News & Announcements
2020 Preview: Middle School volleyball returns with wealth of experience
The TFS middle school volleyball teams are close to opening the 2020 season. The A-Team went 5-6 last season, which marked one of the better years in quite awhile. The B-Team was 4-8 overall in 2019.
“Last season, our middle school team really stepped up and showed mental toughness,” says head coach Whittney LaHayne. “We ended the season with more wins than in previous seasons, and finished fourth in our area, which is a major accomplishment.”
The program loses a number of the A-Team members who were eighth graders now at the Upper School.
The players returning to lead the team in 2020 include Chesney Tanksley, Mia Hamon, and Caroline Smith. That trio will anchor the A-Team, along with some standouts on the B-Team last year in Karagan Branson, Rebecca Heyl, Emma Barron, and Julia Smith.
The girls will get an outside boost from the arrival of out-of-state newcomer Gemma Ferris.
“Gemma is coming to us from Kentucky and I could not be more excited about the potential (height and strength) she will be bringing to our team,” exclaims LaHayne.
LaHayne lays out what the A-Team has in store for this season.
“Our A-Team will be stronger this year since this group of girls has been working together since last season,” says LaHayne. “We are all more familiar with one another; from our teammates to Coach Hannah Satterfield and myself. I have high expectations for this group of girls.”
LaHayne also previews the B-Team.
“Our B-Team this year is very young consisting of predominately sixth graders,” says LaHayne. “We have a long way to go, but we have a great group from the looks of things after tryouts.”
Overall, the teams are excited to open a new year.
“We all are anxiously awaiting our season and cannot wait to get started training,” adds LaHayne. “Earlier in the year brought forth much uncertainty and hurt us in not being able to train together. The girls worked out at home and strength trained at school when allowed. I am hoping our team this year will prove to be a much more athletically inclined team when compared to past seasons. Coach Satterfield and I pray everyone stays safe and healthy so we can grow as a whole.”
The middle school teams opens the season officially on August 22 in a pre-season tournament at Banks County. The first home match is scheduled for August 24 against Franklin County.