Yolanda Beasley provides instruction on a drill during last Friday’s tryouts for the Princeton volleyball team. Beasley is entering her first season as the team’s head coach. Photo by Oladipo Awowale / C&S Media
By David Wolman
When first-year Princeton head volleyball coach Yolanda Beasley first hung signs in the school to inform volleyball players that open gym workouts and skill sessions would be held during the summer, she was curious to see how many students would participate.
Three days a week during the summer, starting in June, Beasley opened the weight room for the Lady Panthers to improve their strength, followed by skill sessions in the gymnasium.
Beasley was very pleased with the turnout.
“We had good numbers throughout the summer,” she said. “We had anywhere between 30 and 45 kids weekly coming through. We lifted first, then came over and got on the court. We took a few weeks off but got right back into it when we returned from that time off.”
The high turnout is what Beasley had wanted to see from her players ever since she was hired as head coach Feb. 26.
Beasley, who most recently coached at Sherman, came to Princeton not only looking to help turn around a program that struggled to a winless record in District 6-6A a year ago, but also bring enthusiasm for the game while mentoring the players to aspire to be great human beings.
Another way that Beasley has worked hard to create the team-culture values that she envisions for Princeton was by taking 30 players to a team camp at SMU two weeks ago. The Lady Panthers were split into three groups. Players were given instruction on skill work during the day, and at night competed in matches against players from high schools in Texas and Louisiana.
“We had one of the biggest turnouts there,” Beasley said. “I got to see how the kids respond to other coaches and get them out of their comfort zone. The buy-in is there towards what we are working for.”
Princeton held team tryouts last Friday and Saturday with more than 80 aspiring volleyball players attempting to earn a spot on either the varsity team or one of the sub-varsity teams. Another six athletes were not able to make it because of a previous commitment they had with their track and field team.
Beasley is confident that Princeton can fill the rosters on all of their sub-varsity teams.
Beasley, like most high school volleyball coaches in Texas, has a chance to spend more time preparing the team. Thanks to a new rule passed by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the start date for practice moved to Aug. 1, allowing more time for team tryouts and additional practice to prepare before the start of the season. In previous years, the first day of tryouts was held a few days later, usually on Monday.
Beasley applauded the decision.
“As soon as I saw that on the calendar, I was like, ‘Yep, we’re starting on Friday,’” she said. “If they’re giving it to us, we’d be fools not to take it.”
Princeton will begin the season Aug. 12 at Denison. The Lady Panthers begin district play Aug. 19 at home against McKinney Boyd.
Princeton is hopeful for better success in its second season in Class 6A.
“I think that they’re looking forward to it,” Beasley said. “They’re still a little nervous, have some flashbacks to last year. And we’re young. We’re going to be young and hungry, but in two to three years, it’ll be great. We want to still that work ethic in them and get their mindset changed. The drive is there. It’s just a matter of channeling that energy and get them on the right track.”
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