• 37°
franklin county times

Phil Campbell prepares for first year of volleyball

Starting a high school athletic program from scratch is never an easy task. For one to be immediately successful, it takes a lot of good fortune. Fortunately for Phil Campbell High School, the Bobcats have some things working in their favor as they set out to start a girls volleyball program this fall.

“We have a lot of very dedicated girls at Phil Campbell who have experienced success in other sports,” said Amy Moss, the program’s head coach. “They are excited, and they have been working very hard. They have seen all the other schools in the county start volleyball programs, and they have been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

Moss said the fledgling team has been having voluntary workouts every Tuesday and Thursday night in June.

“We have averaged over 30 girls participating in these workouts just to get stronger, learn the game and develop basic volleyball skills,” she said. “Many of these girls play basketball, and they will come straight from basketball playdate games to volleyball workouts. That tells you a lot about their character and their work ethic.

Moss, who has been at PCHS for 16 years, has experience coaching girls to success and coaching highlyskilled volleyball players. She led the Phil Campbell girls basketball team to the Northwest Regional basketball tournament in 2006. She was also an assistant coach at perennial volleyball power Haleyville High School from 1998 to 2005 and was the junior varsity coach at Wilson High School in 1997.

“I have been privileged to coach some great athletes over the years,” Moss said. “At Haleyville, I was fortunate to coach some very good volleyball players at the junior varsity and junior high level. At Phil Campbell, I had the same thing – just a great group of girls who wanted to win and would work their tails off to do so.”

Moss said she knows it will be tough getting started but the Bobcats won’t back down from anyone.

“We are going to take baby steps and celebrate every success,” she said. “I want the girls to have fun and learn the game, but along the way I want them to have a sense of urgency in learning and go into every match expecting to win.

Since Phil Campbell is starting volleyball in the middle of a reclassification cycle, the AHSAA had to place the team in an already existing area. The Bobcats will compete in Class 3A Area 16 with Lauderdale County, Clements and Elkmont.

“That area is about as tough as it gets,” said Moss.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x