Marble Falls volleyball shines at camp
CAPTION: Senior Kate McCary’s versatility is playing different positions and handling serve-receive forces opponents to know where she is at all times. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The annual Lady Mustang Volleyball Camp wrapped up July 16 and left a positive impression on Erin Sawyer.
Sawyer, who is the founder of the Highland Lakes Aces volleyball club and is the Faith Academy of Marble Falls volleyball head coach, called the three-day event productive and energetic.
“Things are going well,” she day after the second day. “I know a lot of the girls from the Aces. They’re really nice.”
The camp drew around 40 Lady Mustangs in grades 9-12. New head coach Zoey Beard-Hanrahan and her staff were not permitted to coach. But they were in the stands watching, observing and taking notes.
Sawyer said it was difficult to miss the performances of Lady Mustangs including senior libero Kenadi Dalton.
“She is quite the little standout to me,” the coach said. “She’s super coachable and very nice. She gets to balls you think she wouldn’t get. She’s on the back row and leads and takes that over. I think she’s going to be really good.”
Sawyer, who noted she’s learning the Lady Mustangs’ names and that “there have been other standouts,” recognizes what it takes to compete at the highest levels.
She competed in two state tournaments in 1997 and 1998 as a member of the Van High School team and then at East Texas Baptist University. After serving as the Faith Academy junior high volleyball coach and the high school program’s assistant coach for two years, Sawyer took over the program in 2023.
One year later, the Lady Flames advanced to the Class 3A state tournament of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
So it says plenty about the direction of the Marble Falls program when Sawyer pointed out that as a whole, the Lady Mustangs arrived at the camp daily ready to put in the work and pave their own path to success. She noted the program’s motto this year is “#all in.”
That stands for “are you ready to win? Are you ready to do all the things it takes to win?”
“Camp is going well,” she said. “I’m really encouraged by the girls who are stepping up. These girls are wanting to do more.”
That’s apparent in the number of athletes who play club ball during the offseason and then the Llano May League.
“These girls are wanting to do more,” Sawyer said. “You can see that. I think they’ll get there if we keep encouraging them.”
Last season, the Lady Mustangs finished 21-18 overall, 5-7 in District 24-4A play. They forced a play-in match against Jarrell to decide which team entered the Class 4A playoffs. Jarrell won the match in five sets.
Mia Trejo, who was the district’s Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and a pivotal player in the program, graduated in May.
CAPTION: As a true freshman, Brighton Bernard was a key contributor to the Lady Mustangs last season. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
