Coach Cheri Perry welcomes a roster of 24 volleyballers for the 2024 volleyball season that includes 11 sophomores that will be heavily relied upon to improve on an 11-16 season in 2023.
She welcomes four returning starters Audrey Mitchem, Amelia Mitchem, Asia Sterling and Avie Mason, three of whom played as underclassmen last year, to provide leadership.
“The sophomore group is special, and they are getting better and stronger while the whole team committed over the summer with more girls competing in club ball than in previous years,” Perry said.
Perry singled out Mason and noted that “Avie became a libero last year and picked up a lot of playing time,” which will be critical. The team will also rely on senior leadership from Savannah Franklin, who missed last year with an injury, and Audrey Mitchem.
The team started things off last week with the Referees Scrimmage where they competed against St. Michaels, West Feliciana and Prairieville.
The Referees Scrimmage is a preseason set of games utilized to train volleyball officials. Though there are multiple stoppages and teaching moments for the officials throughout it is first-time action for many girls and an opportunity to get out on the court.
“We played well and in the West Feliciana game we saw a lot of things we have been working on this summer running the quicker offense,” Perry relayed.
Summer training included a two-day camp at the end of July led by Southeastern Louisiana University coach Jeremy White and his assistant Lee McBride at ZHS. The ZHS varsity also attends the Southeastern summer camp for team building and training.
Perry is joined by coaches Ron Lewis, Kia Coleman and first-year coach Michaela McHugh. Coleman and Lewis return as assistants. McHugh is entering her first year at her alma mater where she was a multisport athlete including as a former volleyball player.
“It's good to have coaches that can focus and develop the skills for all the girls whether they are freshmen, junior varsity or varsity,” Perry said.
On the district Perry noted that “as usual, St. Joseph’s is going to be strong and Central is going to be strong.” Liberty is in the district this year and Scotlandville has moved out. Baton Rouge high rounds out the district competition.
“We used to play everybody twice in district, but we only go once around this year so each of our teams has the opportunity to play others in the state,” Perry said.
This season’s schedule will also feature more games during the week than weekend tournaments.
The freshmen and junior varsity will host a jamboree at Zachary High Aug. 31 and the varsity will compete the prior Thursday in the St. Michael varsity jamboree.
The Broncos will open on the road at Destrehan on Sept. 3.
“It’s a long trip but every year Destrehan comes to our jamboree, and it felt right to return the favor,” Perry said.
Perry is excited about the season and notes that “though we are young, I think we are going to turn some heads and surprise some people this year.” Perry stressed that the success of this year’s team will be based on “the importance of being intentional and holding each other accountable.”
There is no overlying theme for the season, but rather daily reinforcements of being intentional, the value of accountability and constant engagement.