The Lady Cougar volleyball program will welcome a new head coach this season, as Kylee Beecher takes the reigns of the program.
Beecher is not only new to the Lady Cougar volleyball program, but she is also new to Pulaski County Public Schools as a special education teacher. She brings a wide variety of experiences into the volleyball program.
“I have been playing volleyball since middle school and played for Hidden Valley High School through my junior year,” Coach Beecher said. “I was recruited to play both volleyball and basketball while in high school. I had committed to the University of South Carolina to play basketball and they required me to only play basketball, so I did not play volleyball my senior year. I ended up getting hurt at USC's camp and to make a long story short, they decided they changed their mind about me, so I dropped my commitment to play basketball there. I ended up playing basketball at Liberty University instead. At that point, it was too late for me to play volleyball. I have played in some adult rec volleyball clubs and coached volleyball for one year previously at Cave Spring High School, while I was an Instructional Assistant there.”
Growing up and playing sports in Roanoke, her path to Pulaski County involved her husband.
“My husband got the job as the Town of Pulaski Fire Chief, which required that we live within town limits,” she explained. “We have been living in Pulaski for almost a year and a half. After commuting for a year to and from Roanoke for my position as a Special Education Teacher at Northside High School, it was time to find a position with Pulaski County Schools to be closer to home.”
The team held tryouts last week. The JV and varsity squads have been selected and players have begun to work and practice together. Scrimmages begin this week, with games coming quickly.
“I am beyond excited about our teams this year,” Coach Beecher said. “These girls are passionate about volleyball and are eager to do well this season. They have worked hard all summer and the beginning of the season so far. We want to have an overall better and more successful season than last year. Short term, we'd like to start the season strong with two scrimmage wins. Long term, we'd like to have a winning season and make it into post-season play.”
Winning in volleyball, like most other sports, involves a lot of work in the offseason. Historically, Pulaski County has only had a few seasons where they’ve been able to dominate teams with players that are committed to playing year-round in travel, AAU, and Junior Olympic settings.
“My plan is to have opportunities outside of the high school games to develop and grow our players' skills, especially after season,” Beecher said. “I cannot force my girls to play outside of high school play, but I think helping them find their love and passion for the game will translate into their commitment outside of the high school season for further skill development and taking advantage of opportunities as they are available.”
“As a coaching staff, we would like to have a winning season and win more games than the program won last year,” she continued. “However, success is not defined solely by how many games are won, but within the volleyball program it would be to turn around the program to be a more positive atmosphere where the girls can have fun, commit to giving their 100% effort each day, and develop as young women on and off the court. Incorporating a system of support for the girls to accomplish both their goals on the court and off is success in my eyes.”
Coach Beecher will be assisted by Duane Minnick, who will also be the JV head coach, and Assistant Coach Madison Webb, a former Lady Cougar player who wants to continue giving back to the program.