All photos by Malachi Conrad.
New Albany defeats JHS in volleyball sectional
Category: Volleyball
Senior Riley Dobson and the Red Devils head into sectional play against New Albany
by Reese Dobson
Senior Riley Dobson takes her first serve of the season on the Jeff volleyball court. And tonight, she and her Red Devil teammates battle New Albany in sectionals.
Dobson is in her ninth year of volleyball, this being her last. ¨My personal goal of the season would probably be to improve as a setter and be good at the serving line,¨ she said.
Dobson attends an IUS teaching program for the first half of her day, follows up with three classes at school, and then attends volleyball practice.
“I make sure I put school before sports and always make sure to represent the volleyball program highly while at school,” stated Dobson.
It’s important to come to practice with a good attitude even when youve had a long day, she explained.
Volleyball coach Wes Briscoe is in his fourth and last year of coaching Dobson. “She understands there is a certain way for things to be done, and she is always trying to evolve and be better as a player.”
Dobson has type 1 diabetes. This affects her everyday life, including volleyball. Dobson’s teammate, junior Mattie Barker, also has type 1 diabetes. This creates a shared bond between the two players.
“Both of us having diabetes is helpful because we can help each other with our blood sugar and look out for each other while playing,” said Barker.
Dobson balances a lot in her everyday life, but always puts her best foot forward when it comes to volleyball.
On the court, Dobson usually plays the libero or a backrow position. Recently, she has had to step up and play the setter position.
“The most challenging thing I have faced while playing high school volleyball is probably switching from libero position to setter position because that’s what the team needed,” Dobson explained.
Dobson has said that the team has a very good and close bond. “I am going to miss Riley so much when she graduates because she is one of my best friends on and off the court. She is my pepper partner and who I look up to and go to for help,” Barker said.
“Riley has improved throughout these four years, and she has learned to play every position. Libero, setter, and I think even accidentally a middle hitter one time,” Briscoe joked.
Dobson said she has learned that volleyball is always a team sport and you have to do what’s best for your team.
Dobson has played volleyball all her life, along with other sports. She said that she began playing volleyball in elementary school and just stuck with it because she had so much fun playing.
“I have learned that you really have to work for what you want and that not everything is handed to you; showing up does matter.”
Dobson said that being present at every practice, game, and tournament has helped her learn to be a better, reliable player.
“The most enjoyable thing about playing with Riley is having her push me and help me be my best on and off the court,” Barker said.
Dobson’s team goal for this season is to put a good game up with rival team New Albany and hopefully pull out a win.
“I really am proud of this team and hope that we can have a good season and show everyone how hard we have worked.”
Volleyball coach Wes Briscoe focuses on making his players ‘the best version’ of themselves
by Addison Fouts
Head coach Wes Briscoe is making his mark as Jeff High’s volleyball coach, bringing energy and leadership to the Red Devils’ program.
This year marks Briscoe’s’ 25th year of coaching; he has coached in five state finals, and has also been awarded coach of the year honors for both girls’ and boys’ volleyball. His girls’ volleyball team heads into sectional play tonight against New Albany.
Briscoe’s focus, however, is on his teams’ successes.
“I don’t ever have any personal goals in coaching, because it’s not about me. I’ve done just about all there is to do in coaching high school athletics,” he said.
There is no denying Briscoe’s success when it comes to coaching.
“I want everybody to become the best versions of themselves,” he said. “My job is to figure out how to get them to see that they are more than what they believe they are.”
Pushing his players to be the best versions of themselves is just a small part of what Briscoe does for his players as a coach.
“He made me realize that I can always be better, and that I always have room for growth,” stated varsity captain Anthony Ganchuluun, a senior. “I mean without him, I don’t think I’d be anywhere near as disciplined as I am.”
It’s a testament to the culture that Briscoe has built at Jeff High.
“I’ve learned a lot over the past years being a player for Coach Wes,” said varsity captain Riley Dobson, a senior. “He’s taught me that putting in the extra work does pay off and your time will come right when it is supposed to.”
Beyond the court, Briscoe’s influence is felt in the classroom and community. Players describe him as more than a coach, but as someone who encourages them to succeed in all aspects of life.
For him, though, his goal is to better all of his players.
“I just want to see people understand what it takes to play at the elite level that they think they want to be at, and just keep encouraging them to put in the work so they can get there.”
Briscoe has one goal in mind, and it is to grow his players. He cares more about his players’ integrity and leadership than how they play on the court.
In the Moment: Behind the Scenes with freshman and junior varsity volleyball
Click on slides in the gallery below.
Red Devils beat North Harrison 3-2 to celebrate Senior Night
Volleyball team defeats Rock Creek 3-0
All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Malachi Conrad.
Volleyball faces off with Charlestown after playing Oldham County this week
Varsity starts at 7:30 p.m.
All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Kirk Owen.
Red Devil volleyball begins Round 1 of Sectional, playing tonight against Providence
Coaches share backgrounds, goals for their teams
by Ifrah Daber
With a new school year starting and seasons kicking off, many teams and coaches prepare for a year filled with hopeful achievements and golden medals. Through intense practice and hours of dedication that are put into these sports, student-athletes bring pride to JHS.
