Building processes are nothing new to Liz Fields.
After all, Fields and Liz Byrne led the initial construction efforts that helped Heritage Academy create a volleyball program in 2011. Their hard work paid off early in the initial season with a 3-1 victory against Columbus High that gave the program its first brick in the foundation.
Players like Natalie Hardy, Elizabeth Scott, a transfer from Starkville High, Kristen Phillips, Harli Sesser, and Allie Allsup were part of that first team. Several of them continue to help the sport grow at the school in subsequent years.
Fields is still trying to build the program a few years later. In 2015, she and the Lad Patriots worked through a season of growing pains without any seniors. This year, the team won’t have any seniors again, but that hasn’t diminished the enthusiasm of Fields, a former standout volleyball player at Alabama. If anything, the lack of experience is motivating Fields and encouraging her to try new things to keep her players inspired so the program can add a few more bricks to the foundation.
“Just having that year of experience playing at the varsity level was what they needed,” Fields said. “They weren’t really sure what to expect going into the varsity level. I think they responded OK. I hope they respond a lot better this year.”
Fields said instilling confidence has been a priority. She has been stressing to the players that they are younger but they still can compete against older opponents who might have more experience.
“I tell them when you step into this gym that you are a varsity player and I want you to act like that,” Fields said. “I want you to have them mentality all of the time.”
Heritage Academy will open its season Aug. 18 at New Hope. It will continue to play at Pohl Gymnasium on the campus of the Mississippi University of Women.
Emily Howard and Gigi Fields are two of five sophomores on the 10-player varsity roster. Fields said coach Fields is trying to get the players to communicate more and to understand the importance of playing together. She said she said each player is an island and that they have to come together and not be separated.
Both players are confident this season will be better because there will be competition for playing time and most of the players have added experience from 2015.
“It was kind of intimidating sometimes,” Howard said. “Last year was kind of stressful because it was like, ‘Oh my God, we are on varsity.’ But we want to have fun with it. I think we will be better because we are used to it.”
Said Fields, “We stepped up to the plate (last season). Instead of being timid, we will know we are a varsity team and not be nervous.”
Coach Fields said it has been a process for the players to understand the mental side of the game. She said she has seen growth, but the real tests will come when her team faces another opponent. She hopes that confidence blossoms because it will help make training sessions more competitive. With three new players on the 10-player roster, it is difficult to simulate game situations with six on one side and six on the other side of the court. She said Heritage Academy also will have a middle school program to go with its varsity team. It will compete against Caledonia, New Hope, and Starkville.
One sign of growth is the team will compete in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) tournament at the end of the season. This will be the first year the program compete at the event in Jackson. Heritage Academy has played a schedule filled primarily with public schools in the state of Mississippi.
“I hope they are more confident on the court,” Fields said. “I know they are younger, but if they don’t believe it, it is not going to happen.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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