Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Homewood head coach Andie Freedman claps after a play by the Patriots in a match against Mountain Brook during the AHSAA Class 6A semifinals in October 2021.
Coach Andie Freedman believes the Hewitt-Trussville High School volleyball program has the potential to be one of the state’s best.
Freedman is taking over the Huskies program following a four-year tenure at Homewood High, where she took the Patriots to the postseason several times, including a state tournament run in 2021.
“It has so much potential,” Freedman said of Hewitt-Trussville. “The community is amazing and the girls are hungry. They want to be respected, they want to be in a program that’s established and they want to win.”
Jackie Cox previously served as the Hewitt-Trussville head coach for six seasons and elevated the profile of the program, putting together winning seasons in 2021 and 2022 and winning 20 matches last fall.
Freedman steps into the program eager to lead the Huskies into a new era, and she is excited by what she’s already seen since she was hired.
“The seniors are leading the way in the weight room,” she said. “That’s a time to build a team, because leadership comes from the top. The seniors are bought in and the program is moving forward. We have the capability to have a special group and do some special things.”
Despite the second semester being the offseason, the Huskies are working to maximize their opportunities in conditioning and team-building. It also allows Freedman the chance to get to know the players and others within the program.
“This group has a lot of potential,” she said.
Hewitt-Trussville will transition into a five-team area this fall, playing against Grissom, Huntsville, Albertville and Vestavia Hills. The Huskies gave Oak Mountain a scare in the opening round of the area tournament last fall and are hoping to break through to the regional tournament in 2024.
Freedman said there are plenty of returning players that give Hewitt-Trussville a solid foundation to build upon. There are also several young and talented, albeit inexperienced, players who will be key cogs in the coming years.
“The talent and desire is there, but we’re inexperienced in that,” she said. “It’s going to be important for us to play as much as possible, play in high-intensity environments and get in the mindset of what it’s like to play in the postseason.”
The 2024 schedule is almost complete for the Huskies, and they will be playing in some of the top tournaments, like the Juanita Boddie in Hoover, the HeffStrong in Hoover and the Margaret Blalock in Homewood. They will host the annual Husky Challenge and play teams like Hoover, Tuscaloosa County, Mountain Brook, Oak Mountain and Helena in regular season action.
“We should have a manageable schedule, but it should be able to prepare us,” Freedman said.
Freedman said she already feels supported by the administration and the families. Tryouts were set to be held in May, and she is hoping to get Hewitt-Trussville into the summer power league with other prominent local schools.
“Change is always challenging, but it’s always positive and leads to new beginnings,” she said.
