Former Lady Lion returns as head coach
August 6, 2010

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Back home.

That’s the story for Melissa Anderson, the new head volleyball coach for the Greenville Lady Lions.

Anderson, a 2002 graduate of Greenville High School and 2006 graduate from Texas A&M University-Commerce, is coaching in the same gym she frequented as a GHS athlete.

“It’s good being here with family, coaches and everybody I grew up with,” said Anderson following Thursday’s practice.

Anderson previously coached volleyball at Wichita Falls Hirschi and with two club teams in the Metroplex, the Plano Express and Summit.

Anderson said it’s quite a different experience to be working with principals and coaches who coached her in the past, such as GHS principal Heath Jarvis, Lady Lions basketball coach Lesa Darst and Greenville Middle School coach Terrie Felty.

“It’s fun because you always know they’re going to be there to help you,” she said. “You always know they’ve got your back.”

Anderson’s been working with a dozen varsity volleyball candidates, twice daily since Monday.

“They’ve been working real hard,” she said. “Two-a-days are hard enough as it is. It might be more than expected. I’m tough.”

Anderson stresses “tons of conditioning.”

“We do miles, we do bleachers, lunges, circuit training,” she said.

The Lady Lions lost five of their top players to graduation off last year’s team but return two seniors, Shanterria Riley and Emelie Kilgore, plus sophomores Maygan Bloyed and Maddy Crabtree, who got a lot of playing time last season.

“We are young but we are talented,” said Anderson. “The sophomore class is strong. We have two seniors. Senior leadership is big.”

Mackenzie Cooper, up from the freshman team, gives the Lions a tall hitter up front. Cooper and Crabtree were starters last season for the Lady Lions’ varsity basketball team.

The Lady Lions will scrimmage Kaufman and Ennis today in Kaufman and then will scrimmage in Royse City on Saturday against Royse City, Kaufman and Crandall.

They’ll officially open the season on Tuesday in Princeton against Princeton and Caddo Mills.

The Lady Lions open District 13-4A play on Sept. 10 in Greenville against Denison. They also have district matches against Sulphur Springs, Royse City, Mount Pleasant, Sherman, Denison and Texas High.

“District should be promising,” said Anderson, who noted that the Lady Lions were aligned into a district where they’ll have a chance to make the playoffs.