Ray Conner
Sports Editor

The numbers are small, but the hopes are big this year for Kern Valley’s varsity volleyball team.

Elizabeth Deckard (nee Miller) is back at the helm for the Lady Broncs. This will be her third season as the head coach after taking a year off last year. Megan Dusing will take on the assistant role for the Lady Broncs. Coach Deckard wants to see her team build up their volleyball skills as the season goes on. Deckard said, “I want to build up the volleyball program, get more girls involved and make sure we are competing at a high level.”

Nine players make up this year’s squad. Kern Valley returns four players this season including, seniors Sierra Ure and Corey Andreas. Junior returners include Jamie Duran and Morgan Eirich.

New to the squad are juniors Sydney Scott, Anita Ellerman-Clark and Jesse Looy and sophomores, Jessica Yasin and Tori Barnum.

Deckard sees the challenge in getting the girls to work as a team and making them competitive.

She said, “We have to have starters and finishers working together, having a winning attitude and the desire to be competitive.”

In the non-league, Deckard is hoping her team picks up some wins, keep improving every game and build up the skills for league.

She said, “I hope by improving every game in the non-league, that we will be ready and right there with the top teams in league.”

The teams to beat this season in the HDL are the perennial favorites Desert and Frazier Mountain.

Looking at the strengths of the team, Deckard sees that the girls have a lot of talent we can build on along with their hard work ethic. On the flip side, she sees the weakness of her team in the small numbers of players.

In closing Deckard said, “I am looking forward to a good season. I hope we have strong support in the stands when we have our home games.”

Taking back over the program, Deckard seems to have what it takes to build it and return it to winning matches.