August 4, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
The DCHS Volleyball team is about to embark on its inaugural season under coach Danielle Horton.
The 13 member Tigerette team competed in a Play Day at Stone Memorial in Crossville Saturday and a scrimmage is scheduled at White County in Sparta on August 12 in preparation for the season opener at home on August 19 at Watertown.
Coach Horton said aside from some pre-season jitters, the team is ready to get started.
“We have a total of 13 players including three seniors, three juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen. Four members of the team have played before, so they have some experience” said Coach Horton.
“It’s been a learning process for everybody buts it’s been fun. The girls are enjoying it. Our team is excited and nervous, but they have been working really hard over the summer to get ready”.
The Tigerette’s volleyball district schedule includes Watertown, Upperman, Stone Memorial, Livingston Academy, and Cumberland County.
“They are all pretty competitive,” said Coach Horton. “I can’t say there is one specific team to beat over another since we are a new program but Stone Memorial, Upperman, and Livingston the past few years have all been very competitive with state tournament appearances. They have really taken time to build their programs. Overall, I believe it’s going to be a very competitive district and there’s really not any team that couldn’t go to state”.
Coach Horton invites fans to come out and watch the Tigerettes play this season. Their home games will be in the DCHS gym.
“It is a pretty fast paced game so I think a lot of people will enjoy it especially with it being a new sport here. Volleyball has become a lot more popular than in the past especially in college and with the Olympics,” she said.
Coach Horton has given up her head coaching duties for the Tigerette fastpitch softball team to devote more time to the volleyball program and to her family. However, she will remain as an assistant softball coach to Ethan Duke, who has stepped up from his previous assistant role to head coach of the Tigerette softball program.
“I will still be assistant softball coach for the year,” said Coach Horton. “Coach Duke is taking over the head coach position. As head coach of the volleyball program, I want to focus my time on building it. I don’t want it to be just another sport. I want it to be a championship program in the future and that will take a lot of time,” she said.
“My family also comes first. I have two little girls who are my priority and a I think with me head coaching two sports that would take a lot away from them so to make sure I’m able to balance my work and home life, it was just the right decision for me to do this but still stay connected to softball,” added Coach Horton.