By Scott Nickerson
Elmore/Autauga News
Baylee Rogers is just a sophomore at Prattville Christian Academy, but she already has quite the resume of honors and accomplishments. As a freshman, Rogers was the main setter on the Panthers’ 2022 Class 3A state championship team. She was also named to the All-State Tournament team and had more than 1000 assists during the season.
“Winning the state championship was an awesome feeling for me,” Rogers said. “We knew all year we had the team to do it and if we worked hard and pushed ourselves, we could win it and that’s what we did. Getting to dog pile and celebrating with the team was a memory I will never forget.”
In her sophomore season, Rogers eclipsed 2,000 assists for her high school career, a PCA school record, with two seasons still left to play. She helped the Panthers to reach the Class 3A State Tournament again. At the end of the season, Rogers was named All-State by the Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches Association (AHSVCA). She was also named Class 3A Player of the Year.
“It felt super good to make it back to state this year,” said Rogers. “We lost four of our main players from our state championship team, so we really had to rebuild. So, for us to make it back was awesome!”
Rogers’ high school volleyball career started in just the 7th grade. Head Coach Kaylon Cantrell recalled the first time Rogers took the floor for the varsity team. “We pulled her up to varsity her 7th grade year when one of our setters was out with COVID, and she handled the pressure like a pro.
Rogers admitted to being nervous going into her first varsity match. “I knew some of the girls on the team, but they were much older. When I first started playing with them everyone on the team was super welcoming. Three of our seniors that year really took me in and made me part of their family. They helped me feel like I belonged there and made sure I knew age didn’t matter.”
The experience helped, as the Panthers advanced to the 2020 Class 3A Final Four.
Rogers also has experience playing with the Capital City Juniors travel team based out of Montgomery. The team has played in tournaments in Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia, as well as competing in Chicago and Indianapolis the last two years in the USA Volleyball Girls Junior Nationals.
Coach Cantrell and Rogers both cite the 10th grader’s extensive preparation as a contributing factor to her success. “I really push myself in practice and in the weight room,” said Rogers. “I watch a lot of films on ourselves and the teams we play. We even have team film sessions together. When preparing for a game I don’t only think about myself, I have to think about our offense and what they are up against. I have to think and prepare a way to give my hitters good opportunities at the net. I like to break down the negatives I did in the game and even the positives. I like to see what I could do next time to make the play better, or what worked for me and my team throughout the game.”
Coach Cantrell noted that Rogers is the first PCA volleyball player to break the 2,000 mark in any stat category. “She is one of the hardest workers I know and has been that way since I first met her as an elementary student. She studies the game and works hard to be the best she can be in that position.”
It’s not just skill and preparation that has resulted in the school record for assists. Rogers recognizes the importance of her teammates. “I would like to say I wouldn’t have been able to reach that without my teammates. We’ve had and have lots of good offensive players in our program which makes my job a little easier. One thing that helps me be effective is I like to put my hitters in good situations. I spend a lot of time figuring out what situation I can put each hitter in. I also try to talk one on one with our hitters and figure out what plays they can run and where exactly they want the ball on their set. I have to give a ton of credit to my teammates though I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the accomplishment without them. I would also like to give the glory to God, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this without him.”
Rogers has set a team goal of winning another state championship and a personal goal of breaking the 3,000 or 4,000 assist mark in high school, and ultimately, to play in college. She will have an opportunity to impress more than 200 college coaches in December when she participates in the Phenom College Preparatory Program in Tampa.
