ROCKINGHAM – A month into summer workouts has proven to be a period of adaptedness for first-year Richmond Senior High School varsity volleyball coach Ashleigh Larsen.
Since taking over the reigning two-time conference champion team in June, Larsen has put her players through a vigorous transition period that she hopes will prepare them for the upcoming season.
Thanks to a more consistent turnout of players at workouts three days a week, Larsen, 28, is starting to see her vision come together. And a lot of it has to do with her familiarity with her players and the girls buying into the direction she hopes to go.
“Workouts have been going really well,” Larsen commented. “The girls have adapted really well to what I’m trying to do with the program. It’s been good for me to have helped Shellie (Wimpey) for the last six years because it allowed me to build really good rapports with the girls.
“I’ve got several returners, but there are a ton of incoming freshmen,” she added. “It’s a good time for transition — the numbers at workouts are steadily growing and it’s been a more consistent group of girls. The first couple of weeks, I had a new bunch of girls every day. Now we’re averaging 20 players a practice, and taking a step farther every day. It’s been quite a positive experience for me and I absolutely love being the head coach.”
With the help of former Lady Raider, and current Salem College volleyball player, Madelyn Chappell, Larsen has watched the team progress into a comfortable spot as the second North Carolina High School Association dead week went into effect Monday. In the four weeks that she’s held voluntary workouts, Larsen has now moved passed the basics and is getting her players prepared for tryouts and the official start of the season on Monday, July 30.
The Lady Raiders are not only entering the season with a new head coach, but they’ll be without four starters from last season. Now graduated players Brianna Baysek, Owen Bowers, Altman Griffin (two-time conference player of the year) and Mackenzie Webb are gone, but Larsen is optimistic that the right puzzle pieces are present, and it’s her job to make them fit.
“This last week (of workouts), I’ve seen the most growth from the team,” Larsen observed. “I almost didn’t want to week to end because they were doing so well. We’ve worked really hard on defensive drills and serving, and are starting to transition into more game-like situations.”
Larsen admitted that it will be hard for the team to replace the hard-hitting and solid middle-court play provided by Baysek, Bowers and Griffin, but the position she’s working out most is Webb’s old post at setter. Larsen explained that there are “a lot of (current) players with potential” to fill the gaps of the four former All-Sandhills Athletic Conference selections, and it starts with some of them stepping into the leadership roles.
“Savannah Lampley, Layne Maultsby, Jadyn Johnson and Savannah Chappell are four returners who have really stepped up as leaders,” Larsen said. “I expect a lot out of them this year, and they’ve done a great job at workouts helping the younger girls.
“The returning girls know and understand the mindset of winning back-to-back conference championships,” she continued. “They know where they need to be and are showing the newer players what it takes to get there. I’m not calling this year a developing year — we’re working really hard and nonstop to be the best we can be.”
Noting that Lampley (rising senior, All-SAC selection in 2017), Johnson (rising junior) and Allexis Swiney (rising juinor) are all talented and “interchangeable” at the outside and right-side hitting positions, Larsen hopes to solidify the starting lineup by adding Chappell (rising senior middle hitter) and Maultsby (libero) into the mix.
While those five players are all seasoned varsity veterans, Larsen is also expecting a lot of big things out of several first-year varsity players. Lampley is one of the several players taking reps at the setter position, but the likes of Emy Cooley (rising sophomore), Shelly Hoffman (rising sophomore) and Carley Lambeth (rising junior) are auditioning for that role as well. Larsen said she might go with two setters this year, something she’s not implemented before, if that means it’s what’s best for the team.
Another aspect that Larsen has seen fall into place during the most recent round of workouts has been the team’s camaraderie.
“I’ve been really impressed with the girls getting used to playing with one another — they are learning to communicate really well,” Larsen said. “The skill development is benefitting from that, which is good as we get ready for tryouts.”
Up next for the Lady Raiders is another three-day workout week off the dead week starting Monday, July 23. With RSHS’ cheer camp happening, the team will meet from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The three-day tryout period, which is mandatory for all interested players, will run from Monday, July 30, through Wednesday, August 1, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Richmond’s first scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday, August 11, against Lee County High School, and officially open its season at home on Wednesday, August 15, by welcoming in Anson High School at 4:30 p.m.
