The Bob Jones volleyball team has been practicing vigorously to prepare for the season’s start on August 25th against Huntsville High School. Behind every great team is a superb coach.

April Marsh has been working at Bob Jones since 2011. When asked what previous experience Coach Marsh had, she spoke of not being fond of the sport until her college years.

When a previous coach moved to work at Coffee High School, (now known as Florence High School) and asked Marsh to be an assistant coach to the volleyball team, she began to enjoy the sport more. Due to the job loss of the head coach, Marsh became the sole coach at only nineteen while still earning a degree in physical education at the University of North Alabama.

Every student who tries out for the team has an equal opportunity to make it. Fundraising is also available for those who are not financially capable.  Tryouts for this year’s team were in March.

The pre-game ritual of praying, which used to involve Coach April Marsh, is now lead by the senior members of the team. Coach Marsh no longer participates in the prayer since she received a letter from the FFrF (Freedom from Religion Foundation). When speaking to junior varsity members Megan Schmidt, Kiley Bush, and Katie Pruden about the pre-game ritual of praying, they said that praying was optional and never forced upon them.

During her tenure at Bob Jones, Coach Marsh has had a total of eight players get signed to play collegiately.

Coach Marsh and all the players on the team have an understanding of the academic expectations they need to achieve to be able to play. “The minimum score is a seventy percent in any class, but I strive for A’s and B’s,” said sophomore volleyball player Katie Pruden.

Observers believe that through Coach Marsh’s family-oriented team that the girls have a greater chance of achieving their goals.

The season schedule can be found HERE, and you can follow the team on Twitter @BJHSVolleyball.