However, one must remember the coaches who built these players into the athletes they are today. A spotlight on several fall sport coaches reveals their backgrounds, interests, and goals for their Red Devil teams.
Girls’ Soccer Coach Julie Deuser
Coach Deuser is a new addition to the JHS athletic team, taking over for former soccer coach Kallee Thornton. With big shoes to fill, Deuser has come in with a strong sense of determination. She has a long history of coaching at many different schools and playing for several more herself. For example, she coached at New Albany and led her team to the IHSAA Sectional Championship in 2012.
But now, she has big goals for the JHS girls’ soccer team.
“My biggest goal for this team is to see the girls grow and learn the game. I want this team to be competitive and respected in the area. We want girls to want to come to Jeffersonville to play soccer. The program is going to be transforming over the next few years. Long term, we want to win games and championships.”
“I think she’s going to take the soccer program in a positive direction,” senior and varsity player Jovie Golko. She has been playing soccer for all four years of high school and has vocalized her faith in her new coach’s ability to lead her and the rest of the team.
Head Co-ed Swim Coach Michael Pepa
Pepa is a face many students recognize from his teaching College and Careers for many freshman classes, but he is also the head coach for the JHS award-winning swim team.
Pepa had been a swimmer for many years before he was known for his coaching abilities. He started swimming in high school and he, like many, wasn’t the best when he first started. But after swimming through high school to college, he eventually became a record-holder in his sport.
With his 30 years of experience, Pepa passes wisdom onto his students. He pushes an idea of personal best, wanting each student to reach their potential.
“I love Pepa; He’s an amazing coach who built me into the swimmer I am today,” stated Romier Hunter-Lawrence, a senior swim team member.
But even after 30 years Pepa has more plans and hopes for the new year, from strong talent new and old, and the addition of a new pool in the coming months. There is much to look forward to for the swim team in the coming years.
Volleyball Coach Wesly Briscoe
Originally Briscoe had no plans for becoming the coach we all know him as today. He originally wanted to do more of a journalistic view of sports. He was the news and sports editor when he attended Floyd Central High School. He even did radio and TV. It was when he went off and became a student at UofL, sitting around one day, when his mother gave him an offer to coach volleyball.
During the first few years of this new volleyball coaching career, Briscoe walked with a “chip on his shoulder.” He said he was coaching out of spite, but he learned to change his mentality.
His new values as a coach are that coaches should lead by example. They should strive for personal growth and push the students to be the best they can be.
“You could train like a tiger in the jungle or train like a tiger in the zoo” is one of Briscoe’s mantras about pushing himself and his students to train to be the best version.
This mantra is one any student should remember if they want to join the volleyball team in the near future. As Briscoe also shared, volleyball is not an easy sport to just pick up – it will take time and practice but the results will lead the athlete to find improvement and self-pride.
Assistant Wrestling Coach Evan Myers
Myers has been coaching at JHS his entire coaching career and similar to a past coach on the list, Myers didn’t originally plan on being a coach. He was interested in journalism, which led him to become an English teacher. Since he wrestled while in high school, along with a strong love for teaching, he took an opportunity to be a JHS wrestling coach when he heard that the position was available.
Myers said that personal responsibility is a key part of wrestling.. Unlike many other sports where athletes are surrounded by teammates on a field or court, wrestling has only the athlete and the opponent on the mat. This means each wrestler must carry the win or loss on his or her shoulders.
He added that the sport requires a lot of tough training from the strength that is required to pin another wrestler, which adds physical stress to the body.
However, this training can pay off, for example, for JHS senior Ben Land, who competed at National Tournaments, as well as for other wrestlers on the team.
“Great pain comes with great reward,” Myers said, believing that the best way to succeed is to work for it, as many of his students have done and have received the benefits.
Myers’s love for teaching, his students, and the sport drive him every year to push and grow the team. He has much hope for the upcoming year and for all the talent new and old that are in the team.
Men’s Volleyball Team Gaining Interest
Volleyball coach Wes Briscoe is bringing something to Jeffersonville High School that many have been waiting for. Briscoe, who coached the Jeff High girls volleyball team to their first winning season in some time, is in the process of bringing together a group of dedicated boys to form the school’s new men’s volleyball team.
There are a couple of things you need to know before coming to the camps over the winter and open gyms in the spring. First, for those on the team, practices will be every day. Coach Briscoe expects commitment. “It’s going to be very serious,” he says.
Secondly, it’s not going to be easy. Briscoe says that it will not be like P.E. volleyball. He explains that despite first impressions, volleyball is a contact sport. Although a net divides the court, it still gets physical. “If you have to throw your body on the floor to get a ball up, that’s what I expect as a coach,” says Briscoe.
In starting the new team, Briscoe hopes to see excitement in players and fans alike. “There’s not a passion for volleyball at Jeff,” says Briscoe. “That’s something I’m trying to change.”
By Kristen Jacobs
thehyphennews.com 