Just how successful the Summers County volleyball team will be under first year varsity head coach Kelsie Lively is still to be determined.
Based on the pedigree that the young coach brings to the court, the Bobcats appear to be in good hands for the future.
When it comes to state championship rings, Lively has a fistful, literally.
The Summers County alum was a member of four state championship girls basketball teams from 2008-2011 under legendary head coach Wayne Ryan. Lively was also a member of the 2010 volleyball team that won a state title under Kelly Brogan.
Lively is now leading the same girls that used to cheer for the Bobcats back in her playing days.
“All these girls were little kids when I played. They were like in elementary school, so that is humbling to say the least,” Lively said. “These are the kids that would come watch us play basketball under Coach Ryan. I have watched these kids grow up and now some of them are graduating high school.”
Besides being mentored by two excellent coaches, Lively also had an advantage in regard to being a first-year head coach.
Before being named head coach for the 2021 season, Lively was an assistant last year under Brogan. Brogan had returned to the bench after stepping down after the 2010 championship season.
“Luckily, last year Kelly and I really worked well together. We bounced stuff off each other because she knew she was only going to coach for one year,” Lively explained. “She let me have a lot of say in what was happening so we would have a smooth transition period. I think being part of these girls’ lives has been very beneficial. They see me as a coach, a mentor, and a friend. I think that is important.”
While the 2020 season was highly successful for Summers County, which earned a spot in the state tournament, graduation took four seniors including second-team all-staters, Gavin Pivont and Taylor Isaacs.
“We lost a really tall player and some really dynamic players that played all the way around,” Lively said. “It has been a little bit of a challenge to get this group into those gaps, but they have all stepped up and have been willing to play in whatever spot I put them.”
The good news for Lively and Summers County is the well is far from dry.
Seniors Marlee Meador (libero), Maggie Stover (outside hitter) and Danielle Midkiff (middle hitter) have provided solid senior leadership this season.
Junior Sullivan Pivont is back as the Bobcats most dynamic outside hitter and she is joined by fellow juniors, setter Liv Meador and outside hitter, Emma Lindsey.
The Bobcats also have another threat in the middle with sophomore, Grace Harvey.
“We have used some different lineups this year and we are finally getting into a groove now,” Lively said. “It’s good for them to learn to adapt to new situations and be able to play in any position I put them. It is great to have a bunch of girls that are willing to do that.”
Amidst all the changes this year, one would think that Summers County would have struggled early in the season. That has not been the case for the Bobcats.
“I expected this team to be successful, but not quite at the level that we have been so far. The only two games that we lost, we were missing a couple of girls,” Lively said. “We were in a weird rotation, and we were missing some positional players. That was also a week after being off due to Covid.”
“We have some really good position players and they all know their roles,” Lively went on to say. “I think it is really important to have role players. Role players are what make a team and we have a really good dynamic with that this year.”
Thursday night, Summers County came to Beckley and continued its winning ways with a 3-0 win over regional rival Greater Beckley Christian.
Trailing 11-9 in the opening set, the Bobcats ran off seven straight points to take control. Kills from Harvey and Stover started things and was capped by three straight aces from Pivont.
An ace and a kill from Stover would later close out a 25-18 Summers win in set one. The Bobcats took control early in the final two sets, winning both by a 25-13 margin.
The keys to victory for the visitors were strong serving, solid work at the net from Midkiff and the Bobcats ability to find the open gaps in the middle of the Great Beckley defense.
“We made a little switch in our line-up tonight, so I think we can use that, which is really good. Danielle is one of our strongest blockers. We like to have her up there because she can trap the ball really well and she has great timing,” Lively said. “We are playing a different back row defense this year, so they are adapting to a bunch of changes. They are really doing well with everything I have been throwing at them.”
Greater Beckley head coach Tracie Fisher knew her team faced an uphill battle Thursday. Already working with a young and inexperienced lineup, Fisher was also missing one of her top hitters, senior Emma Holstein.
“This team is just having fun and none of the girls had a bad attitude tonight,” Fisher said. “None of them gave up and they were fighting for each other. We knew it was going to be a challenge, but we never looked at the scoreboard. They gave everything they had to compete tonight.”
With three weeks left in the volleyball regular season, both teams will be facing some tough competition heading into the postseason.
“Next week is our challenge week,” Lively said. “We play Greater Beckley, James Monroe, Shady Spring and Liberty. That will set the bar on what our expectations will be for the rest of the season. We had a few of those games cancelled early on, so it is nice to finally play them and see where we stand.”
