The 2019 Oak Hill Golden Eagles were a special group, considered one of the best volleyball teams Oak Hill had put on the court in several years.
Behind stellar senior leadership and play from Taylor Westgate, Ella Ridgeway, Lexi Carmichael, Abby Shaw, and Coleena Selleck, the Golden Eagles finished with 17 wins, electrifying the crowd with their hard-hitting, fast paced style throughout the season.
The anticipated 2020 season is taking on a radically different shape.
Westgate, who collected 435 kills and a stellar 44.7 attack percentage, is set to begin her freshman year at Taylor University. Ridgeway, the team’s top setter, has also graduated, along with Selleck, Carmichael, and Shaw, who provided secondary offense, but more importantly, that necessary senior leadership.
For Head Coach Kristi Carmichael, it is a group that she will dearly miss.
“Last season was special,” Carmichael said. “It was a special group of girls. It’s different coming into the gym and not having them there. Obviously, we are going to miss them quite a bit.”
However, though now alumni, their presence is still felt around the gym. They have passed on their legacy to this year’s group through their actions and their work ethic.
“They invested a lot into the girls that are playing now,” Carmichael said. “Even though our players from last year aren’t there physically, all of the lessons that they taught the younger players are now carrying over. The younger players are stepping up and picking up right where last year’s team left off. It’s a good sign.”
Though there will be significant holes to fill, the Golden Eagles should be in line for another successful campaign in 2020.
“We are definitely going to be winning in different ways. It’s not going to be by sheer might or force like it might have been last year,” Carmichael said. “This team has great chemistry. They get along well. They’re scrappy, and they move.”
Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced every team in the county to make changes, and the Golden Eagles were no exception. Carmichael and the Golden Eagles maintained contact and shared workouts via Google Meet, and chatted via text messaging in an effort to bolster spirits.
Since team workouts started back up on July 6, Carmichael has been pleased with the progress she has witnessed.
“We have seen a lot of improvement since the beginning of July in their overall ability to move and being in shape,” Carmichael said. “Obviously, it has affected us negatively, but I feel like it has affected every team that way. We’re all in the same situation, making the best of it.”
Attendance at workouts has been solid, and the players have genuinely enjoyed being back together.
“The attitude is more appreciative [because] they have a chance to be here,” Carmichael said. “Some of the attitudes we may have gotten before, they just want to play volleyball. It’s been good.”
Westgate’s presence on the front line will be dearly missed, but the Golden Eagles have several options to replace her, including Katy Jo Camden who, after a horrific car accident that cost her most of her junior year, has made a full recovery. She will be a big part of Oak Hill’s rotation this coming season.
“It’s a miracle. The girl can move,” Carmichael said. “I was kind of leery on how she would perform, but she is moving well. She’s back in full force.
Julianne Gosnell, who was efficient as the team’s second middle hitter a season ago, will also be a big factor, as well as returning players Bailey Hunt and Lori Miller, who are back after not playing a season ago.
Mia Edwards, entering her junior season, will also play a major role for the Golden Eagles in 2020. Not only is she full of boundless energy, she is a talented defensive player, one who had 216 digs a season ago and has also taken it upon herself to take on more of a leadership role.
In summation, the Golden Eagles, despite all of their losses, have a chance once again to be one of the top programs in the area in 2020. With all of the current uncertainty in the sports arena, Carmichael just wants her team to enjoy the game of volleyball and the camaraderie it provides. They will begin their season on Tuesday, August 18 against Maconaquah.
“We are focusing on three words – commit, communicate, and compete,” Carmichael said. “We are going to try to do those things every single day. Every day that you get to play volleyball is a good day. We can’t control what’s going on around us. But we know that we can come into the gym and we can play. We aren’t going to worry about what happens tomorrow – we are going to do what we do today and let things take care of themselves.”
“Have fun – that’s the big thing I think. Yes, we want to win games. We want to compete. But in the end, I want them to have fun doing it.”
