Stepping into a high school varsity head coaching position for the first time is normally a tough task.
However, being named head coach of one of the top volleyball programs in the state for your first effort on the bench, well, that is an entirely different level of difficulty.
That is exactly where Brantlea Wood finds herself.
Following the resignation of former Shady Spring head volleyball coach Kelly Williams and assistant coach Sharon Pinardo, Wood was chosen to succeed the highly successful duo.
“I have big shoes to fill for sure. I try not to let that get to me too much because it is the same game that I have been coaching (at the club level),” Wood said. “All of the credit to Kelly and Sharon for the program they have built and entrusted me with.”
Kicking off the 2023 season in September with a new head coach is only part of the story for the Tigers. Also gone are first team all-staters Chloe Thompson and Meg Williams who will play at Concord University in the fall.
Williams was also name the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Volleyball Player of the Year for 2022, as well as the 2022-23 Gatorade West Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year.
Williams is the first Gatorade West Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Shady Spring High School.
“Meg and Chloe were not just phenomenal players, they were go to players,” Wood said. “When we needed a point, they could pretty much put the ball down.”
Although the team will have a different look this year, Wood is confident in the girls that will step on the floor for her in September.
“This is a group that I believe in and they have made it really enjoyable so far. There is no doubt that we will have to work all six players on the floor,” Wood said. “We will work smarter, not harder and we will mix in some strategy with it. Watching other teams, we will have to pay attention to their tendencies and really have to use their weaknesses.”
Wood played volleyball and softball for Woodrow Wilson before graduating in 2011. She then played softball for four years at Concord University, but volleyball did not get pushed into the corner.
“I played volleyball and softball all year round growing up. I played club-ball for Sharon and started when I was 12 years old. That was when it was invitation only,” Wood said. I also coached club-ball while I was in college.”
The new Shady Spring coach has been highly successful at the club level, but does admit, high school volleyball is not exactly the same.
“It is totally different. I am used to two or three days a week, maybe four at the most. This is six days a week most of the time, so that has been a big change,” Wood said. “Organization and staying on top of that has been a big thing. Staying on things like paperwork, social media posts and media relations. Those are the things that I struggle with. I am very much like let’s get in the gym and practice and everything will fall in place.”
The program she now leads has been to the state tournament six years in a row with the last four years ending in the state championship game. The Tigers won the Class AA title in 2020.
The pressure for continued success has not been lost on Wood.
“I try not to show concerns to the girls and portray more of a fearless leader mentality. I know some people have had concerns about the coaching change. If any of the girls have them, they have not expressed them,” Wood said. I have been pretty open and honest with my seniors and they have been open and honest about it with me. They seem to be on board with what I am working to do. I feel like the relationship with the players is there and I have had most of them throughout club ball at some point.”
“Internally, I think we are all on the same page,” Wood went on to say. “From the outside looking in, I am sure there are questions. People asking if I am up for it. What if they don’t win? What will happen? Those questions are always going to asked.”
Wood is not totally new to the program having been an assistant coach last year which has also help the transition to head coach.
“That was kind of why Kelly and Sharon brought me, to get my foot in the door,” Wood said. “It helped build relations with the players that are returning.”
Although the losses are extremely noteworthy, Shady Spring does have quality players returning this season led by seniors Camille Testerman and Haley Sweeney.
“I feel like Camille and Haley both have really embraced the leadership role. They have been really welcoming to our freshman,” Wood explained. “Haley has a presence on the floor that you can’t do without. Both of them have been a comfort to me. They both are good kids all the way around. Both are quiet, but lead by example, not the loud, yelling in your face like some have. It is more, come to the middle, encourage and get back to work.”
Joining the two seniors will be experienced, multi-talented sisters, Rachel and Reagan Mann along with Alivia Stover.
“We will have a couple of JV girls back to fill some varsity roles and Kadence Stump got some varsity playing time late last year,” Wood said. “Kenidi Creager will help us and Shailee Sexton will be back. We also have a good group of freshman coming in that will help us.”
The past few seasons, the powerful Tigers have mainly had teams beat mentally before the first serve. That will likely not be the case this year with teams feeling more confident that they can beat Shady.
“I think a lot of teams will come in thinking that way and I like it. I accept that challenge. The players I have talked to feel the same way,” Wood said. “They still want to win. I feel 100 percent this is still a state championship contending team. We will have to work a little harder and work on our strategy of how we go into games, but I have a lot of confidence in these girls.”
