Chesnutt returns to the court
As it turns out, Carol Chesnutt didn’t retire. She just called time out.
The veteran volleyball coach stepped down as Homewood High’s girls coach after the 2010 season following a great run there, including a Class 5A finals appearance in 2005 and a Class 6A Elite Eight berth in 2009 when 6A was the highest classification.
She stayed at the school as academic monitor, but when she was asked to come back and coach the Lady Patriots for this season, it wasn’t a hard decision.
“They asked me if I would consider coming back,” said Chesnutt, who’s now in her 34th year of coaching. “I’d had a four-year respite. And I did miss it. I missed working with the players, the day-to-day connection with the student-athletes.
“It’s been fun. I still have the energy, and the kids keep you young.”
Chesnutt has a good group of young ladies to work with. She has six seniors, two juniors and five sophomores on the varsity. “The six seniors are giving us good leadership, and I think we have a mix of skill and talent throughout the classes.
“They’re working hard,” Chesnutt said. “We’re still learning each other. They’ve responded well.”
The seniors include libero Virginia Estes, who Chesnutt said has been a four-year varsity member and is a team leader. Left hitter Rachel Donaldson, left hitter Brittney Sims who also plays defense, outside hitter Alexis Broach, left hitter Elizabeth Riley and middle hitter Deja Hester-Taylor are the other seniors. Hester-Taylor has a chance to have an excellent senior season. She’s a strong attacker, quick, and plays with a lot of energy, Chesnutt said.
Juniors are Josephine Graf and Venice Sanders. Sanders, Chesnutt said, is “becoming a real force. She is becoming a strong hitter and blocker.”
Sophomore setters Mary Frances Gaston and Ellie Burkhalter are being counted on heavily to get the ball to the hitters. Other sophomores are middle hitter Ajah Wayne, left hitter Lia Roberson and right hitter Sydney Gurram, the tallest player on the team at 6-3.
Chesnutt will build her team the way she always has — on fundamentals and defense. Defense and fundamentals got the Lady Patriots to the Elite Eight, and Chesnutt firmly believes that is the key to winning this time around.
“I’m definitely a fundamentals coach,” she said. “Good ball control. Serve and serve return is the key to any successful offense. I was telling the girls that you can have great hitters, but they can’t touch the ball if you can’t serve and receive serves and pass the ball.
“And all my teams have had tough defenses.”
And all of her successful teams have been mentally tough, too.
“You’re going to be stressed mentally and physically and emotionally. You have to learn to deal with that, whether it’s on the court or in school. Time management is important, balancing school with athletics, nutrition, getting enough sleep. We try to address the whole athlete, develop every aspect. I think that’s been a key to our success in the past.”
Chesnutt said she’s a “real fan of the multisport athlete.” Several on her team play more than one sport.
“I think for one thing it prevents repetitive injuries you get when you play one sport year round. It gives you a mental break from that sport. You’re only a high school athlete once — if you’re good enough to play more than one sport, go for it.”
Others participate in different extracurricular activities — band, choir, community involvement or church, which she also thinks is a good thing. They certainly learn time management that way as well. “And when they come to practice, they work hard.”
The key to this season, as it is in most volleyball seasons, is to be peaking at area tournament time. The rest is really prologue.
Homewood’s area includes Woodlawn and Briarwood Christian. Area play began with a win over Woodlawn. The regular season concludes at home on Oct. 15 against Shades Valley.
The area winner hosts the area tournament.
“We want to take care of our home court and our area opponents in the regular season so we can get a good seed in the area tournament,” Chesnutt said.