North Vermilion volleyball team has new head coach

LEROY - The North Vermilion Lady Patriots’ Volleyball Team has a few new faces, including a new head coach.
Gone is former volleyball coach Celie LeBlanc, who is now the head volleyball coach at Acadiana High School in Lafayette. Scott Myers, who is in his second year in Vermilion Parish, was named the new coach this summer.
Myers moved from Lacassine Parish, which is located near Lake Charles, to the North Vermilion area when Casey Meador was hired as the new girls basketball coach.
Myers, who teaches at NV Middle, assisted Meador in basketball last season.
When Celie announced she was moving to Acadiana High, NV Principal Tommy Byler first opened the position up to teachers at the high school and middle school.
Myers had never coached volleyball before, but he has played it. He played club and beach volleyball, so he knows the game.
He took over the team in July and has brought them to volleyball camps at UL and Comeaux High this summer. The squad played a couple of matches Saturday at NV.
Myers said coaching volleyball is different than coaching basketball.
“Volleyball is at a different pace,” he said. “Basketball is a fast pace. Volleyball is a lot different. You play a point and then you stop.”
Despite the slower pace, Myers believes in having his players conditioned for the game. This summer he made them run around the track outside to get ready for the season. By being in top shape, it helps the players stay focused and in the match, he added.
“There will be a lot of close matches,” he said. “We have to be mentally tough as well as physically tough.”
Volleyball is a lot of mental preparation because you have to think the entire time of the match, he said. Players also have to be able to react if the ball is hit to them or if they have to hit to someone else.
The new head coach takes over a program that has started from the ground up and is now a strong program. The squad made it to the playoffs last year and won a couple of rounds.
This year’s squad will have a few new faces, as well as, girls who saw varsity experience last year.
Two projected senior starters will be Claire Meyers, Emily Faulk, who both saw plenty of varsity action last year. The junior starters are Zoe Graham and Claire Hebert. The lone sophomore expected to break into the starting lineup is Taylor Stelly and Reagan Patin, a freshman, is also expected to start.
Myers expects to play five other players off the bench.
With not seeing any volleyball matches last year, Myers said he had to rely on his assistant coach Kate Faulk for help. Kate is a former volleyball and basketball player for North Vermilion. She coached alongside of Celie last year and knows the players.
“She has been a big help,” said Myers.
The season does not officially begin until Sept. 5, when the Lady Pats travel to Lake Charles to play in the West Lake tournament.