By Scott Nickerson
Elmore/Autauga News
Prior to being hired as Head Volleyball Coach at Prattville Christian Academy, Prattville native Kaylon Cantrell graduated from PCA in 2006 and later graduated from Faulkner University. Volleyball has always been a special sport for Cantrell. “I love how much of a team sport volleyball is. It also takes an incredible amount of talent and skill. It’s such a fun game to watch, especially at a high level of play. I also just love the relationships that I get to develop and build with my players. The bond between a coach and a player is special. I still remember my high school coaches and have a good relationship with them to this day. I hope my girls will say the same thing about me one day.”
Going into her 13th season as Head Volleyball Coach, Cantrell’s team will face a new challenge. They will enter the 2023 season as the defending state champions in Class 3A. Cantrell led the Panthers to the school’s first ever state championship in volleyball in her 12th season as coach.
“Winning the state championship last season still feels like a dream! Looking back at last season, it is clear that God was working behind the scenes throughout the whole season to prepare us for that moment. It being the school’s first volleyball state championship made it even more special. I remember playing on this volleyball team 18 years ago as a student at PCA, and to see the growth within the program and to know how far we’ve come, it’s really special to know I’ve played a part in that.”
Several athletes on the volleyball team also played on PCA’s dominant girls’ basketball team which had won two consecutive state championships at the time. Cantrell believes the experience competing in big games in pressure moments on the basketball court helped the team as they advanced through the volleyball playoffs. “We had several girls on that team that had played in 2 state championship basketball games the two seasons prior, so they knew how to handle the pressure of the big moments! I feel like that was definitely one of our advantages as well.”
Still, in the Class 3A State Championship Finals, the Panthers had to face Planview, a team that beat them earlier in the season during a tournament in Guntersville. “That tournament was honestly a turning point for our team. We knew we had the talent, but what we were doing as a team wasn’t working for us. Coming out of that tournament, we made several changes, moved some girls around in our lineup, and honestly became a new team. In the state finals, I think one of the major differences for us was the focus that we came into that game with. We had something to prove, and our girls really wanted that state championship, so we came into that game knowing that we were going to have to stay focused and work harder than we had worked all season and be willing to do whatever it took to win!”
After coaching the Panthers to the state championship, Cantrell was named the 2022 Coach of the Year by Central Alabama Scoreboard’s Volleyball Super 22.
The rise in the volleyball program has also led to several volleyball players earning college scholarships. Naomi Taake earned a scholarship to Brewton-Parker in 2022, and this past season, Hannah Jones signed with the University of Memphis, PCA’s first ever Division 1 player.
Cantrell hopes next year’s team competes for another state championship. “Our ultimate goal for this season is to get another shot at a state championship. We’d definitely like to bring home another blue map! We have several starting returners from last year’s team, as well as some new players who are going to make a big difference. These girls know what it took last year and are even more eager to work for it this year! I think we want to prove that last year’s championship didn’t happen by chance. We worked really hard for that, and earned it through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I’m looking forward to the season and watching this year’s team continue to develop and do big things!”
Whatever happens next season, Cantrell is coaching a sport she loves at a place she loves.
“PCA is a special place. It truly is like a second home to me. The support we get from our administration is amazing, and I feel like we have developed the type of culture we want for our volleyball program. The girls in our program want to be successful, and they work hard and know it’s what we expect.”
