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Photo by Kyle Parmley.
Oak Mountain's Ella Pierce (1) hits during a match between Oak Mountain and Tuscaloosa County on Aug. 28 at Oak Mountain High School.
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Photos by Kyle Parmley.
Oak Mountain’s Lauren Schuessler (16) sets during a match against Tuscaloosa County on Aug. 28 at Oak Mountain High School.
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Photos by Kyle Parmley.
Oak Mountain’s Saiya Patel (2) plays the ball over.
This year’s senior class is the first to navigate all four years of high school with Oak Mountain High School volleyball coach Grace Burgess.
Burgess has coached the group of Saiya Patel, Lauren Schuessler, Mabrey Whitehead, Ava Heath, Ella Pierce, Jenna Burson and Emma Hawkins since they were freshmen.
Hawkins transferred to Oak Mountain as a junior, but one would never know. She has been friends with much of this group since early childhood.
“I’m not ready for them to be seniors,” Burgess said.
These seven have helped Burgess build the Oak Mountain program into a contending program. The Eagles had a breakthrough last fall, upsetting Chelsea in the area tournament to earn a spot at the North Regional.
The Eagles tasted a little success in 2022, and they want more this season. They have effectively put their name in the hat for best team in the area. At the time of press, Oak Mountain had already notched area wins over Spain Park and Chelsea, with a few more area matches still to be played.
The seniors talked about some of the lessons they have learned over the years, particularly what it took to win that postseason match last fall.
“We went in with full confidence,” Pierce said.
“That was one of our best matches,” Heath said.
“We were playing for each other in that match,” Schuessler said.
One thing is apparent while talking to the seven of them: they love being around one another, on and off the volleyball court.
“I really like playing with all of them. Our bond is great,” Patel said.
That’s one reason the 2023 season has gotten off to such a strong start, they believe.
“Our togetherness is such a strength for us,” Burson said. “We’re so close.”
Another thing the Eagles have focused on is the ability to finish matches. The first match of the season against Bayside Academy provided a perfect teaching moment for Burgess. Oak Mountain won the first two sets of the match, before Bayside rallied to win the next three.
“We had a little bump in the beginning, but we’ve had some wins that have boosted our confidence and that’s been a big thing for us,” Heath said.
With seven seniors and seven juniors on the roster, the seniors have made it a point to make sure all 14 are pulling in the same direction. The seniors know this is their last chance to play together, and it very well could be the last indoor volleyball season for all of them.
“We’re loving every moment and enjoying it and leaving a legacy for the juniors and the younger ones, to hopefully keep it going,” Hawkins said.
When the Eagles got to the regional tournament last season, they were wide-eyed. They had never been to that stage and a few players were battling sickness, and they lost in the first round.
If they are fortunate enough to return to that stage, they want to make some noise this time.
“There’s no pressure. It’s now. This is what we’ve worked for,” Heath said.
Burgess has high expectations for her players, and the seniors have been ingrained in her system for four years now. She has seen them develop into the leaders and strong players that she knew they could be from their first days at Oak Mountain.
“It’s almost like a mom letting her baby birds fly,” she said.
