WAGONER HIGH SCHOOL

By Nick Hampton

There is an air of optimism around the Wagoner Lady Bulldogs volleyball camp this summer as a new coach and a solid core of returning starters hope to get things back on a winning track. 

One of those returning starters is senior outside hitter Presley Olson who will start for her fourth year.

“I didn’t start playing volleyball until the seventh grade when me and several of my friends decided to try out and we made it and then I started playing competitive club volleyball the next year.”

The new coach is a newcomer to the ranks in Jayce Stimson, a 2017 graduate of Chouteau.

“I played volleyball all through middle and high school and have helped coach on several teams since then.”

Stimson says that Presley has been a big help to her as a new coach in several ways.

“Presley is a leader and always has a good attitude. If you ask her to go and encourage a player, she’s right on it and you don’t get that from many players. She’s a kind person and she’s helped me a lot in learning how to communicate and deal with her teammates. When I’m getting frustrated, I look at her and she has a calm face, so I go with it calm.”

Olson is one of five seniors on the volleyball team this year and she knows that means being a team leader.

“I think a good leader has to have a positive attitude and help keep everyone on the team charged up and helping things run smoothly. All of us seniors also play on the same club team out of Muskogee and so one of the highlights for me every year is when we play Muskogee because we all know each other so well,” said Presley who is also on the tennis team and in the National Honor Society. “Coach Stimson has been fun to be around, and we all think she’s pretty cool and she’s still pretty close to our age.”

After high school, Presley plans to attend college and eventually wants to go into dental school.