Lady Thunderbirds will have young squad

The 2009 Eastern Greene High School volleyball team includes (front row, from left) Darci Abell, Hannah Summerville, Chelsey Bailey, Whitney Richardson, Brooke Butler, Kierstin Southern and Kristen Johnson. The back row (from left) includes Rikki McCann, Casie Divine, Brittany Igel, Sam Reed, Scottie Ingram, Maike Schaefes and Leanna Bailey. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World). [Order this photo]

LITTLE CINCINNATI -- Without a senior on her 2009 roster, Eastern Greene High School volleyball coach Gina Ingram realizes that the best days are in front of the Lady Thunderbirds, who finished 8-20 a year ago.

"To say we are young would definitely be an understatement," said Ingram, who is starting her fifth season in charge of the Lady T-Birds. "With no seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and eight freshmen, this year could be full of surprises."

Ingram said they had 16-17 girls working out consistently throughout the summer, but injuries and recent defections left her with a 13-player roster for both varsity and junior varsity.

"We had a great summer. We had 17 girls for workouts all summer long," she said. "Its unfortunate that our numbers fell off a bit.

"We will probably have some kids that will have to play both varsity and JV. It will be a numbers crunch during the couple of times when both teams are playing tournaments in different locations on the same day. But the girls have been working hard and have been trying to develop their skills. I have never had a group step out on the floor without a senior. It will be different."

Juniors Rikki McCann, Sam Reed and Whitney Richardson all were part of the program in 2009.

"Even though it might look like we don't have a lot of experience, Rikki, Whitney and Sam all have experience," said Ingram. "Our sophomores -- Brittany Igel and Kierstin Southern -- both played last year. Brittany was starting in the front row during the sectional as a freshman. Kierstin has a chance to be a defensive specialist on the varsity.

"Our freshmen have a lot of experience in club ball. The expectations are there and the drive is there. But high school ball is still different. It is different when freshmen compete against seniors."

Freshmen Darci Abell, Chelsey Bailey, Leanna Bailey, Brooke Butler, Casie Divine, Scottie Ingram and Kristen Johnson, along with foreign exchange student Maike Schaefes, are also on the roster.

"I have probably been tougher on this group. We have had some very physically demanding practices," she said. "We have to pick it up even more this year.

"We lucked into working the boys basketball concession stand last year. The money we made from that allowed us to have a couple of camps. We had Eugene Kim come in from Hoosierland and we went to Purdue team camp in July. We had a mock line-up on the floor and got a chance to tinker with it. We had four freshmen on the floor at Purdue and competed with 4A schools and held our own. This group is scrappy."

She added that Richardson is developing into a consistent outside hitter who brings everything she has got. "I hope it continues for Whitney the next two years," said Ingram.

"She is not a big kid, but will play outside hitter. She has worked hard this summer."

McCann will be the lone varsity setter in a 5-1 line-up and that Reed will again be expected to play to up her almost 5-10 height in the front row.

"Rikki has great hands and knows where to put the ball," said Ingram. "She has been working hard to figure out the hitters.

"With Brittany, Sam and Scottie Ingram (her daughter), we could have a front line where everybody is between 5-9 and 5-10. Hopefully we can use that size a little."

The coach added that Divine and Ingram will play in the middle, a role they had in club volleyball and that Reed and Leanna Bailey will play on the right side. She added that Chelsey Bailey will contribute in the back row.

"At any one point, we will have four freshmen on the floor at one time. Hopefully their heads will not fall off," said Ingram.

She added that this team has a youthful enthusiasm.

"When these girls were talking with coach Kim during the summer, they said their goal was to win the sectional," said Ingram. "They got a little bit angry when he did not think they were serious.

"As a coach, I appreciate the fact that they are setting their sights high. While running sprints, they talk about pushing each other to win a sectional."

Ingram said again they have a very competitive schedule, including playing Bloomington South, Edgewood, Brown County, Owen Valley. Mitchell and Bedford North Lawrence to mention a few.

"The girls are still working on three goals that will hang in their lockers," said Ingram. "One of them will be to win the sectional.

"We are very, very young and inexperienced. Miracles happen. I have seen stranger things happen. They just have to be determined to keep working toward achieving their goals."

Eastern Greene

Volleyball Roster

Coach: Gina Ingram (fifth season).

JV coach: Stacey Ivey.