle school head coach. It was there, under head coach Victoria Permenter, where Daugherty said he fell in love with coaching.
“(Victoria) bringing me onto her staff meant a lot for me,” Daugherty said. “And from there, I just got to learn the unique perspective about the game that a player would not necessarily get. So, I mean, just going through everything in a very in depth and detailed level. (Victoria) is a wizard when it comes to volleyball and coaching volleyball.”
In May, when Daugherty learned he was the new head coach of Monterey volleyball there was no party, no streamers, no balloons. Daugherty started doing his research.
“I didn’t, you know, celebrate and throw a party. I got to work,” Daugherty said. “I started doing some digging on these teams in the district, I started looking at some highlight videos of our own team. I started, you know, wondering how tall our girls are. During tryouts I wanted to know what kind of height we have, what kind of speed we have.”
Monterey’s first game set for August 20 against Clarkrange.
“I told them, ‘I promise you, every single one of you will know exactly where to be on the court at all times,'” Daugherty said. “So we’re going to come in with confidence this season. We’re going to come in with just some good feeling going onto the court.”
