Griggs to coach Lady Mustangs in volleyball

The West Orange-Stark Lady Mustangs will be playing for a new head coach this volleyball season. Aaliyah Griggs has been promoted from the assistant volleyball coach to the head position this season.

Coach Griggs recapped last volleyball season for the Lady Mustangs. "We had a very young team. We only had four seniors, and last year we were actually trying to get ourselves together to improve on this year. We actually did that. We didn't have too great of a season, but this year I think we'll have a much better season than we did last year," Griggs believes.

Three Lady Mustang starters return from last year. Kierra Robinson, Meaira Gobert, and Deja Judge will be leaders for West Orange-Stark on the volleyball court and all three are better than they were last season. Griggs observed, "They were key players last season and they do have a better energy than last year, so I do believe having them back will help with our freshmen."

Robinson will play the important libero position as she did last year. "Kierra was definitely learning a lot, but she took in a lot and she made us better than what we were last year when she was just a freshman. It was hard but she did her thing," Griggs praised.

Judge and Gobert will contribute to the West Orange-Stark cause with their experience. Deja will be an outside hitter while Meaira plays in the middle for the Lady Mustangs.

Six freshmen are coming to play for the varsity Lady Mustangs this season. Griggs evaluated, "They have shown tremendous effort, and everything that we're telling them to do they're doing it, so I do believe that they will be a great contributing factor to our winning season."

Of the half dozen freshmen Lady Mustangs the one that stands out to Griggs is Riley Block. "She's our starting setter this year, and anything I tell her to do Riley does it with no complaints and she does it right, so I do believe that we have a good setter. Riley is going to be a great setter by her senior year," Griggs predicted.

The Lady Mustangs are young this season. What Coach Griggs hopes to see is growth for her young ladies especially in terms of leadership.

Griggs explained, "Since we're a young team our leadership is close to non-existent. Some are trying to help, but we still need more leadership on the team because we are so new to the game and we need to know what to do, and right now I'm telling them everything that they need to do, and the leadership amongst the girls just needs to be increased."

Griggs is looking for one of the Lady Mustangs to be her coach on the court. "I think I have an idea, I just need Riley Block to be more confident in herself," Griggs elaborated.

There is optimism that West Orange-Stark will be more competitive this season in volleyball. "I do see a lot in our girls right now. I'm throwing a lot at them, and they're taking it so well for being such a young team. This year I do expect the Lady Mustangs to show more energy on and off the court, support each other, and never give up at the beginning or at the end of the game. I want them to play all the way through. That's my expectations for my girls," Griggs concluded.