Cougars set sights on state tournament
The expectations have never wavered for Clay-Chalkville High School volleyball coach Natasha Brown.
They are as follows: win Class 6A, Area 12, win the North Super Regional and compete at the Birmingham CrossPlex in the state tournament.
The Lady Cougars have gotten pretty good at the first one. They have dominated Area 12 in recent years, winning the title each of the last four years without as much as dropping a set to any area opponent. They’ve competed in the super regional tournament twice in that span, but have yet to make it to the state tournament.
Brown believes her team has the capability of repeating the first one and achieving the others as well.
“They’ve bought into the system and they work really hard,” Brown said at the inaugural Birmingham area high school volleyball media night in August. “We have the pieces, we’re just trying to find the best place for everybody to go.”
Clay-Chalkville returns four contributors from last year’s team, including sophomore outside hitter Lauren Charles. Charles made a great impact as a freshman and is now taking on more of a leadership role with this year’s group.
“I was really quiet because I was the youngest on the team,” she said. “But as the seniors left, I stepped up and became more vocal. … You’re not a leader if you’re only leading while coach is watching. It matters what happens when she’s not looking at you.”
Brown is also expecting big things from senior Morgan Mauldin, who is going to play on the right side for the Lady Cougars this fall.
“She’s going to be great for us, impacting the block on the strong side,” Brown said.
Mauldin believes in the potential her team has, as well.
“It just takes some time to get there,” she said. “We’re working hard every day at practice, just improving day by day. It’s been a process but we’re slowly getting there.”
Brown was unsure if Clay-Chalkville would have a libero on the court this fall until the summer, when eighth-grader Reece Smith burst onto the scene and gave the Lady Cougars great stability on the back row.
“That’s a big deal,” Brown said, “because initially I thought I wouldn’t have one. … Now that I have a libero, we’re not out of system as much.”
Taylor Burrell, a senior and three-year starter, will return as the Cougars’ setter. Byronni Tubbs, Zoe Graham and Sheliah Harris are also in line to contribute this fall.
As for what a practice at Clay-Chalkville looks like, Charles said “to be loud and not slack off.” That jives with Brown’s consistent demeanor.
Brown added, “I expect them to have high energy, to get after it, to hold each other accountable. It’s not golf. Volleyball is a loud, high-energy, communicating sport, so it takes energy to hone your skill.
“I have high expectations and I think we’re going to have a successful season.”